ncaa information - League Athletics
(The following information comes directly from the NCAA) National Collegiate Athletic Association
Becoming an NCAA Student-Athlete If you want to become an NCAA student-athlete, you must first take care of your “student” side. College-bound student-athletes who want to compete for a Division I & II program must be certified academically (and also as an amateur) by the NCAA Eligibility Center. NCAA Eligibility Center certification does not necessarily mean that a collegebound student-athlete will be accepted for admission at a Division I or II member college or university since institutional admissions requirements often are more restrictive than NCAA initial-eligibility standards. Any college-bound studentathlete should prepare for the academic side of college as though the athletics experience did not exist. Division III does not require NCAA Eligibility Center certification. To participate in Division III athletics, a student-athlete must have been admitted as a regularly enrolled, degree-seeking student in accordance with the regular, published entrance or admissions policies of that college or university
Getting Started If you wish to participate in NCAA Division I or II athletics, you need to be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center. You need to qualify academically (link to Academic requirements page) and you need to be cleared as an amateur student-athlete.
What Do I Need To Do? • Grade 9 ◦ Verify with your high school guidance counselor and the online corecourse listing to make sure you are on track. • Grade 10 ◦ Verify with your high school guidance counselor and the online corecourse listing to make sure you are on track. • Grade 11 ◦ Register with the eligibility center. ◦ Make sure you are still on course to meet core-course requirements (verify you have the correct number of core courses and that the core courses are on your high school's 48-H with the eligibility center). ◦ After your junior year, have your high school guidance counselor send a copy of your transcript. If you have attended any other high schools, make sure a transcript is sent to the eligibility center from each high school. ◦ When taking the ACT or SAT, request test scores to be sent to the eligibility center (the code is "9999"). ◦ Begin your amateurism questionnaire. • Grade 12 ◦ When taking the ACT or SAT, request test scores to be sent to the eligibility center (the code is "9999"). ◦ Complete amateurism questionnaire and sign the final authorization signature online on or after April 1 if you are expecting to enroll in college in the fall semester. (If you are expecting to enroll for spring semester, sign the final authorization signature on or after October 1 of the year prior to enrollment.) ◦ Have your high school guidance counselor send a final transcript with proof of graduation to the eligibility center.
Home School Information Use high school code "969999" as the high school code for any home school coursework. This information is for those who have attended a home school or nontraditional school for either all or part of their high school career. In order to evaluate your certification status for purposes of NCAA athletics initial eligibility,
please submit the following information to the Eligibility Center: • Completed student release form. • Fee payment. • Standardized test score (ACT and/or SAT). Must be submitted directly from the testing agency. Note that test scores received on a transcript cannot be used by the Eligibility Center. A Student Score Report or scores taken directly from a Student Score Report cannot be accepted by the Eligibility Center for initial-eligibility purposes. • Home school transcript that includes: ◦ Course titles; ◦ Course grades; ◦ Units of credit for courses; ◦ Grading scale (if numeric grading is used, alpha/letter equivalent grades are needed); and ◦ Signature of the home school administrator (the parent or other person who organized, taught and evaluated the home school coursework). • Transcript from any other high school, college and/or nontraditional program attended (mailed directly from the issuing institution). • Proof of high school graduation, including specific graduation date (month/day/year). • Evidence that home schooling was conducted in accordance with state laws (a written statement from the home school administrator verifying compliance with state home school legislation). Please attach any supporting documentation. • A statement of who taught and evaluated the coursework, awarded grades and issued credit. • List of textbooks used throughout home schooling [course title, textbook title, publisher name and book level (if applicable)]. There are some examples listed below for reference including a home school checklist, transcript example and textbook list. This will help provide guidance on what the Eligibility Center needs regarding home school information. If your home school coursework was taken through an established nontraditional program (e.g., correspondence, internet, tutoring, etc.) that evaluated your coursework and issues transcripts, please have that program provide a copy of your transcript and provide contact information so the Eligibility Center can obtain further information, if necessary. The Eligibility Center will evaluate home school coursework only after all required documents have been received. After the information listed above is received, the Eligibility Center may need to request additional information or clarification before completing an academic certification. HOME SCHOOL EVALUATION ADDRESS: NCAA Eligibility Center (ATTN: Home School Evaluation) 1802 Alonzo Watford Sr. Drive Indianapolis, IN 46202-
6222 Phone: 877/ 262-1492 or 317/ 223-0700. Follow the prompts or request to be directed to the home school department. If you were home schooled in New York, please note that the Eligibility Center cannot accept "proof of graduation" from a diploma issued by a home school in New York, because the state of New York does not recognize diplomas that are issued by a home school. If a student is home schooled in New York and does not graduate from a high school, that student would have to provide a GED certificate in order to meet the NCAA's graduation requirement
Initial Eligibility Division I Academic Eligibility To participate in Division I athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during the first year of college, a student-athlete must: • Complete the 16 core-course requirement in eight semesters: ◦ 4 years of English ◦ 3 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) ◦ 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by the high school) ◦ 1 extra year of English, math or natural or physical science ◦ 2 years of social science ◦ 4 years of extra core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy) • Earn a minimum required grade-point average in core courses • Earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches the core course gradepoint average and test-score sliding scale. (For example, a 3.000 corecourse grade-point average needs at least a 620 SAT).
