SEC presidents to vote on May 22 when players will be able to return to campus

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The Southeastern Conference university presidents will vote on May 22 whether players will be able to return to campus on either June 1 or June 15, LSU Executive Deputy Athletic Director Verge Ausberry told the Louisiana Economic Recovery Task Force Thursday morning.

Ausberry, who also serves as LSU's Executive Director of External Relations, told the task force that the athletic department is aiming to return its players to campus on June 1, something athletic director Scott Woodward had also said in the department's virtual Coaches Caravan Wednesday night.

"The presidents are going to take a vote in the SEC," Ausberry told the task force. "Do we come back? Do we bring the students back on June 1 or June 15?"

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When reached for comment, SEC spokesman Herb Vincent said in a text message: "we are in continuous conversations about athletics activities related to COVID-19 and will make decisions appropriately."

School officials across the country are putting together plans on how athletics can slowly return as the nation recovers from the initial blow of the coronavirus pandemic.

Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Monday that he will be loosening his stay-at-home order starting friday, which would allow a list of businesses including gyms, barber shops, hair salons, casinos, bars with food permits and other businesses, to reopen with 25% capacity.

With gyms back in business in Louisiana, Ausberry said LSU would rather players return to a more controlled environment.

"We would rather our football players and student-athletes to all work out here on our campus and we can manage that," Ausberry said. "That’s what we’re trying to do, the big piece of this, to bring everybody back."

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