Big 12 Announces Plan Allowing Student-Athletes to Return to Campus

On Friday the Big 12’s Board of Directors voted to approve a plan that will allow student-athletes to return to campus and take part in voluntary athletic activities.

According to a release from the conference, football players will be allowed back on site June 15 and will be able to access schools’ athletic facilities and training personnel for offseason training and conditioning.

The phased-in timeline will allow volleyball, soccer and cross-country student-athletes to return to campus and activities July 1. Remaining sports can reconvene July 15.

This phased approach is intended to permit gradual adoption of best practices for mitigation of COVID-19 as well as ensuring a safe environment and appropriately prepared facilities.  Until these dates, the Conference’s activities policy that was scheduled to sunset May 31 remains in effect for all Big 12 student-athletes. [Big 12]

The decision comes just two days after the NCAA Division-I Council voted to allowed voluntary activities for football and men’s and women’s basketball. And if it was uncertain to anyone where Oklahoma State stood on the decision to resume football activities, that’s been cleared up by its most visible figure.

See you Sept. 3rd! Better buy your season tickets! #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/AwHXXPGWHD

— Mike Gundy (@CoachGundy) May 22, 2020