Santa Clara County returned to the Purple Tier of the State's Blueprint for a Safer Economy on Monday following the lifting of California's Regional Stay at Home Order. The County subsequently updated its Mandatory Directive for Collegiate and Professional Sports, allowing collegiate sports to resume in Santa Clara County.
Under the updated directive, Stanford will now resume training and competition involving contact, close proximity and equipment sharing, both indoors and outdoors.
Individuals participating in collegiate sports must adhere to strict safety protocols including: PCR testing three times per week, forming teammate-only households and practicing social distancing and masking, other than when training and competition do not permit. Additionally, participants traveling to Santa Clara County from more than 150 miles from the border are required to remain either at their place of residence or at facilities used for athletic activities, except as necessary to seek medical care or other emergency services.
"On behalf of Stanford Athletics, I again want to express my gratitude to our Santa Clara County officials for the thoughtful decision-making process they have undertaken to protect our community throughout the coronavirus pandemic," said Bernard Muir, Stanford's Jaquish & Kenninger Director of Athletics. "We are thrilled that our student-athletes will now be able to train and compete on campus, and we will continue to follow rigorous health and safety standards as our teams embark on their upcoming seasons."
Stanford women's basketball traveled today for games at Washington State (Wed., Fri.) and Washington (Sun.), while men's basketball departs Santa Cruz on Wednesday for games at Arizona (Thu.) and Arizona State (Sat.). Following those road trips, men's basketball is scheduled to host its first game in Maples Pavilion this season on Feb. 2 vs. USC, while women's basketball is scheduled to host Colorado on Feb. 5 inside Maples Pavilion.
Stanford wrestling is in the midst of an eight-match,15-day road trip that began on Sunday. Following those matches they will begin preparations for their postseason schedule.
Women's volleyball plans to begin its season next Friday, Feb. 5, at Arizona.
All other varsity athletic programs have not yet begun their 2021 competition seasons, but on Jan. 12 it was announced that programs would return to campus in a phased approach.
The following 11 teams have already returned to campus and had begun modified outdoor training activities under the County's previous guidelines: women's gymnastics, men's fencing, women's fencing, men's soccer, women's soccer, men's swimming and diving, women's swimming and diving, synchronized swimming, women's volleyball, men's water polo and wrestling.
The following 11 teams returned Jan. 23-24 and are currently completing their mandatory 10-day travel quarantine and medical onboarding process: baseball, beach volleyball, men's cross country, women's cross country, men's gymnastics, lacrosse, softball, men's track and field, women's track and field, men's volleyball and women's water polo.
The following eight teams are scheduled to return Feb. 13-14: field hockey, men's golf, women's golf, lightweight rowing, men's rowing, women's rowing, men's tennis and women's tennis.
Following the completion of its 2020 season, football is scheduled to return Feb. 21 to begin preparations for spring football, and sailing is scheduled to return March 1.
The squash program will not compete this season, as the College Squash Association (CSA) has canceled its national championship team and individual events.
The Pac-12 Conference recently determined it would continue its prohibition on fan attendance at Pac-12 sport competitions taking place on Pac-12 campuses until further notice. Additionally, Santa Clara County's updated directive does not allow spectators to attend any practice, competition or other athletics event.