NCAA approves activities, time with coaches

The NCAA Division I Council approved a plan to allow college basketball players to start working with their coaches for the first time since the pandemic wiped out March Madness.

The summer access period for men’s and women’s players will begin July 20. The NCAA basketball tournaments were cancelled days before the fields were scheduled to be selected because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The NCAA also announced the expected approval by the council of an extended preseason model for football teams that was finalized by that sport’s oversight committee last week. And the council introduced a legislative proposal to create a path for schools to transition straight from Division III to Division I, paving the way for D-III football powerhouse St. Thomas (Minn.) to make that jump as soon as next year.

In basketball matters, required activities for both men’s and women’s teams can begin July 20 and last up to eight weeks until

Sept. 15 or the first day of classes, whichever comes first. Those activities include weight training, conditioning and skills instruction with coaches supervising for up to eight hours per week. Skills instruction cannot exceed four hours per week.

The original proposal from the basketball oversight committee asked for a period from July 1-19 when basketball players could add “enhanced in-person nonphysical activities” including team and individual meetings requested by the athletes and film study.

The council instead extended the current rule, allowing voluntary activities and up to eight hours per week of virtual activities through July 19. They deferred a decision to restart off-campus basketball recruiting and altering the calendar.

As for the current players, on Sept. 15 or the first day of classes, teams can transition to out-of-season workouts, similar to summer access but two days off per week are required. Full preseason practice can start 42 days before a school’s first regular-season game.