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Recruiting Rules: Who can contact whom, when and how. Learn the rules.
 
 

What To Expect And Your Responsibility: Know the Recruiting Rules

NCAA Colleges

The NCAA has specific rules about the number and kind of contacts high school student-athletes may have with college coaches and their representatives. Responsibility for following the rules falls on college coaches, staff and booster clubs, as well as the student-athlete and family. Failure to follow the rules may jeopardize eligibility for participating in sports. Because the NCAA regulates the recruiting process we quote or summarize NCAA information. However, this site is not intended to replace NCAA materials, web site or direct contact. Therefore, the information in this section should not be taken as the final word. Student-athletes should consult with parents, the high school coach, high school counselor, the college coach and NCAA itself. The NCAA has a wonderful web site that contains a lot of information and details on specific topics. It also includes telephone numbers and email addresses.

The rules for recruiting are determined by the Division membership of the college. There are three divisions in the NCAA: Division I, II, and III. The difference between the divisions is basically the number of sports that the college sponsors and the amount of athletically related financial aid a college awards to student-athletes. For more information about the NCAA Divisions see the NCAA web site Frequent Questions and Answers in the Student Eligibility and Recruiting section.

For NCAA All Divisions

Some terms to know and understand:

1. Prospective student-athlete: a student who starts 9th grade classes.
2. Recruited prospective student-athlete: a student-athlete becomes a "recruited prospective student-athlete" at a particular college if any coach or representative of the college's athletic interest (booster or representative) approaches the student-athlete (or any member of his/her family) about enrolling and participating in athletics at that college. There are specific activities which make student-athlete a "recruited prospective student-athlete." Such activities include providing an official visit; placing more than one telephone call to the student-athlete or any other family member or visiting the student-athlete or any other member of the family anywhere other than the college campus.
3. Contact period - permissible for authorized athletic department staff members to make in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations.
4. Dead period - not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on- or off-campus or permit official or unofficial visits.
5. Evaluation period - permissible for authorized athletics department staff to be involved in off-campus activities to assess academic qualifications and playing abilities. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts with a prospect are permitted.
6. Quiet period - permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on the member institution's campus.

Once a student-athlete becomes a "recruited prospective student-athlete," of an NCAA college, the NCAA rules applies to the recruiting experience. Specific activities that could make a student-athlete a "recruited prospective student-athlete are:

  • Providing an official visit;
  • Placing more than one telephone call to the student-athlete or any other member of the family; or
  • Visiting the student-athlete or any other member of the family anywhere other than the college campus.

Some other rules that apply in Divisions I and II only include:

  • No alumni, boosters or representatives of the college's athletics interest can be involved in the recruiting. There can be no phone calls or letters from boosters. (Recruiting by alumni or others as part of a college's regular admissions program for all prospective students including non athletes is allowed.)
  • The student-athlete or family may not receive any benefit, inducement or arrangement such as cash, clothing, cars, improper expenses, transportation, gifts, or loans to encourage signing a National Letter of Intent or attend an NCAA college.
  • Letters from coaches, faculty members and students (but not boosters) aren't permitted until on or after September 1 of the junior year.

Some other rules that apply in Division III include:

  • Student-athletes or the family may not receive any benefit, inducement or arrangement such as sash, clothing, cars, improper expenses, transportation, gifts or loans to encourage attendance at any NCAA school.

Telephone Calls

There are rules about telephone calls and contacts.

Division I. College coaches or faculty may contact student athlete beginning July 1 after completion of the student-athlete's junior year. After that college coaches and faculty may telephone student-athletes or parents once a week. There are some exceptions dealing with planning a campus visit You can make a collect call to a coach or use a toll free number until after July 1 after the junior year. But enrolled non athlete students may call student-athletes if it is part of the regular recruitment for all prospective students. Prospective student-athletes may make calls at their own expense to enrolled college students including student-athletes. There are exceptions for phone calls made in connection to arranging an on campus visit; day of a coach's on campus visit; or on the initial signing date for the Letter of Intent through two days after the initial signing date.

Division II. College coaches or faculty may contact student athletes beginning on or after June 15 before the student-athlete's senior year. After this, a college coach or faculty member is limited to one telephone call per week to the student-athlete or parents or legal guardian. But enrolled non athlete students may call student-athletes if it is part of the regular recruitment for all prospective students. Prospective student-athletes may make calls at their own expense to enrolled college students including student-athletes. There are exceptions for phone calls made in connection to arranging an on campus visit; day of a coach's on campus visit; or on the initial signing date for the Letter of Intent through two days after the initial signing date.

Division III. There are not restrictions for phone calls made.

Contacts

A contact according to the NCAA is "any face-to-face meeting between a college coach and you or your parents, during which any of you say more than' hello.' Also, any face-to-face meeting that is prearranged or that occurs at the high school or competition or practice site is a contact regardless of the conversation. Such meetings are contacts and not permissible "bumps." A coach may contact a student-athlete off the college campus three times.

Divisions I. There are very specific rules about coaches contacting "prospective student-athletes. Student-athletes have the responsibility to know and follow the rules. This year contacts are permitted only on or after July 1 after completion of the junior year. Coaches have seven recruiting opportunities (contacts and evaluations) per student-athlete during the academic year and not more than three of the seven opportunities may be in-person, off-campus contacts. However, a college coach may visit the high school only with the approval of the high-school principal.

