NCAA Announces COVID-19 Testing Protocols For Tournament

By Adam Roberts – 1/7/2021

We already know if the Badgers make the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, it won’t be a very long road trip from Madison to Indianapolis. Now we know more about the strict COVID policies they’ll have to comply with there.

The NCAA is revealing its health and safety protocols for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Tier One individuals will be required to have seven consecutive negative COVID-19 tests before arriving in Indianapolis. That includes players, coaches, trainers, and other staff members. They will also undergo daily PCR testing once they arrive in Indy and throughout the entire tournament. Individuals who have tested positive in the past 90 days, are at least two weeks post-infection and are asymptomatic will not be required to have daily testing. Those who are at least two weeks removed from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine are also immune to the daily testing.

All Tier One individuals will also be required to wear a device to monitor their movements and help with contact tracing, much like the ones currently used by the NBA. Attendance policies will be announced after February 1st, but the NCAA says up to six family members per Tier One participant will be allowed in each game.