After a nearly three month hiatus, Bradley men’s and women’s basketball teams will be allowed to return to campus for voluntary, individual workouts as soon as June 8.
Due to COVID-19, the NCAA had placed a moratorium on all athletic activities through May 31, but recently voted to lift the pause for football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball starting June 1.
The athletic department announced via press release on Thursday that it has devised a three-phase plan which follows the recommendations set forth by the CDC, Illinois Department of Public Health, NCAA and other organizations.
“The plan will be supervised by Bradley Athletics healthcare providers and updated as needed in compliance with federal, state, local and institutional regulations and guidelines,” the release states.
The first phase of the plan states that all coaches, athletes and staff will be educated on proper hygiene and the elements of the plan, and will have to complete a symptom and travel history questionnaire before returning to campus.
Once a person is cleared to return to campus, they will be monitored daily by the medical staff through the questionnaire and temperature checks. COVID-19 tests will be administered based on physician recommendations.
All workouts during phase one of the plan would be scheduled on an individual basis.
The second phase of the plan would allow for voluntary workouts to continue with no more than five athletes at a time. Phase two is tentatively scheduled to begin on June 22. Other elements of the plan are scheduled to be initiated as criteria are met.
A plan is yet to be put in place for voluntary workouts for athletes outside the basketball programs. Fall sports are currently scheduled to move forward and the university is planning for fall sport athletes to return in August for pre-season workouts, should the circumstances allow.
Students have been absent from campus since March 14, as the school transitioned to online classes due to the coronavirus. All athletics have been on hold since then, as the Missouri Valley Conference and NCAA canceled athletic competition through the rest of the academic year.
