The presidents and chancellors of the 14 SEC schools voted Friday to allow their student-athletes to resume voluntary, on-campus workouts on June 8 as states around the country continue to re-open.

South Carolina then confirmed in a release that it is prepared to bring its players back to campus to start workouts on that date.

"Based on the decision today by the Southeastern Conference Presidents and Chancellors, the University of South Carolina will be ready to host football student-athletes on campus for voluntary workouts on June 8," said University of South Carolina Athletics Director Ray Tanner. "They will be on campus several days before to get tested for the COVID-19 virus. We are excited to have our student-athletes back on campus. Their health, safety and well-being are our number one priority. Our staff and medical team have developed a thorough set of protocols that exceed CDC guidelines and will help our student-athletes through the transition back to campus."

According to a release from the SEC, June is to be considered a transition period to allow players to gradually adapt to full training and sports activity after this recent period of inactivity.

Voluntary activities supervised by strength and conditioning personnel will be allowed based on the ability to participate in controlled and safe environments, while also maintaining recommended social distancing, in plans developed by each school.

“The safe and healthy return of our student-athletes, coaches, administrators and our greater university communities have been and will continue to serve as our guiding principle as we navigate this complex and constantly-evolving situation,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “At this time, we are preparing to begin the fall sports season as currently scheduled, and this limited resumption of voluntary athletic activities on June 8 is an important initial step in that process. Thanks to the blueprint established by our Task Force and the dedicated efforts of our universities and their athletics programs, we will be able to provide our student-athletes with far better health and wellness education, medical and psychological care and supervision than they would otherwise receive on their own while off campus or training at public facilities as states continue to reopen.”

The SEC (and all other conferences) had previously banned all on-campus activities in March through the end of May amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier this week the NCAA came to a similar conclusion, voting to allow football and men's and women's basketball players to return to campus starting June 1.

Head coach Will Muschamp told SportsTalkSC earlier this week that there were already plans and protocols in place for any of the potential return dates with the athletic department ultimately leaning on its medical staff for the final decision.

"This isn't a football decision, this is a medical decision, and listening to our medical staff, I think our guys are safer here," Muschamp said earlier this week on Sports Radio WNML. "It's a much more controlled environment. We're going to work in pods; only 10-12 guys are going to be in the building at one time. We're not going to shower early on; we're going to go straight to the weight room to work out, to run, to work through the strength and condition. We're going to continue our Zoom meetings online; we will not meet together as a unit. We've gone through all the different things that we have to do and listening to our medical staff, they think it's a much better, isolated situation when we get our guys back on campus."

Muschamp also added that two players had been tested for COVID-19 at some point during the pandemic but each came back negative and there are no other known coronavirus-related issues within the team.

South Carolina's football staff already returned to the football operations facility last week. The coaches have been wearing masks, practicing social distancing and splitting time in the building between the offensive and defensive staff.

“We have protocols in place for our players to return and our coaching staffs," athletics director Ray Tanner said on a conference call earlier this week. "The safety, health and well being are paramount.”

The SEC is proceeding towards an on-time start to its college football season this fall with the Gamecocks scheduled to kick off against Coastal Carolina on Sept. 5. Whether or not fans will be allowed in the stands is a matter that will be determined at a later date, according to Tanner.

According to the release, the SEC's decision was made with the guidance of the Conference’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force, a cross-section of leading public health, infectious disease and sports medicine professionals from across the SEC’s 14 member institutions.

As part of its recommendations, the Task Force prepared a series of best practices for screening, testing, monitoring, tracing, social distancing and maintaining cleaned environments.

** Enhanced education of all team members on health and wellness best practices, including but not limited to preventing the spread of COVID-19

** A 3-stage screening process that involves screening before student-athletes arrive on campus, within 72 hours of entering athletics facilities and on a daily basis upon resumption of athletics activities

** Testing of symptomatic team members (including all student-athletes, coaches, team support and other appropriate individuals)

** Immediate isolation of team members who are under investigation or diagnosed with COVID-19 followed by contact tracing, following CDC and local public health guidelines

** A transition period that allows student-athletes to gradually adapt to full training and sport activity following a period of inactivity

Consistent with NCAA regulations, organized practices and other required physical activities remain prohibited in all sports. A previously announced suspension of in-person camps and coaches clinics conducted by SEC institutions remains in effect until July 31.