FAYETTEVILLE -- The University of Arkansas will allow full capacity at its final baseball series of the regular season next week against Florida.
The three-game series between the No. 1 Razorbacks and No. 7 Gators is scheduled to begin May 20 at Baum-Walker Stadium. Remaining tickets for the series will go on sale at 9 a.m. today.
Arkansas officials have gradually reopened the baseball stadium in recent months, increasing capacity from 4,218 at the beginning of the season to 7,645 for the first four games in May. The stadium's listed capacity is 11,531.
UA Athletic Director Hunter Yurachek in April that full capacity would not be allowed this season, but on Thursday, Yurachek said recent events helped change his views. He and UA Chancellor Joseph Steinmetz agreed to return to full capacity during a meeting Thursday morning.
"I just think the virus and how we've managed that in our community and how we've managed that in our athletics department -- we haven't had a positive test within our student-athlete or our staff population since March," Yurachek said. "I think the chancellor has a little bit more comfort level now that graduation is behind us. I think the vaccinations have gone well. I think all the things that have happened over the last four weeks have kind of changed my stance on that, and I think the chancellor's stance as well."
Multiple SEC stadiums -- including Tennessee, where the Razorbacks are scheduled to play this weekend -- have reopened to full capacity in recent weeks. Arkansas also played games this season at Ole Miss and LSU when full capacity was allowed.
The Razorbacks planned to keep capacity at below 100% until fall sports, including football, began later this year.
A campus mask mandate will continue to be enforced at the Razorbacks' baseball games, including the ones against Florida, Yurachek said. On Thursday, the CDC announced that it no longer recommends fully vaccinated individuals to wear face coverings in most indoor or outdoor settings.
"I think what is important for our fans to note, [requiring a mask] for regionals and super regionals will be the policy the NCAA makes us follow as well," Yurachek said. "We thought no sense in letting up on that [next] weekend and having to reinforce it when we get back to regionals and super regionals."