Baylor basketball coach Scott Drew has tested positive for COVID-19, he announced Sunday, but the Bears are still planning to start their season on Wednesday.
Drew announced on Twitter that he tested positive after team-wide testing on Friday.
"Following Friday's team-wide testing, I was notified that I had tested positive for COVID-19," Drew's statement read. "I immediately began self-isolating and assisted with the necessary contact tracing. I am asymptomatic at this time and will continue to monitor my health as advised by our health & wellness staff.
"The good news is the rest of our team tested negative on Friday (Nov. 20) and again today (Nov. 22), and this was our first positive test in the last 12 weeks, so we are on track to open the season Wednesday. I'm fortunate to have associate head coach Jerome Tang, who has been by my side throughout our 18 years at Baylor, and he will serve as our interim head coach while I am unavailable. While it will be difficult watching from a distance, I know the team is in great hands with coach Tang and our entire staff. I look forward to returning to the sidelines as soon as I can do so safely."
Drew also took to Twitter to thank fans for their support.
Thank you for all the well wishes! I have strong reason to believe I contracted the virus at home, and because everyone with Baylor Basketball took the necessary precautions, I don't believe I have exposed anyone else in the program.
— Scott Drew (@BUDREW) November 22, 2020
Baylor, the No. 1 team in ESPN's preseason Top 25 and in the Coaches Poll and the No. 2 team in the AP poll, is scheduled to open the season on Wednesday in the Empire Classic at Mohegan Sun. The Bears face No. 18 Arizona State on Wednesday and then the winner of No. 3 Villanova vs. Boston College on Thursday.
Drew is the fifth major-conference coach to publicly announce he's tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two weeks, following Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Syracuse's Jim Boeheim, Ole Miss' Kermit Davis and Washington State's Kyle Smith.