There will soon be student-athletes back on Western Kentucky's campus.
WKU Athletics - led by a Restart Committee of seven staff members and with the guidance of medical professionals - has released a proposed plan that would begin returning athletes to campus starting June 8.
The proposed plan, which is just a draft with the school welcoming feedback from the community, would bring 65 football players back to Bowling Green on June 8, with the 40 remaining players - along with the volleyball and soccer athletes - returning July 6. The men's and women's basketball athletes would be back July 9.
The remaining athletes are set to return to campus in August, but will be based on health and government guidelines at the time of the proposal with the number of returners subject to change.
Athletes will not be automatically tested for COVID-19 when back on campus, and tests will only be performed when an athlete presents symptoms. Any athlete who tests positive for the coronavirus will be isolated.
"From a logistical standpoint - (football) obviously the biggest one in terms of size of the roster and coaching staff - they start play at the end of fall," WKU Director of Athletics Todd Stewart said Thursday on a conference call with reporters across the state. "We're going to gradually phase in starting the eighth. They'll be the only ones that will be here on campus from June 8 to July 6. What we really wanted to do is get the team fall sports here first, get them into a routine, get them around their teammates and their coaches again, and after that we have a gradual phase throughout the month of July when we'll bring everybody else in."
WKU is scheduled to open its 2020 football season in 100 days against UT-Chattanooga on Sept. 5 at Houchens-Smith Stadium, and Stewart said during Thursday's conference call that he is "confident" there'll be a season.
“I feel like we will play football this fall - and we will have fans in the stands," Stewart told reporters.
You can view WKU Athletics' complete Restart Plan draft HERE.
