From the Desk of Warde Manuel: Michigan Athletics Update
5/12/2020 1:00:00 PM | General
From the desk of Warde Manuel, Donald R. Shepherd Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Michigan:
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and amidst a rapidly-changing climate, one of our goals has been to provide you with updates. While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact so many within our community, much uncertainty remains. There are more questions than answers, and we remain committed to the health and safety of everyone associated with this great institution. We will continue to follow the advice and directives of medical experts and our health and government officials.
Since I last wrote to our community, we've received multiple updates from our Governor and the Big Ten Conference. Specifically, Governor Whitmer updated plans for the gradual reopening of our state, which includes an extension of our "Stay Home, Stay Safe" order to May 28. The Big Ten Conference has extended its moratorium on organized physical activity for member schools until June 1. We expect to get updates as the pandemic evolves and, echoing the words of President Schlissel, will hopefully participate in the gradual reopening of campus for a public health-informed fall semester.
These are early signs of positive momentum for us all. I urge people to do their part in flattening the curve. Stay home whenever possible, and avoid large crowds at this time.
We remain appreciative and in awe of our medical professionals and essential service workers who continue to work under demanding conditions.
Although significantly altered, our work continues, and I am incredibly proud of the work being done by our dedicated staff in support of our student-athletes, the efforts of these student-athletes, as well as the necessary support from members of our community. Our students and staff quickly moved to online platforms to accomplish academic work (feature article) and, two weeks ago, celebrated over 170 accomplished graduating seniors!
Aside from the focus on our academic work, we're incredibly proud to employ experts in many fields, including mental health (feature article), nutrition (feature article), and strength and conditioning. While NCAA rules preclude us from sharing the voluntary workouts being done at home by our student-athletes, staff members have provided several helpful home workout videos for anyone to follow (videos).
These home workout videos exemplify our desire to connect with and positively impact our community during these unprecedented times. To this end, we have created a new resource page on our website; our "Keeping Wolverines Connected" page hosts several fun activities, fan content, and historical moments. Please, check it out and be sure to bookmark MGoBlue.com/connected.
Among the many community events to be affected by COVID-19 was our annual Big House 5K, presented by Toyota. Our staff quickly transitioned to a "virtual 5K," which ran through April 30. Over 7,000 registrants participated from home, providing impressive community support for our six non-profit beneficiaries.
Within our immediate community, our department was able to locate and donate several cases of protective equipment to our colleagues at Michigan Medicine, including gloves, surface cleaner, and hand sanitizer. We remain on-call to assist Michigan Medicine and local health providers with the use of our facilities, if and when needed. We received positive news a couple of weeks ago indicating that the use of our new track building as a potential field hospital will not be necessary. This is tremendously positive news. On May 6, we hosted a public blood drive at the Junge Family Champions Center that collected over 100 pints of blood. For more information and to register for future opportunities to donate, log on to Wolverines for Life.
Also, since my last communication, the NCAA's proposed eligibility relief for student-athletes in spring sports has progressed. U-M will support those student-athletes who wish to return and compete as undergraduates. These decisions are highly individualistic, and our coaches are thoughtfully working with and supporting our students as they navigate their life choices.
Over the last several weeks, we have worked to adjust ticketing timelines and policies due to the rapidly-changing landscape. We understand that many of our valued fans have questions about what the future will bring. While we cannot speculate on the future, fans can rest assured knowing that we recognize the importance and community contribution that each donor and season ticket holder brings to Michigan Athletics. On April 15, we sent dedicated communications to season ticket holders in the sports of football, men's basketball, and ice hockey. If you have any questions or concerns not covered by our FAQ page, please reach out to us via email (mtickets@umich.edu) or phone (866-296-6849).
We will continue to provide updates across our athletic channels as possible. Thank you for everything you do to support Michigan Athletics. Stay healthy and stay positive.
Go Blue!
For the latest on Michigan Athletics and COVID-19, please visit MGoBlue.com/covid19.