Division II. There are very specific rules about coaches contacting "prospective student-athletes. Student-athletes have the responsibility to know and follow the rules. This year contacts are permitted on or after June 15 before the senior year. Coaches may make 3 off campus contacts per student-athlete. However, a coach may visit the high school (with the high-school principals's approval) only once a week during a contact period.

Division III. Coaches and athletic department staff members, alumni or representatives of a college's athletics interests such as boosters or representatives may contact a student-athlete in person off of the college campus after the junior year of high school. There is no limit on the number of contacts or the period when they may occur. Student-athletes may not try out for a Division III college's athletic team. Student-athlete may visit a collage campus any time at their own expense. On such a visit, the student-athlete may receive three complimentary admissions to a game on that campus; a tour of off-campus practice and competition sites in the sport and other college facilities within 30 miles of the campus; a meal in the college's on-campus student dining facilities; and housing, if it is available to all visiting prospective students.

Evaluations

An evaluation is any off-campus activity used to assess your academic qualifications or athletics ability, including a visit to your high school (during which no contact occurs) or watching you practice or compete at any site. Colleges can do 7 recruiting activities per student-athlete (contacts and evaluations). Not more than 3 of the activities may be in-person, off-campus contacts.

Official Visit

Divisions I and II.

Student-athlete can have one expense-paid visit to a particular campus beginning on the opening day of classes of the senior year. An official visit cannot take place unless the student-athlete has presented a copy of their high school transcript to the coach and a score from the PSAT, SAT, PACT or the ACT. The transcript may be a photocopy. Or, the Division I college can use the NCAA Clearinghouse to validate your credentials. The visit cannot be longer than 48 hours. As part of the visit the student-athlete may receive the following: round-trip transportation between home and campus; student-athlete and parents may receive meals, lodging and complimentary admissions to campus athletics events. The high school coach may only accompany the student-athlete when the transportation occurs by car and all transportation occurs within the 48 hour period. Meals provided can be either on or off the college campus. Any complimentary tickets received can only be for seating only in the facility's general seating area, not in any special seating such as press box or bench area.

Prospective student-athlete may make five official visits to Division I and II colleges for all sports. The limit of five visits applies to all sports. If for example a student-athlete is interested in both track and football, the student-athlete can only make five official visits total, not ten visits (five for each sport).

Division III. During the senior year, a student-athlete may make one official visit in Division III.; however, there is no limit on the number of campuses that you may visit if you initially enroll in a Division III college.

Campus Visits

To help narrow the college selection, a student-athlete may want to make a college campus visit to see the college facilities. If the trip is paid for by the student-athlete, it is an unofficial visit and there is no limit on unofficial visits. A visit paid for by the college is an official visit and only three of those are permitted. See above section called Official Visit.

Snapshot Of Recruiting Activities
See Details Above and at the NCAA College Guide

Activity

Division I

Division II

Division III
Printed Material

September 1 of junior year.

September 1 of junior
year.
 No limitations
Phone Calls Permitted after July 1 after completion of junior year from coaches and faculty members to student-athlete or parents or legal guardian. No limit until After that 1 per week . Unlimited calls to arrange visits. See details below. Permitted after June 15 after junior year but before senior year. No limit during that time. In senior year, 1 phone call per week to student-athlete, parents or legal guardian. Unlimited calls to arrange visits. See details below. No limitations
Contacts 3 contacts per coach off college campus, beginning July 1 after completion of junior year 3 contacts per coach off college campus beginning June 15. 1 visit per week to high school. Permitted after junior year of high school. No limit on number or period when they may occur.
Official Visits Beginning opening day of classes in senior year, 1 paid visit per college and 5 paid visits total for all sports. 1 paid visit per college and 5 paid visits total for all sports. During the senior year, 1 paid visit per college campus. No limit on the number of campuses if you initially enroll in a Division III College.
Campus Visits No limit on the number of visits if paid for by student-athlete. No limit on the number of visits if paid for by student-athlete. No limit on the number of visits if paid for by student-athlete.

 

The National Letter of Intent

  • The National Letter of Intent is a binding 1 year agreement between the student athlete and the college. It can be renewed each year for 4 years. With the signing of the letter of intent, a student athlete commits to attending the college specified in the letter for 1 year. Once the student athlete signs the letter of intent, the student athlete should advise any other recruiter of the signing. Once the signing is known, other colleges agree not to recruit the student athlete.
  • The recruiting coach or any college representative may not personally hand deliver the letter of intent nor may he/she be present when the student athlete signs the letter.
  • The student athlete has 14 days from receiving the letter of intent to sign it.
  • In addition to the student athlete, if the student athlete is under 21 years of age, the student athlete’s parent or legal guardian must sign the letter.
  • The letter of intent is with the student athlete and the college. If a coach leaves the college, the student athlete is still bound by the letter of intent.
  • The National Letter of Intent is administered by the Collegiate Commissioners Association (CCA) not the NCAA.

The signing dates for Cross Country, Track and Field for 2005-2006 are as follow:
    Initial Signing
    Final Signing
    Early Period
    Late Period
    November 9, 2005
    April 12, 2006

    November 16, 2005
    August 1, 2006

     

NAIA Colleges

The recruiting (contact) rules in the NAIA colleges are few and straightforward.

Non-Matriculated Student-Athlete (Not enrolled in any college)

A coach or other representative of a college may not contact an athlete who, before the beginning of college has drawn equipment and participated in organized practice at another college.

 

Matriculated Student-Athlete (Enrolled in College)

See NAIA web site for specific details.

 

Scholar-Athlete Guide by Donna Dye

 

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