Seaside, Calif., Sept. 24, 2021 — Cal State Monterey Bay announced today that six Otter Athletics volleyball team members tested positive for COVID-19. Those living in on-campus housing are being cared for in a designated quarantine location while they recover.   

“Our focus right now is on the health and well-being of our Otter student-athletes. I feel bad for our volleyball program, especially considering the diligence the team has shown in complying with COVID vaccination and safety protocols. We will work hard to come back from this and continue to provide all Otter student-athletes with a safe and competitive environment,” said Kirby Garry, CSUMB Athletic Director.  

The university implemented a campus-wide indoor masking mandate to complement the CSU vaccination requirement to help keep students, faculty, and staff safe. In August, the university returned to in-person instruction and restarted the athletics program after play was suspended in March 2020.  

“Our highest priority remains the health and safety of our community, and it is unfortunate that our athletics program is experiencing positive cases,” said Eduardo Ochoa, CSUMB President. “I’m proud of our Otter community and the level of collective care each person takes to protect one another. We estimate that about 90 percent of our on-campus students, faculty, and staff are fully vaccinated, and voluntary compliance with our indoor masking policy is high.”

In this case, a cluster of positive student cases occurred in a fully vaccinated group with frequent close contact. Due to the number of individuals in the cluster, CSUMB is taking additional preventative measures, including suspending indoor games this weekend, extra cleaning of facilities across campus, contact tracing management, and increased testing protocols for affected groups. Exposure tracing continues, and health professionals will reach out to individuals who had close contact with those who tested positive. 

Visit the CSUMB COVID-19 webpage for updates and additional information. CSUMB has a robust COVID-19 positive case response team. A cross-functional group from around campus responds immediately to a positive case report, ensuring that students are moved quickly from their room to an isolation area, that they are safe, and that their needs are met from academic support to food, basic needs, and mental health services. Since the beginning of fall classes, not including these six individuals, CSUMB recorded 21 positive cases that reported campus contact, including students, faculty, staff, and contractors.