On Friday, the University of North Carolina released a timeline for the return of athletes, coaches and staff members to campus. These efforts will begin next week, starting June 1. The entire process was outlined in a post on GoHeels.com.
North Carolina’s athletics director Bubba Cunningham expects UNC athletics to play games this fall, too; however, those contests may take place without fans, or with a limited number of fans.
From GoHeels.com:
The aim is to help all student-athletes and department employees safely and confidently return to campus to pursue the opportunities for which we have such great passion.
The issues surrounding the pandemic continue to evolve, and this Roadmap is an initial plan that will continue to be updated. UNC Athletics will closely monitor local, state and national developments and update our standards and safety protocols, as needed. The safety of all Tar Heel student-athletes, coaches and staff will always be the top priority.
The process will start on June 1, with the return of facilities staff members. A week after that, on June 8, the sports medicine staff will arrive to prepare for student-athletes.
On June 12, coaching staffs for football, and men’s and women’s basketball, will return: the three sports the NCAA Division I Council voted to approve voluntary offseason events for (beginning June 1). At the start of the following week, on June 15, strength and conditioning, equipment and administration staff members will return, too.
Also on June 12: the first group of UNC football players will arrive on campus. This will be the initial phrase of four-part process for football players. The second group will arrive a week later (June 19); a week after that, the third group will arrive (June 26). The final group will get back to Chapel Hill on June 29.
On July 6, members of the men’s and women’s basketball team will return to campus. Prior to arrival, the athletes will self-quarantine and/or wear a mask in public for at least a week.
Housing for returning football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball student-athletes will be arranged by creation of separate and distinct groups in off-campus residences and campus residence halls
According to UNC, each athlete will be tested twice. The first test will be administered when they arrive, and the following exam will take place one week later.
Coaches who test positive for COVID-19 are required to self-quarantine at their home or another approved location. Athletes who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to quarantine in an on-campus residence hall specified by UNC or at their permanent residence.
All of these details, including the location, requirements and protocol for the quarantine — in all of these matters — will be coordinated and approved by Dr. Mario Ciocca, the university’s director of sports medicine.
The complete list of the plan can be found below.
| Current Schedule | ||
| Team / Personnel | Date | Action |
| Facilities | June 1, 2020 | Clean, disinfect and prepare all department facilities. Community protective equipment (CPE) and cleaning supplies will be allocated to ensure proper distribution and availability |
| Sports Medicine | June 8, 2020 | Prepare for student-athlete arrival |
| Football coaches and staff, Men’s and Women’s Basketball coaches and staff, and Group 1 football student-athletes | June 12, 2020 | Return for COVID-19 testing. Testing for Men’s and Women’s Basketball coaches and staff may be delayed based upon alternative return dates. |
| Football coaches, staff, and Group 1 football student-athletes | June 15, 2020 | Prepare for the 2020 season and begin assessments and physical conditioning |
| Men’s and Women’s Basketball coaches and staff | June 15, 2020 (tentative) |
Prepare for return of teams and the 2020-21 academic year |
| Athletics Director’s Office, Equipment staff, Strength and Conditioning coaches | June 15, 2020 | Prepare for 2020-21 academic year and return of teams and personnel |
| Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Field Hockey, Men’s and Women’s Soccer and Volleyball coaches and staff and Group 2 Football student-athletes | June 19, 2020 | Return for COVID-19 Testing |
| Group 2 Football student-athletes | June 22, 2020 | Begin assessments and physical conditioning |
| Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Field Hockey, Men’s and Women’s Soccer and Volleyball coaches and staff | June 22, 2020 | Prepare for return of teams and the 2020-21 academic year |
| Group 3 Football student-athletes | June 26, 2020 | Return for COVID-19 testing |
| June 29, 2020 | Begin assessments and physical conditioning | |
| All remaining Football student-athletes | June 29, 2020 | Return for COVID-19 testing |
| July 1, 2020 | Begin assessments and physical conditioning | |
| Men’s and Women’s Basketball student-athletes | July 6, 2020 | Return for COVID-19 testing |
| July 8, 2020 | Begin assessments and physical conditioning | |
| Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Field Hockey, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, and Volleyball student-athletes | July 13, 2020 | Return for COVID-19 testing |
| July 15, 2020 | Begin assessments and physical conditioning | |
| All additional winter and spring sport coaches and staff (Baseball, Men’s and Women’s Fencing, Men’s and Women’s Golf, Gymnastics, Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse, Rowing, Softball, Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving, Men’s and Women’s Tennis, Men’s and Women’s Track and Field, and Wrestling) | August 3, 2020 | Prepare for return of teams and the 2020-21 academic year |
| All additional department units and ASPSA | August 3, 2020 | Prepare for the 2020-21 academic year and return to full operations |
| All additional winter and spring sport student-athletes (Baseball, Men’s and Women’s Fencing, Men’s and Women’s Golf, Gymnastics, Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse, Rowing, Softball, Swimming and Diving, Men’s and Women’s Tennis, Track and Field, and Wrestling) | Beginning the week of August 3, 2020 according to the campus schedule for all students | Return to begin the 2020-21 academic year and begin assessments and physical co |
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