Buckeye Breakfast: NCAA Issues CoVID-19 Guidelines, Michael Redd Commencement Speaker

Rise and shine, Buckeye Nation! Each morning, we get you caught up on the latest news and information regarding the Ohio State Buckeyes and the college athletics world. Here are your headlines for July 17, 2020.

NCAA Issues Recommended Guidelines for CoVID-19 Testing and Quarantines

The NCAA is grappling with the potential reality of not having a fall sports season, but they are trying to prepare for what it could look like to have schools competing. On Thursday, they announced an extensive protocol of what schools should be doing to keep their student-athletes as safe and healthy as possible.

Several of the recommended measures include daily self-health checks, testing within 72 hours of competition for any high-risk contact sports, protocols for quarantining anyone who has tested positive and contact tracing their recent history.

NCAA issues next set of return-to-sport guidelines: https://t.co/cE5zpWIhbd

The third installment of recommendations outlines daily self-health checks, testing within 72 hours of competition for high contact risk sports. pic.twitter.com/2V5fdpRk27
— NCAA News (@NCAA_PR) July 16, 2020

While the guidelines provide the framework for schools to return to fall sports safely, NCAA president Mark Emmert acknowledged in Thursday's release that the trajectory of the pandemic must improve if there is going to be any competition in the coming months.

“When we made the extremely difficult decision to cancel last spring’s championships it was because there was simply no way to conduct them safely,” Emmert said. “This document lays out the advice of health care professionals as to how to resume college sports if we can achieve an environment where COVID-19 rates are manageable. Today, sadly, the data point in the wrong direction. If there is to be college sports in the fall, we need to get a much better handle on the pandemic.”

Conferences are not required to adopt these guidelines. But according to Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger, the Power 5 conferences have been working closely together with the NCAA to develop a uniform set of testing and quarantine protocols that include many of the recommendations outlined by the NCAA.

Michael Redd is Summer Commencement Speaker

The Ohio State University announced Thursday that former Ohio State basketball star Michael Redd has been chosen to speak at the 2020 Summer Virtual Commencement on August 9. Redd is an Olympic Gold Medalist and a former NBA All-Star.

“Michael was a leader on the court for Ohio State and continues to lead off the court in the Columbus community. His commitment to excellence as an athlete and an entrepreneur will inspire our graduates as they prepare to lead in their communities,” Executive Vice President and Provost Bruce A. McPheron said.

We hope you have a great day - and remember ... time and change will surely show, how firm thy friendship OHIO!

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