Division II Academic Eligibility (2009 - July 31, 2013) If you enroll in a Division II college between now and July 31, 2013, and want to participate in athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during your first year, you must: • • • • •
Graduate from high school; Complete these 14 core courses: 3 years of English 2 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by your high school)
• 2 additional years of English, math, or natural or physical science • 2 years of social science • 3 years of extra core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy); • Earn a 2.000 grade-point average or better in your core courses; and • Earn a combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.
Division II Academic Eligibility (As of August, 2013) If you enroll in a Division II college on or after August 1, 2013, and want to participate in athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during your first year, you must • • • • • • • • • •
Graduate from high school; Complete these 16 core courses: 3 years of English 2 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by your high school) 3 additional years of English, math, or natural or physical science 2 years of social science 4 years of additional core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy); Earn a 2.000 grade-point average or better in your core courses; and Earn a combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.
Amateurism Eligibility All incoming student-athletes must be certified as an amateur student-athlete. With global recruiting becoming more common, determining the amateur status of college-bound student-athletes can be challenging. All college-bound studentathletes, including international students, need to adhere to NCAA amateurism requirements in order to preserve their eligibility for NCAA intercollegiate athletics.
Certification process All college-bound student-athletes must have an academic and amateurism certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center. For the staff at the NCAA Eligibility Center to certify your amateur status, you must answer a questionnaire during registration. The questionnaire covers the following pre-collegiate enrollment activities: • Contracts with professional teams • Salary for participating in athletics
• • • • • •
Prize money Play with professionals Tryouts, practice or competition with a professional team Benefits from an agent or prospective agent Agreement to be represented by an agent Delayed initial full-time collegiate enrollment to participate in organized sports competition The Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete contains more detailed information about initial academic and amateurism eligibility
Division I Toolkit Academic Eligibility To participate in Division I athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during the first year of college, a student-athlete must: • Complete the 16 core-course requirement in eight semesters: ◦ 4 years of English ◦ 3 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) ◦ 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by the high school) ◦ 1 extra year of English, math or natural or physical science ◦ 2 years of social science ◦ 4 years of extra core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy) • Earn a minimum required grade-point average in core courses • Earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches the core course gradepoint average and test-score sliding scale. (For example, a 3.000 corecourse grade-point average needs at least a 620 SAT).
Amateurism Eligibility All incoming student-athletes must be certified as an amateur student-athlete. With global recruiting becoming more common, determining the amateur status of college-bound student-athletes can be challenging. All college-bound studentathletes, including international students, need to adhere to NCAA amateurism requirements in order to preserve their eligibility for NCAA intercollegiate athletics.
Certification process All college-bound student-athletes must have an academic and amateurism certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center.
The online registration process that must be completed by all future Division I and II college-bound student-athletes includes a questionnaire relating to the individual’s amateur status. For the staff at the NCAA Eligibility Center to certify amateur status, collegebound student-athletes must answer a questionnaire during registration. The questionnaire covers the following precollegiate enrollment activities: • • • • • • • •
Contracts with professional teams Salary for participating in athletics Prize money Play with professionals Tryouts, practice or competition with a professional team Benefits from an agent or prospective agent Agreement to be represented by an agent Delayed initial full-time collegiate enrollment to participate in organized sports competition The Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete contains more detailed information about initial academic and amateurism eligibility.
Recruiting Rules NCAA policies govern how coaches can recruit college-bound student-athletes. The rules specify when and how coaches can contact prospects, what materials can be sent and when student-athletes can visit campus. The rules differ from sport to sport. The NCAA Eligibility Center administers the National Letter of Intent program. The National Letter of Intent is a contract between a college or university and a prospect that requires the college-bound student-athlete to attend the college or university for one academic year and the college or university to provide athletics financial aid for one academic year. The National Letter of Intent is a legal document and should be read carefully before being signed.
Financial Aid Individual colleges or universities award athletics grants-in-aid (often described as scholarships) on a one-year, renewable basis. They may be renewed for a maximum of five years within a six-year period of continuous college attendance. Aid can be renewed, canceled or reduced at the end of each year for many reasons. If a student-athlete’s aid will be reduced or canceled, the college or university must provide the student-athlete with an opportunity to appeal.
