Southeastern Conference Allows Student-Athletes to Participate in Voluntary In-Person Athletics Activities on Campus Beginning June 8

GAINESVILLE - On Friday, May 22, The Southeastern Conference Presidents voted to allow student-athletes to participate in voluntary in-person athletics activities on campus beginning June 8.

UF Health officials, along with University Athletic Association (UAA) Athletic Training, Strength and Hawkins Center staffs have prepared protocols for student-athletes to use our training facilities, which will focus on a gradual return of student athletes to campus over the course of the summer. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the UAA has been working closely with state, campus & UF Health officials.

One thing to note is that all student-athletes, coaches and UAA staff will be screened and tested for COVID through the UF Health program before coming back to campus or utilizing training facilities.

Attached, please see a copy of an executive summary of the program. Below is a quote from Athletics Director Scott Stricklin. We've also attached a copy of the current phasing and testing plan of our student athletes.

"Our student athlete wellness group has been working for some time with UF Health officials on a plan to integrate our student athletes back on campus," said Athletics Director Scott Stricklin.  "They have developed a gradual phasing program, so that we don't have an influx of a large number of student athletes returning at once. Football, Volleyball and Soccer teams will return in phases within those teams in the month of June. Our student athletes will be screened and tested through a partnership program with UF Health and our staff has worked with a number of experts to promote a safer environment for the return of our Gator student athletes."

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