NCAA Approves Summer Athletics for Men's and Women's Basketball

Wednesday, the Division I Council of the NCAA met virtually and approved summer activities for men's and women's basketball.

Wednesday, the Division I Council of the NCAA met virtually and approved summer activities for men's and women's basketball.

The NCAA released this statement, 

The Division I Council adopted the same summer athletics activities model for both sports but made an adjustment to recommended plans presented by the men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees.

The adopted plan extends the current rule, which allows voluntary athletics activities and up to eight hours of virtual nonphysical activities through July 19. The Council will discuss whether additional activities should be allowed in that period at a meeting within the next few weeks.

Beginning July 20, required summer athletics activities may begin and can last up to eight weeks or until the school’s first day of classes or Sept. 15, whichever is earlier. Required virtual nonphysical activities can continue to be conducted during this period. Virtual and in-person activities cannot exceed a combined eight hours per week.

“The Council worked to balance the desire to get student-athletes training again with the need to repopulate our campuses and athletics facilities gradually and safely, within all campus, local and state mandates,” said Council chair M. Grace Calhoun, athletics director at Penn. “Student-athlete health and safety should remain a top priority.”

The summer athletics activities model assumes COVID-19 local and state health policies are considered at the school level. Access to school facilities should be provided in compliance with applicable state and local regulations regarding the use of such facilities, group size restrictions and any other limitations.

Luckily for UNC men's basketball, interactions have begun virtually for team comfortability ahead of the unknown for the summer. In a recent interview with GoHeels, Armando Bacot spoke to the team meeting virtually and speaking freely concerning the usage of their platform. 

"It was a good meeting because everyone spoke," Bacot said. "Some of the players even challenged other players to use their platform more. We don't want to hide from it. We have a voice in the North Carolina community. Coach Williams and the other coaches made it clear they fully support us using that voice."

Football student-athletes have begun returning to campus June 12th and will allow on group to the campus weekly for the next three weeks. No word has been released regarding their return.

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