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Football players will return to campus and begin voluntary workouts next Monday, Syracuse Athletics announced in a press release. It’ll be the team’s first time on campus together since athletic activities were canceled on March 12 due to the coronavirus.

The NCAA previously approved voluntary activities starting June 1 with adequate safety measures and cooperation with local and state governments. Atlantic Coast Conference rival Clemson will also begin workouts June 8, but brought its football players back June 1 for a one-week social distancing period. The Southeastern Conference will start workouts June 8 as well. 

Syracuse’s voluntary workouts, in advance of the preseason training camp on Aug. 5, will be held with strict safety guidelines that follow the recommendations of public health and government officials. 

SU Athletics is confident that it can reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections while beginning to reinstate a typical training and preparation schedule, Director of Athletics John Wildhack said in the release.

“We are committed to partnering with health experts and complying with Onondaga County and New York state public health policies,” Wildhack said.

Upon returning to campus, every athlete will be tested for COVID-19. A positive test could yield an isolation period lasting up to 14 days or until a negative result is returned, the release states. 

The first phase of Syracuse’s plan includes athletes being grouped in “pods” of at most 10 people based on housing assignments. Members of each pod will be permitted contact only with one another and designated staff members during the first phase. In the next phases — likely implemented in July — the groups will grow in size until they make up the entire team. 

While training, social distancing measures will be enforced in the weight room and athletic facilities. Athletes will be expected to maintain six feet of distance in facilities and access to the athletic training room will be limited to essential medical care.

“The health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes, our staff and the campus and Central New York communities is my top priority. Period,” head coach Dino Babers said. “We will be rigorous in the testing and monitoring of our student-athletes, and my staff and I will be working diligently to educate our team on prevention and detection.” 

The university also appointed Senior Deputy of Athletics Herman Frazier as the infection control officer, the point person for athletes and staff who think they may have COVID-19. He’ll work with the university’s infection response team and make sure all protocols — such as daily temperature checks — are followed. Frazier has worked as a college sports administrator since 1979, but has no experience in medicine or public health. 

Student athletes’ return to campus allows Syracuse University to begin implementing protocols and procedures that the Fall 2020 Open Working Group developed ahead of the accelerated fall semester, according to the release. The university will resume residential instruction on Aug. 24.

Published on June 2, 2020 at 11:48 pm

Contact Danny: dremerma@syr.edu | @DannyEmerman