Tech Postpones On-Campus Athletic Activities Until July

Tennessee Tech’s athletic department will not have on campus athletics until at least July.

The NCAA Council voted to allow on campus voluntary activities beginning June 1. Tech Athletic Director Mark Wilson said academic institutions have the option to postpone.

“Tennessee Tech currently has no activities being permitted on campus through the month of June,” Wilson said. “All summer schools, the first semester of summer school, is online. In the best interest of the health and safety of our student athletes, we’ve elected we will not be participating in voluntary activities.”

Wilson said none of the athletes have contracted the virus. He said since Putnam County is a viral hotspot, it is better to keep the students where they are now.

Athletic department officials are reviewing and researching best healthy measures. Wilson said they are going to focus on a hybrid model for July.

“Some classes are being offered in a traditional classroom setting, some online,” Wilson said. “They’ll be able to focus on SOAR and the freshmen that will be enrolling at Tennessee Tech in the Fall. We’ll focus on that in July and then be able to see when it is best and healthiest for us to bring our student athletes back to campus.”

Wilson said voluntary athletic activities are students athletes taking care of their own workouts without coach mandates.

“The most critical thing for us is to make sure that we can have traditional classes on our campus come August, and also that we’re able to have the games and competitions,” Wilson said. “That’s what our student athletes want to do, they want to compete, they want to play games, they want to play games against other institutions. We think the precautions we’re putting in place now gives us the best opportunity to have a successful Fall.”