University of Michigan pauses all athletics The entire University of Michigan athletic department is pausing because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Canadian Press NCAA basketball court , The Canadian Press ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The entire University of Michigan athletic department is pausing because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state Department of Health and Human Services issued the mandate Saturday, with the school saying it follows positive COVID-19 tests for several individuals in the athletic department. They had the new variant that transmits at a higher rate. The entire department could be in quarantine for two weeks. The 11th-ranked women’s basketball was set to play at home against Purdue on Sunday. That was one of four athletic events the school had scheduled. The men’s tennis team was hosting a tournament while women’s tennis was in Atlanta. The men’s gymnastics event at Nebraska was also postponed.