University plans to allow student-athletes to return for winter quarter

Oct. 19, 2020, 10:34 p.m.

The University plans to bring back all student-athletes for the upcoming winter quarter, according to an Oct. 17 email to student-athletes from Athletics Director Bernard Muir obtained by The Daily.

Stanford Assistant Athletics Director of Communications Brian Risso confirmed the email and its contents in an email to The Daily.

“We expect to proceed with this housing arrangement, provided the University’s Winter Housing Allocation process remains unchanged and based on the conditions and guidance provided to us by federal, state and local health officials,” he wrote.

Vice Provosts Susie Brubaker-Cole and Sarah Church recently reiterated the existing plan allowing all freshmen and sophomores, as well as approved upperclassmen, to return to campus for winter quarter.

Per this plan, underclassmen athletes will return to campus as well. Freshmen and sophomore athletes, however, “will be assigned to housing through a separate Athletics process and will be housed near their teammates,” according to Muir’s email. Juniors and seniors athletes approved for on-campus housing will be housed through the same process.

Upperclassmen athletes not approved to live on campus will have two options. The University expects “to be able to offer campus housing to some junior and senior student-athletes,” who would then live with the other student-athletes living on campus. The University has “received the necessary approvals to begin securing a large block of rooms at a nearby hotel” for all other student-athletes.

Stanford is “confident that we will be able to secure enough rooms to accommodate all student-athletes either on campus or in this central off-campus location,” Muir wrote.

According to Risso, the locations for on-campus athlete housing will be Mirrielees and Suites. The exact return dates will vary team-to-team, depending on the start of each sport’s NCAA competition season.

Santa Clara County’s COVID-19 restrictions were upgraded to the state’s “orange tier” on Oct. 13, which allowed Stanford football to return to practicing on The Farm. Football, men’s and women’s basketball, wrestling, women’s gymnastics and men’s and women’s swimming and diving have been approved by the Pac-12 to compete. Football and men’s and women’s basketball have been given start dates of Nov. 6 and Nov. 25, respectively. Start dates for the remaining sports are to be determined. This will be wrestling’s final season competing at the varsity level.

As of Oct. 18, 26 student-athletes have tested positive for COVID-19 out of a total 3,818 tests. 33 total students on campus have tested positive as of last week for the coronavirus.

This article has been updated to reflect that university Assistant Athletics Director of Communications Brian Risso confirmed Muir’s email and responded for comment. The Daily regrets this error. 

Contact Jeremy Rubin at jjmrubin ‘at’ stanford.edu.

Jeremy Rubin was the Vol. 260 Executive Editor for Print and Sports Editor in Vol. 258 and 259. A junior from New York City, he studies Human Biology and enjoys long walks, good podcasts and all things Yankees baseball-related. Contact him at jrubin 'at' stanforddaily.com.

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