Louisville Student-Athletes to Return to Campus in Multi-Phase Plan

Members of the football and basketball programs will arrive May 27 for voluntary activities

Lexington Herald-Leader

Student athletes at the University of Louisville will begin to return to campus under a phased plan on May 27, 12 days ahead of any volunteer physical activity. Some football, men’s and women’s basketball players will arrive May 27 and start voluntary physical activities June 8.

Athletic competitions have been suspended since May 17 due to health concerns from the COVID-19 global pandemic.

“We have worked very closely with our campus leadership, medical professionals and coaching staffs to prepare a comprehensive plan for a safe return to campus for our student-athletes to participate in voluntary activities,” Athletic Director Vince Tyra said. “The multi-phased plan avails a limited number of student-athletes to return at various dates and get back to routines they are accustomed to at this time of year.”

Under the first phase, around 30 football players and 15 men’s and women’s basketball players are set to arrive to campus May 27. The first arrivals will begin testing and physical examinations on June 3 and be ready to participate in voluntary physical training, which won’t be directed by coaching staffs, on June 8.

Tyra said the coaching staffs will select the student athletes that return in each phase.  

The Schnellenberger Football Complex, Trager Center and Planet Fitness Kueber Center are set to be open with limited occupancy for the student athletes.

The plan accounts for adding additional student athletes and facilities in following phases, subject to the direction of the NCAA.

The next phase would allow for an additional 30 football and 60 Olympic sport student-athletes to arrive on campus June 10. The group would begin voluntary physical activity by June 22. 

In the third phase, the remaining football student athletes would arrive on campus July 6, beginning voluntary physical activity July 18.

In the fourth phase, in late July and August, all student athletes would return to activities with full practices, scrimmages and competitions as allowed by NCAA or ACC guidelines. 

"We have laid out with our staff a pretty comprehensive plan," Tyra said. 

Louisville will utilize measures intended to minimize the risk and potential spread of virus, including wearing masks, the use of designated entrances and exits, passing electronic daily symptom checks, physical distancing, using gloves and checking individual temperatures.

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