Charlotte 49ers set June 15 as date for voluntary return for some student-athletes

Players on the Charlotte 49ers’ football and men’s and women’s basketball teams will be allowed to return to campus for voluntary workouts beginning June 15, the first time they will have been together since the coronavirus halted all college sports activities in early March.

According to a plan released Wednesday by the Charlotte athletics department, strength and conditioning workouts will take place outside under the supervision of trainers and strength and conditioning coaches. The football team — with more than 50 players on the roster — will be allowed to have groups of no more than 10 players at a time in the workouts. The basketball teams, which have fewer than 49 players on their rosters, will have groups of no more than five at a time.

The 49ers weight rooms will be made available for workouts after July 1, the day athletes from the remainder of Charlotte’s teams will also be allowed back for voluntary workouts.

“This plan provides strong guidance and safety protocols to ensure that our student-athletes and staff are able to resume workouts,” 49ers athletics director Mike Hill said in a statement. “We’re grateful for the input from our medical advisors, sports performance team and staff who have worked extremely hard to develop these guidelines. Special thanks, too, for our Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, who also reviewed the plan and provided great feedback.”

Charlotte athletics department personnel and coaches began a staggered return to campus on Monday, although they have been encouraged to continue to work at home whenever possible until North Carolina’s Phase 3 reopening begins. No more than 50 percent of a sport’s coaching staff can be present at one time in office areas.

Charlotte’s announcement follows the NCAA Division I Council’s approval in May of voluntary workouts on campuses beginning Monday for football and men’s and women’s basketball players. N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper also signed an executive order easing restrictions and also allows college athletes the opportunity to train at their indoor facilities as long as they do not exceed the mass gathering limit.

There will be stringent health safeguards in place at Charlotte. Players must have passed a physical and tested negative for COVID-19. They will have their temperatures taken and be screened daily. Locker rooms will not be open. Equipment will be restricted to one player at a time, with no sharing.

The news release also says: “Because these workouts are voluntary, if for any reason a student-athlete does not feel safe to return or participate, they will not be pressured for any reason to do so. A student-athlete advisory group has had the opportunity to review the entire plan prior to it being finalized.”

Classes for UNC Charlotte’s fall semester are scheduled to begin on Sept. 7. The 49ers football team opens its season on Sept. 5 at Tennessee.

“These times have been difficult,” 49ers defensive end Tyriq Harris said. “It’s been difficult to find a place to work out, and mentally you’re isolated. Once we get back together, it’s going to be so great to see my boys.”

This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 8:46 AM.