Financial aid is awarded in various amounts, ranging from full scholarships (including tuition, fees, room, board and books) to small awards that might provide only course-required books. Such partial awards are known as “equivalencies.” Some Division I sports (including Football Bowl Subdivision football and basketball) do not permit equivalencies. All scholarships from any source in any amount must be reported to the college financial aid office. The total amount of financial aid a student-athlete can receive and the total amount of athletics aid a team can award may be limited. These limits can affect whether a student-athlete can accept aid from other sources. Athletics financial aid can be a tremendous benefit to most families, but some costs are not covered (for example, travel between home and school). Also, although the benefits of athletically related financial aid are substantial, the likelihood of participating is relatively small. Any young person contemplating college attendance should use high school for legitimate academic preparation.
Transfer Rules Division I student-athletes interested in transferring to another four-year college or university and student-athletes at two-year colleges interested in attending a four-year school should be aware of the rules that govern the transfer process. • Eligibility: Transfers from two-year colleges must have their academic and amateur status certified, just as incoming freshmen do. • Permission to contact: Most transfers from four-year college or university to four-year college or university require a “permission-to-contact” letter from the current school’s athletics director to the new school’s coach or administrator. The new school cannot contact the student-athlete until the current school agrees to the contact. If the current school does not agree, the student-athlete can appeal. • Five-year clock: Division I student-athletes have five calendar years from the first enrollment at a two- or four-year school to compete four seasons of competition. • Academic year in residence: Research shows that student-athletes who remain at one college or university throughout their academic careers graduate at higher rates than those who transfer. To encourage an academic focus, the NCAA requires Division I student-athletes who transfer from a two-year school and do not meet transfer requirements or transfer from one four-year school to another four-year school to spend one academic year in residence before being eligible to play There are exceptions to the rule: If the student-athlete has never transferred before from a four-year school and meets academic requirements, that student-athlete
might be able to use the one-time transfer exception (except in baseball, basketball, men’s ice hockey or football). If the first school dropped the sport of the affected student-athlete If the student-athlete never has been recruited, received an athletics scholarship or practiced beyond a 14-consecutive day period at any school or participated in competition before transferring If the student-athlete returns to the first school without participating at the second school If the student-athlete did not practice or play in his or her sport for two years Individual colleges or universities and conferences also often have their own rules governing transfers.
Division II Toolkit Academic Eligibility (2009 - July 31, 2013) If you enroll in a Division II college between now and July 31, 2013, and want to participate in athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during your first year, you must: • • • • •
Graduate from high school; Complete these 14 core courses: 3 years of English 2 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by your high school) • 2 additional years of English, math, or natural or physical science • 2 years of social science • 3 years of extra core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy); • Earn a 2.000 grade-point average or better in your core courses; and • Earn a combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68. If you enroll in a Division II college on or after August 1, 2013, and want to participate in athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during your first year, you must • • • • •
Graduate from high school; Complete these 16 core courses: 3 years of English 2 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by your high school) • 3 additional years of English, math, or natural or physical science • 2 years of social science
• 4 years of additional core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy); • Earn a 2.000 grade-point average or better in your core courses; and • Earn a combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.
Division II Qualifier Being a qualifier entitles you to: • Practice or compete for your college or university during your first year of college; • Receive an athletics scholarship during your first year of college; and • Play four seasons in your sport if you maintain your eligibility from year to year.
Division II Partial Qualifier You will be considered a partial qualifier if you do not meet all of the academic requirements listed above but have graduated from high school and meet one of the following standards: • The combined SAT score of 820 or ACT sum score of 68; or • Completion of the 14 core courses with a 2.000 core-course grade-point average. As a partial qualifier, you: • • • •
Can practice with your team at its home facility during your first year of college; Can receive athletically related financial aid during your first year of college; Cannot compete during your first year of college; and Can play four seasons in your sport if you maintain your eligibility from year to year.
Division II Nonqualifier You will be considered a nonqualifier if you did not graduate from high school or if you graduated and are missing both the core-course grade-point average or minimum number of core courses and the required ACT or SAT scores. As a nonqualifier, you: • Cannot practice or compete for your college or university during your first year of college; • Cannot receive athletically related financial aid during your first year of college, although you may receive need-based financial aid; and • Can play four seasons in your sport if you maintain your eligibility from year to year.
Amateurism Eligibility
All incoming student-athletes must be certified as an amateur student-athlete. With global recruiting becoming more common, determining the amateur status of college-bound student-athletes can be challenging. All college-bound studentathletes, including international students, need to adhere to NCAA amateurism requirements in order to preserve their eligibility for NCAA intercollegiate athletics.
