Pepperdine University Cancels Sporting Events Amid COVID-19 Surge

Emily Rahhal
·1 min read

MALIBU, CA — Pepperdine University postponed or outright canceled nine athletic events amid a massive nationwide spike in COVID-19.

The university announced the cancelations Wednesday citing COVID-19 protocols at Pepperdine and competing schools.

The city of Malibu had 1203 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 as of Wednesday, an increase of 210 cases from just a week before, according to Los Angeles County Public Health Department data. This comes as hospitals in Los Angeles County are quickly filling up with hundreds of new admissions every day.

Pepperdine is not alone in putting a pause on athletics: Just last week California State University, Northridge cancelled three women's basketball games and the University of California, Los Angeles has been cancelling sporting events through December.

The men's basketball squad's rescheduled game against San Diego on Monday will not be open to the public, according to the university.

Here are all the games that have been canceled and postponed:

  • Men's Basketball vs. San Diego; original date Jan. 6; postponed to Jan. 10

  • Men's Basketball vs. Pacific; original date Jan. 1; postponed indefinitely

  • Women's Basketball vs. Loyola Marymount; original date Jan. 8; postponed to Jan. 18

  • Women's Basketball vs. San Diego; original date Jan. 6; postponed indefinitely

  • Women's Basketball vs. Saint Mary's; original date Jan. 1; postponed indefinitely

  • Women's Basketball vs. Pacific; original date Dec. 30; postponed indefinitely

  • Men's Volleyball vs. Barton; original date Jan. 7-8; canceled

  • Men's Volleyball vs. Mount Olive; original date Jan. 5-6; canceled

  • Women's Swim/Dive at San Diego State; original date Jan. 8; canceled

This article originally appeared on the Malibu Patch