There are three new active COVID-19 cases associated with the football team, causing multiple student athletes and staff to miss Saturday’s game against Campbell University. 

In Friday’s board of trustees meeting, Chancellor Sheri Everts announced the new cases associated with App State football, after Thursday’s announcement that a member or the volleyball team tested positive for COVID-19.

“Those four students are recovering in isolation. The associated quarantines will, however, have an impact on those upcoming games,” Everts said. 

The chancellor said that while App State volleyball’s opening series has been postponed because of the active case and contact tracing, the football team will still play the Camels Saturday missing “several” players and staff. 

“Sun Belt Conference guidelines permit App State to play the game as long as it is able to continue to safely field a two-deep depth chart at every position group,” App State Athletics said in release.

Everts said between Student Health Service and pop-up testing sites, 6,151 faculty, staff and students have been tested during the fall 2020 semester. The average weekly positive test rate stands at 3.4%, totaling 207 people.

“We are all weary of the effects this pandemic continues to have in our daily lives, but we cannot become complacent. It is our responsibility to remain diligent and disciplined,” Everts said.

The new cases are expected to be from an ongoing cluster reported in August, App State said in the release. Eighteen players are in quarantine after exposure to one of the active cases.

“Based on NCAA, conference and public health guidance, the App State football team participates in weekly COVID-19 testing for student-athletes and staff. App State Athletics has enhanced its protocols for ensuring correct use of face coverings, and continues its existing additional prevention and safety precautions, including physical distancing, hand washing and sanitizing of equipment and facilities,” App State Athletics said.

This story has been updated with information from App State Athletics Strategic Communications.

Jake Markland contributed to this story.