Before either the men’s or women’s lacrosse teams at UMass could play a game, both programs have been temporarily shut down.

In a letter by Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy published on umass.edu on Sunday, it was revealed that COVID-19 risk on the Amherst, Mass., campus has increased from “elevated” to “high.” 

As part of a number of public health measures implemented by campus, all athletic activities — including games and practices — will be on pause for a minimum of 14 days, a timeframe which began at 2 p.m. Eastern on Sunday. It could last longer than 14 days if public health conditions do not improve.

“Contact tracing data indicates that transmission of the virus is especially prevalent among some undergraduate students not following social distancing and mask protocols,” Subbaswamy wrote. ”From Feb. 2-4, the latest three days of testing results at UMass, we have had 298 positive tests, and we now have a total of 398 active cases.”

The UMass women have yet to announce a 2021 schedule, though it will be forced to cease practices for the time being.

The UMass men, however, will now be forced to cancel games against Army, originally scheduled for Saturday in Amherst, and UMass Lowell, originally scheduled for next Saturday in Amherst. The earliest game Greg Cannella’s team would be able to play is Feb. 27 at Boston University. That is, of course, if conditions improve.