SEC announces return to activities beginning June 8

The Southeastern Conference announced Friday that it will allow student-athletes to return to campus for voluntary, supervised activities beginning June 8.

Each member institution will ultimately decide when their athletes and staff will return for strength and conditioning activities under strict social distancing rules due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kentucky has yet to establish a date, according to Athletics DIrector Mitch Barnhart.

“With the NCAA and SEC approving a return to activity, we will now work with our partners at the state and local government and university levels to determine the date that our student-athletes will come back. We will not compromise the safety and well-being of our student-athletes in this process, taking all possible precautions. Once we take this important step in returning to activity, we will shift our focus to preparing to return to play and bringing the entire UK family – student-athletes, coaches and fans alike – back together this fall in a responsible and safe way.”

Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart

Due to the world health crisis, the SEC had suspended all league athletics activities through May 31. A transition period will begin on June 8 in order to allow athletes to gradually adapt to full training scenarios.

The NCAA is limiting resumption of activities to voluntary workouts supervised by strength and conditioning personnel.

A task force featuring a member of all 14 league institutions will continue to provide guidance as the SEC prepares for a return to competition.

“The safe and healthy return of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and our greater university communities have been and will continue to serve as our guiding principle as we navigate this complex and constantly-evolving situation,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement released by the league office. “At this time, we are preparing to begin the fall sports season as currently scheduled, and this limited resumption of voluntary athletic activities on June 8 is an important initial step in that process."

As part of its recommendations, the SEC task force prepared a series of best practices for screening, testing, monitoring, tracing, social distancing, and maintaining cleaned environments. These recommendations will serve as a roadmap for each school prior to and upon the return of student-athletes to their campuses.

“While each institution will make its own decisions in creating defined plans to safely return student-athletes to activity, it is essential to employ a collaborative approach that involves input from public health officials, coaches, sports medicine staff, sports performance personnel, and student-athletes,” Sankey said. “Elements of the Task Force recommendations provided key guidance for determining the date of the return to activity.”

The NCAA has also extended a waiver for up to eight hours of virtual film review between coaches and athletes through June 30 for football and basketball. A suspension of in-person camps remains in effect through July 31.