Earlier this week the Pac-12 announced that schools within the conference could begin bringing student-athletes back on campus for voluntary workouts beginning on June 15. Arizona is one state that has been ahead of others with its reopening as a state and that has cleared the way for the University of Arizona to bring back its athletes as soon as it is allowed to do so on June 15.

UA's athletic department announced on Friday that it will begin its reentry plan with a group of football players beginning June 15 with other athletes, as well as athletics staff, being phased in on a weekly basis after that. The priority for reentry will be given to athletes who participate in fall sports, a release from the school said.

Arizona says that all staff members and athletes "will follow significantly elevated safety protocols for testing, tracing and treatment."

Last week Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott called the decision by his conference to allow reentry should be considered "baby steps" but he does believe that football training camp will be on pace to begin in late July ahead of the season that begins in August.

Football is the sport that will take the longest to prepare for as the consensus has been that six weeks of preparation will be needed to have the season begin on time. UA has a game scheduled for Aug. 29, Week Zero, against Hawaii at home in Tucson meaning the Wildcats will be among the handful of teams to open the season first.

Recently UA athletic director Dave Heeke said playing college football this season will be important to overall economic health of the school's overall athletics program and would be "devastating" if it were not to take place.

“The phased re-entry of student-athletes is the next step in Arizona Athletics’ commitment to a safe and healthy return to campus,” Heeke said in a statement on Friday about the return of athletes and staff to UA's campus next month. “This comprehensive plan to bring student-athletes back to campus is a collaboration between our athletics department and campus partners to develop guidelines, protocols and procedures.

"I want to thank President [Robert C.] Robbins and University leadership for their guidance and vision for bringing Wildcats back to campus. There are many factors that remain beyond our control, and our athletics department will still face some uncertainty before completely reopening. However, our intent remains a return to competition.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly brought plenty of uncertainty about the season and extreme caution has been used by the NCAA and conferences across the country as it pertains to bringing athletes back to campus and playing games this season. Recruiting in all sports remains impacted as the NCAA decided this week that it is still unsafe for coaches to leave campus and travel to evaluate prospects and for recruits to visits college campuses by extending its recruiting dead period until July 31.

More details on the return of athletes and staff to UA's campus will be given at a later time, the press release said.