N.C. State athletic director Boo Corrigan announced Tuesday that the first phase of a four-part plan to return student-athletes to campus amid the COVID-19 pandemic is underway.
In a letter addressed to Wolfpack Nation, Corrigan said the school is allowing members of the football, men's and women's basketball programs who live in the area to participate in voluntary, on-campus workouts following guidelines set by the NCAA.
Before returning, the athletes will have physical examinations and COVID-19 testing performed by the N.C. State sports medicine staff. If cleared, athletes can then participate in workouts, which will take place in small groups designed to allow social distancing.
"First and foremost, the overall safety and health of our student-athletes will always be our first consideration," Corrigan said.
May 20, the NCAA announced that approved, on-campus, voluntary workouts could begin June 1 for football and men's and women's basketball. Workouts must comply with with health and safety restrictions made by state and local governments and by universities and conferences.
Under North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper's reopening plan, which entered Phase 2 on May 20 and runs through June 26, indoor gatherings are still limited to groups of 10 people. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 25 people.
The Murphy Center, football practice fields including the Close-King Indoor Facility, Reynolds Coliseum and the Dail Basketball Complex will all be available as training spaces for student-athletes.
Phase 2 of the Wolfpack's plan will begin no later than June 20, with returning and incoming football players allowed to return to student housing. Men's and women's basketball will follow after, though Corrigan did not provide a date.
All N.C. State summer session classes are being held online, and student housing has been closed since March 17.
All remaining fall sports will return to campus later in the summer as part of Phase 3, but no details were immediately available. Phase 4 is the return of all remaining sports and the start of the fall semester.
N.C. State's fall semester will begin Aug. 10, nine days earlier than it was originally scheduled. The semester will conclude before Thanksgiving break.
UNC athletic director Bubba Cunnigham released a similar return-to-play plan May 29, with athletes returning to campus in groups starting June 12. Duke University has not released any public plans to return athletes to campus.
