UNC AD says student-athletes to return to campus in phases beginning in June
North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham released a plan late Friday morning that detailed when and how student-athletes and coaching staffs will return to campus amid the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Cunningham’s plan, most people will return in groups in June and July. The facilities’ staff will return on June 1. Sports medicine staff will return on June 8. The coaching staff for football and men’s and women’s basketball will return on June 12.
Football student-athletes will return in four separate groups on June 12, 19, 26 and 29. Men’s and women’s basketball players will return to campus on July 6.
And field hockey, soccer, volleyball, lacrosse and cross country athletes will return on July 13. The rest of the teams will return in August. This is the first plan publicized by the university regarding student-athletes returning to campus. UNC basketball played its last game on March 11 before the ACC Tournament was canceled the following day because of the pandemic. Since then, all sports have been canceled, and students have been off campus.
Cunningham said in a phone interview with The News & Observer that the plans for a return are definite. He said the school has been consulting with the infectious disease experts on campus for how they could safely return.
The athletes would be tested for COVID-19 at least twice — once when they arrive on campus, and seven to eight days after.
Cunningham said if a student-athlete or staff member tests positive, then they will follow university protocols and be isolated.
According to the plan, hand sanitizer, cleaning products and face masks will be available across all its facilities, and everyone is expected to conduct a daily self-health review before coming to work.
Earlier this month, the NCAA’s Division I Council on Wednesday approved voluntary workouts on campuses beginning June 1 for football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball athletes. Athletes are only allowed to lift weights and do conditioning drills until at least July 1, UNC football coach Mack Brown said Friday.
Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order easing restrictions also allows collegiate athletes the opportunity to train at its indoor facilities as long as they do not exceed the mass gathering limit.
The university previously announced that all students would return to campus on Aug. 10. Cunningham said the university has not yet submitted plans for how games will be played in the future.
Brown said he and his staff will work at the office for four hours, three days a week starting out. He said players will utilize at least three different dressing rooms. He said players who live on campus will live at Parker Dorm in single rooms.
This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.
This story was originally published May 29, 2020 at 12:11 PM with the headline "UNC AD says student-athletes to return to campus in phases beginning in June."
