The correlates of media exposure to COVID-19 media information, functional difficulties, and perceived coping among student-athletes have not been extensively examined in the African culture. In order to promote physical activity (PA) participation during the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have been interested in examining COVID-19-related functional difficulties and perceived coping. The study employed descriptive survey design with primary data collected on eighty-two (82) university athletes (females 24; males 58) for a period of two weeks using Google forms. The mean age of respondents ranged 6 to 10 years. Primary quantitative data were collected using a closed-ended questionnaire. The instrument was subjected to content validity and pilot tested for a reliability coefficient of r =0.85. Findings indicated that there was a significant difference between male and female athletes (t=-2.59, df =31.48, p < 0.05) regarding Media-related exposure. Male athletes (M=2.71, ± SD = 0.57) were more prone to media information than females (M=2.29, ±SD = 0.85). Results also revealed that there was a significant difference between male and female athletes (t= 1.09, df =44.79, p < 0.05) about stress. Female athletes (M=1.70, ±SD = 0.48) experienced more stress during the pandemic than males (M=1.53, ±SD = 0.50). The findings give a nuanced portrait of athletes’ media exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic era intertwined with athletes’ relationships, training, communication patterns and stress.

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