It was announced on Friday that all NCAA sports will be allowed to start voluntary workouts on June 1st.

Here in Lafayette, the Ragin’ Cajuns have decided to welcome their athletes back on campus a week after that on June 8th.

That June 8th start date falls in line with the beginning of summer school and the governor’s phase-in orders.

UL Director of Athletics Dr. Bryan Maggard says its exciting and refreshing to get the ball rolling in the sports world, but safety will continue to be the Cajuns’ priority.

“I think sports, in addition to just being entertainment, I think this year will be a unifier,” Dr. Maggard says. “It’s gonna be a sign of improvement from a society standpoint. Again, we’re going to proceed with caution. We’re gonna make sure we do things in a safe manner not only to protect our fans but also our student athletes. I’m confident as a department and group of student athletes, we’re going to embrace the opportunity, embrace the new normal, and we’ll hit it head on. I look forward to having a really successful sports season.”