Don’t cancel your plans to attend a Florida Gators sporting event this fall.
On Thursday Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin met with the Florida Board of Trustees and expressed his desire and optimism that the fall schedule will begin on time and with fans in the stands.
The decision will not be made by Stricklin, but the University Athletic Association is working closely with and following the guidance of the Southeastern Conference’s Medical Guidance Task Force, UF Health, state health officials, and university leadership.
Stricklin told the Board of Trustees that, as of now, Florida is preparing for athletic events and schedules to be played out as planned and on time with fans in the stands. That includes football, soccer, and volleyball. Soccer would kick off the athletic season on August 21 followed by volleyball on August 28, and football on September 5.
“What will our venues look like once those games are played? That’s a popular question and one for which there is no clear answer,” Stricklin told senior UF writer Chris Harry. “Our goal is to accommodate as many Gator fans as UF Health and state health officials deem appropriate. My sense today, in early June, is that the more time we allow to gather information and receive further medical guidance, the better the chances we have to engage as many fans as possible on campus this fall. By early August, we should have a better idea what fan attendance can look like.”
Football players began retraining to campus a week ago to begin getting screened and tested for COVID-19. Voluntary workouts with the strength and conditioning staff will begin on Monday, June 8. Dan Mullen said not all of his players will return to campus, and he’s ok with that.
There are still more than two months to go before games are scheduled to begin and much can happen, but Thursday’s news is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel and should bring hope for the seasons to come.