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Former UConn star Katie Lou Samuelson will miss out on the Olympics after contracting COVID-19 and being placed under USA Basketball’s health and safety protocols on Saturday. This comes despite Samuelson being fully vaccinated.
Olympic athletes are required to test negative for the virus twice on separate days within 96 hours of leaving for Tokyo. One of those tests must also be within 72 hours of departure. With the 3x3 tournament set to begin on July 23, there would not be enough time for Samuelson to isolate and test negative in order to be cleared.
Our hearts are broken for Lou. We thank her for her endless commitment to building up USA Basketball 3x3 & we will miss her dearly in Tokyo. #USABfamily
— USA Basketball 3x3 (@usab3x3) July 19, 2021
Samuelson helped the US 3x3 team qualify for Tokyo and was later named to the Olympic roster with fellow former Husky Stefanie Dolson, Alisha Gray, and Kelsey Plum. Jackie Young will take Samuelson’s spot.
The 3x3 competition is an eight-team tournament that begins on July 24 and runs through July 27. The US team will open against France on July 24 at 4:55 a.m. EST.