NC State announces four-phased return for student-athletes

In a letter posted on NC State athletics' website, director of athletics Boo Corrigan announced a four-phased plan for the return of student-athletes following the shutdown of collegiate sports on March 13 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The first phase is already open and involves voluntary workouts for football and men's and women's basketball players. Those athletes who are locally based can receive physical examinations, including COVID-19 testing. If cleared, they will be allowed to begin voluntary workouts under specific guidelines at NC State's facilities at designated training spaces and in pods consisting of small groups.

The second phase will occur no later than June 20 and will include the return to campus of football players first, once cleared medically. That includes both returning and incoming players. Men's and women's basketball will follow shortly after.

Phase three will be later in the summer and will be the return of the remaining Fall sports: men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country and volleyball. The fourth and final stage will be the return of the remaining sports in conjunction with the start of the Fall semester at NC State. The university announced earlier in the summer that the start of classes will be Aug. 10, nine days earlier than originally planned.

The following is a full letter from Corrigan:

Dear Wolfpack Nation,

Since our world in college athletics came to pause in March, we have adapted, evolved and continued to work with our campus, league and health officials on what our ultimate path forward will be. It's been a collective effort from our student-athletes, coaches and staffs who have shown the best in the human spirit and what it means to represent NC State University.

With that in mind, we have begun the process of bringing student-athletes back to our campus in four phases, the first of which is already underway. First and foremost, the overall safety and health of our student-athletes will always be our first consideration.

In accordance with NCAA guidelines on voluntary workouts, we have begun to allow members of our football, men's and women's basketball programs who live locally to receive physical examinations from our sports medicine staff, as well as COVID-19 testing. If cleared, they will be given the opportunity to participate in voluntary workouts under specific guidelines. We will make training spaces available at the Murphy Center, our football practice fields inclusive of the Close-King Indoor Facility, Reynolds Coliseum and the Dail Basketball Complex. Each sport will have student-athletes broken into pods consisting of small groups to ensure physical distancing and safety.

Step two of our process will begin no later than June 20 with the permissible return to student housing for our returning and incoming football players, with men's and women's basketball to follow shortly after. Once cleared by our medical staff, we will continue to follow all applicable strict guidelines and safety measures and allow voluntary workouts.

The third phase of our return will occur later this summer when remaining Fall sports will return to campus with additional details to come. The final phase will be the return of all remaining programs in conjunction with the start of the Fall semester.

We will continue to work with our campus and all applicable parties on the safest and most responsible path moving forward. We look forward to seeing our student-athletes return in the weeks to come.

Be well and Go Pack,

Boo

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