FAYETTEVILLE -- SEC athletes will have a choice this fall of competing in their sport or opting out due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the 14 conference schools must honor the scholarships of those who choose to sit out.
The SEC made the announcement Friday, four days after Commissioner Greg Sankey said the league was maintaining a patient approach regarding the fate of the fall athletics season.
The action was the result of a unanimous vote of the SEC's presidents and chancellors after a recommendation by the league's athletic directors, who met with Sankey in Birmingham, Ala., on Monday.
"SEC universities are committed to full support of its student-athletes, whether or not a student-athlete decides to participate in sports during these uncertain times," Sankey in a release. "SEC student-athletes have frequently expressed their desire to compete, but it is important for student-athletes and their families to know the financial support committed to them by their institutions will not be at risk because of health concerns presented by the current pandemic."
University of Arkansas Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek said on a video conference with media members Thursday that the athletes he has talked to during the crisis have expressed a desire to play. He supported the initiative to honor scholarships for athletes who opt out this fall.
"The announcement today by the Southeastern Conference that scholarships will be honored for student-athletes, regardless of whether they compete in the fall semester, aligns with the University of Arkansas' commitment to the 465+ student-athletes within our program," Yurachek said in a statement. "In these extraordinary times, we remain focused on our mission of developing champions and Razorbacks for life. I anticipate that a majority of our student-athletes will choose to compete this year, if given the opportunity to do so. However, it is important for our student-athletes to know if they choose not to participate due to personal concerns related to the pandemic, they will continue to be supported."
Yurachek said the UA athletic department is committed to honoring its scholarship commitments, which total approximately $11 million per year, on the Thursday Zoom chat.
The SEC announced this week it was suspending competition in all sports through Aug. 31. That mandate does not affect practices and preseason preparations. At Arkansas, the decision eliminated four soccer games and two volleyball matches.
The SEC has banded together with the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big 12 Conference in waiting until later in July to make an announcement regarding the football schedule for 2020. Last week, the Big Ten and the Pac-12 conferences announced they were going to a conference-only schedule for 2020.
Several Football Championship Subdivision conferences announced this week they were suspending competition through the fall semester. As of Friday afternoon, the Associated Press had counted 315 Division I football games had been canceled or postponed due to the public announcements made by various conferences and universities.