Following in the footsteps of the NCAA's move to bar fans from the Big Dance due to the rapid spread of the Coronavirus, the University of Arkansas and athletics director Hunter Yurachek have announced precautionary measures, including suspended commercial travel, to ensure the safety of student athletes.

As of Wednesday, March 11, there have been over 1,000 reported COVID-19 cases across the United States and the first "presumptive" case in Arkansas was reported in Pine Bluff this morning.

While UAPB has announced they'll move to online classes and cancel all programs, including athletics, until March 30, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville has not announced any changes to on-campus classes or programs yet.

The Arkansas men's basketball team is currently in Nashville for the SEC tournament and play tonight at 8:30 p.m. All major athletics conferences have now announced a ban on fan attendance for conference tournaments beginning March 12. The SEC, and Arkansas, have also banned fan attendance to all home contest across all sports until March 30.

Arkansas has athletics events in Fayetteville for tennis and gymnastics on Friday, Indoor track and field championships in New Mexico Friday and Saturday, a softball series at home versus Georgia this weekend and a baseball series at Mississippi State this weekend.

The following is a statement from University of Arkansas Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Hunter Yurachek:

The health, safety and wellbeing of our student-athletes, coaches and staff is our highest priority. The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has and continues to work in conjunction with University of Arkansas and Southeastern Conference officials in regard to precautions related to COVID-19.

Earlier today, the University of Arkansas announced it was implementing a measure suspending university-sponsored out-of-state travel – both domestic and international – for the next 60 days. Within that directive, however, vice chancellors were afforded the authority to consider travel within their units based on individual circumstances.

At this time, Razorback Athletics is moving ahead with planned team travel and competition with the following additional precautionary measures. Team travel parties will consist of essential personnel. All team travel will be conducted via chartered aircraft and ground transportation. No commercial travel will be utilized for competition. Other travel, not specifically related to competition, will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

We will monitor this evolving issue and continue to work in coordination with directives from the University of Arkansas, the SEC and the NCAA.

Stay tuned for more updates from HawgBeat and the University.