Penn State Athletics announced Thursday night that it will allow 75 football student-athletes back on campus beginning on June 8. This will be part of a phased return to voluntary offseason activities and workouts.

This announcement comes after the NCAA Division I Council voted to allow student-athletes in all sports to take part in voluntary workouts beginning June 1 and lasting until June 30. Despite the ruling, the NCAA made it clear it’s up to each individual program to decide whether how student-athletes will return to campus.

“Schools are expected to make decisions based on the health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes and in compliance with local, state and federal regulations,” the NCAA said in its release on Friday, May 22.

The Big Ten also stated that it would leave the decision up to individual schools.

Penn State football would’ve held spring practices from March 18 to April 18, but they were canceled on March 12 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Penn State Athletics’ announcement added that student-athletes will be “tested and quarantined upon their return.” Student-athletes who are then cleared after that process will be allowed to participate in voluntary on-campus workouts beginning June 15. Those workouts will be limited to groups no larger than 20 people, and will be supervised by Penn State’s sports medicine staffs.

The announcement also stated that return times for other Nittany Lion student-athletes will be announced at a later date. Penn State’s full statement can be read here.

While this is another step in the right direction for Penn State Athletics, NCAA President Mark Emmert stated earlier in May that fall sports wouldn’t take place without students on campus. However, if restrictions continue to ease and testing is increased, Emmert feels that a phased approach could be successful.