UConn athletes cleared to return to campus

Staff Reports

Student-athletes for the UConn men’s basketball team were scheduled to return to campus on Friday, with members of the football team permitted to move in to campus on July 1, the University announced Friday.

The women’s basketball team has been cleared to return, but has opted to come back to campus at a later date.

According to a press release from the University, “the re-entry plan for men’s basketball and football was submitted to the state’s Higher Education Committee as a pilot program, which would allow the University to solidify policies and procedures prior to the general student body’s return in mid-August.” Student-athletes will be permitted to use strength and conditioning areas and other athletics facilities without the supervision of coaches. All workouts are voluntary. Strength and conditioning staff may observe and conduct voluntary workouts.

All student-athletes must test negative for COVID-19 and enter into a modified quarantine within small groups before they are cleared to begin workouts. Once they test negative, student-athletes are required to pass a physical exam conducted by UConn team physicians and athletic trainers before they are cleared to begin training.

UConn opens its football season on Sept. 3 against UMass. Based on that date, the NCAA designated July 11 for the start of on-field activities with coaches present. The date for men’s and women’s basketball to begin coach-supervised activities on the court is July 20, according to the release.

“The health and wellbeing of our student-athletes and staff is our top priority and I am pleased that we will be able to begin the process of welcoming our teams back to campus,” UConn Director of Athletics David Benedict said in a statement. “The procedures our teams must adhere to are the product of the hard work and expertise of medical professionals on campus and across our state. I would like to thank everyone involved in the process who helped provide a safe environment for our teams’ return.”

There will be daily screening before admittance to facilities, which include self-screening of symptoms and temperature checks, by all student-athletes and staff. All will be provided items and guidelines necessary to participate in team functions (social distancing, wearing masks, hand hygiene, etc.).

All facilities on campus will go through rigorous cleaning and sanitization, with high-risk areas, including locker rooms, strength and conditioning spaces and athletic training rooms, cleaned daily, according to the release.

Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 will enter into an isolation protocol per medical guidelines.