Duke’s women’s basketball team has ended its season amid the coronavirus pandemic, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The men’s team intended to keep playing.
The person spoke on Friday on condition of anonymity because the school has not publicly announced the decision.
The Duke women’s basketball team has been on hiatus since December 16 due to two positive COVID-19 tests and tracing of contacts within the program’s tour group. The Blue Devils (3-1) postponed games against Miami, NC State and UNC Wilmington. The team’s next game was against Louisville on Thursday.
The Blue Devils are the first Power 5 school to start this season and will not finish it due to the virus. The Ivy League closed in November before the basketball season started. A few other schools also decided not to play this year.
New coach Kara Lawson, who was hired in July, had said this month, “I don’t think we should be playing now. That’s my take on it.” That came a day after Duke men’s coach Mike Krzyzewski wondered why college basketball was being played in the midst of the pandemic.