MADISON, Wis. – University of Wisconsin head football coach Paul Chryst and men’s basketball head coach Greg Gard – two of the most prominent faces in the school’s athletic department – issued statements Monday condemning the death of George Floyd and the systemic racism prevalent in society.

“I’m frustrated and disappointed that we as a society are not better than this,” Chryst wrote in a statement released on Twitter. “What happened to George Floyd is unspeakable but yet is all too common.

“Every person is important but for too long many in the black community have not been treated as such.

"If we are really going to affect change, then it's going to take everyone. We need to be better, individually and collectively."

Floyd died on May 25, while in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department. Officer Derek Chauvin was caught on video kneeling on Floyd’s next for nearly nine minutes as Floyd pleaded for mercy. Chauvin has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter and three other officers have been fired.

Gard's comments were also released on Twitter.

“The racial inequities and injustices that exist in our communities across our country belong to all of us,” Gard said. “We talk about leadership a lot in sports. Leadership is about accountability, commitment, and ownership. Yes, we all have to take ownership but we must be equally committed to make this world a better place.”

“Change is paramount to an improving future. One of the bedrocks to a change for a better is through education and awareness.”

New Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren, who spent over 15 years living in Minneapolis, released an open letter Monday and announced he was creating the Big Ten Conference Anti-Hate and Anti-Racism Coalition, inviting student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors, chancellors, presidents and others to be a part of the process.

“It is critical that our student-athletes possess their rights to free speech, their rights to peaceful

protest and we will work to empower them in creating meaningful change,” Warren said.

According to a report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Wisconsin football program notified its players they will be allowed back onto campus beginning next Monday. It’s the first significant step for the players to start preparing for a 2020 season after their entire spring football practice schedule was canceled in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The NCAA announced May 20 that schools could begin holding voluntary on-campus workouts in football and men’s and women’s basketball on June 1. Required athletic activities for Division 1 basketball and both FBS and FCS student-athletes are still prohibited through at least June 30 and the recruiting dead period has been extended through July.

Associate athletic director Chris McIntosh told Milwaukee TMJ4’s Lance Allan that the University continues to work through several scenarios for the college football season with keeping the student-athletes and fans safe as the top priority. That includes Camp Randall Stadium being filled far less than its 80,000 capacity.

“Much of the magic that is Wisconsin and in this case Wisconsin football is because of our fans,” he said. “The environment that is created is because of our fans. Whether it’s 80,000 folks or abiding by 6 foot social distancing guidelines in Camp Randall. Obviously, those present challenges as does no fans at all. As strange as it would seem to play in front of an empty stadium, the game of football can be done that way, if circumstances dictate.”