NCAA Votes to Allow Players Back on Campus
The NCAA Division I Council voted to permit football and basketball athletes to return to campus on June 1 on Wednesday. The vote allows them to participate in voluntary athletic activities as long as regulations are followed at the local, state, and federal levels.
The decision ends the suspension on workouts that the NCAA put in place in March due to the coronavirus.
In the wake of the pandemic, the NCAA canceled all remaining winter and spring sports, including March Madness.
While the opportunity for athletes to return to campus is a positive one, it isn’t the last obstacle Michigan State will see. Earlier this month, the Big Ten extended its moratorium period on spring practices until June 1. They aren’t the only ones. The ACC, Big 12, AAC, MAC, Pac-12, and the SEC have all done the same.
The In-Person recruiting ban was initially set for April 15 but was extended until May 31. The dead period means no unofficial or official visits for high school or transfer prospects.
In addition to allowing players to return, the NCAA requires eight hours a week of virtual non-physical activity through the end of June. They made it clear that players are the ones who should be initiating any voluntary on-campus activities as they relate to athletics and can’t be directed by the coaching staff.
Coaches aren’t authorized to be present unless a sport-specific safety exemption is evident.
Michigan State had 15 spring practices scheduled to begin March 17. They weren’t able to step on the field for even one of these due to coronavirus cancelations.
The Spartans kick off the season on September 5, 2020. They will be hosting in the Northwestern Wildcats with a rare, season-opening Big Ten game.
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