Certification process All college-bound student-athletes must have an academic and amateurism certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center. For the staff at the NCAA Eligibility Center to certify your amateur status, you must answer a questionnaire during registration. The questionnaire covers the following pre-collegiate enrollment activities: • • • • • • • •
Contracts with professional teams Salary for participating in athletics Prize money Play with professionals Tryouts, practice or competition with a professional team Benefits from an agent or prospective agent Agreement to be represented by an agent Delayed initial full-time collegiate enrollment to participate in organized sports competition The Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete contains more detailed information about initial academic and amateurism eligibility.
Recruiting Rules The NCAA has policies governing the recruitment of college-bound studentathletes. The rules specify when and how coaches can contact you and send you materials and when you can visit campus. The rules differ depending on which sport you play. The NCAA Eligibility Center administers the National Letter of Intent program. The National Letter of Intent is a contract between a college or university and a prospect that requires the prospect to attend the college or university for one academic year and the college or university to provide athletics financial aid for one academic year. This is a legal document and should be read carefully before signing.
Financial Aid
Athletics grants-in-aid are awarded by individual colleges or universities on a one-year, renewable basis. They may be renewed for a maximum of five years within a six-year period of continuous college attendance. Aid can be renewed, canceled or reduced at the end of each year. If your aid is reduced or canceled, your college or university must provide you with an opportunity to appeal. Grants-in-aid are awarded in a variety of amounts, ranging from full packages (including tuition, fees, room, board and books) to smaller packages known as equivalencies. Most athletically related financial aid in Division II is provided as equivalencies. All financial aid from any source must be reported to your college financial aid office. The total amount of financial aid a student-athlete can receive and the total amount of athletics aid a team can award may be limited. These limits can affect whether a student-athlete can accept aid from other sources. Athletics financial aid can be a tremendous benefit to most families, but some costs are not covered by the scholarship (for example, travel between home and school).
Differences Among the Three Divisions: Division I Number of required sports: Division I members must offer at least 14 sports (at least seven for men and seven for women, or six for men and eight for women). The institution must sponsor at least two team sports (for example, football, basketball or volleyball) for each gender. The school also must have participating male and female teams or participants in the fall, winter and spring seasons. Scheduling: Each Division I program must play a minimum number of contests against Division I opponents. The minimums vary by sport. Financial aid: Division I institutions must offer a minimum amount of financial aid but may not exceed established maximums. Football Bowl Subdivision football, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s gymnastics, women’s volleyball are women’s tennis are considered head-count sports for financial aid purposes in Division I. Financial aid equivalencies (one grant-in-aid package divided into smaller pieces) may be offered in all other sports. Subdivisions: Division I allows for institutions to choose subdivisions based on the scope of their football programs. The three subdivisions are: Football Bowl Subdivision (120 members): The Football Bowl Subdivision uses the postseason bowl system rather than a playoff to determine a national champion in football. FBS members must comply with higher standards for sports sponsorship (the overall program must offer 16 teams rather than the 14 required of other Division I members), football scheduling and overall financial aid. In addition, FBS members must meet minimum attendance standards in football. Football Championship Subdivision (118 members). FCS members determine their football champion through an NCAA playoff. Division I (97 members). The remaining programs of Division I do not sponsor football. Total Division I membership: 335 members. Public/private: In Division I, 66 percent of the members are public institutions; 34 percent are private. Last Updated: Mar 31, 2011 Differences Among the Three Divisions: Division I Number of required sports: Division I members must offer at least 14 sports (at least seven for men and seven for women, or six for men and eight for women). The institution must sponsor at least two team sports (for example, football, basketball or volleyball) for each gender. The school also must have participating male and female teams or participants in the fall, winter and spring seasons.
Scheduling: Each Division I program must play a minimum number of contests against Division I opponents. The minimums vary by sport. Financial aid: Division I institutions must offer a minimum amount of financial aid but may not exceed established maximums. Football Bowl Subdivision football, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s gymnastics, women’s volleyball are women’s tennis are considered head-count sports for financial aid purposes in Division I. Financial aid equivalencies (one grant-in-aid package divided into smaller pieces) may be offered in all other sports. Subdivisions: Division I allows for institutions to choose subdivisions based on the scope of their football programs. The three subdivisions are: Football Bowl Subdivision (120 members): The Football Bowl Subdivision uses the postseason bowl system rather than a playoff to determine a national champion in football. FBS members must comply with higher standards for sports sponsorship (the overall program must offer 16 teams rather than the 14 required of other Division I members), football scheduling and overall financial aid. In addition, FBS members must meet minimum attendance standards in football. Football Championship Subdivision (118 members). FCS members determine their football champion through an NCAA playoff. Division I (97 members). The remaining programs of Division I do not sponsor football. Total Division I membership: 335 members. Public/private: In Division I, 66 percent of the members are public institutions; 34 percent are private. Last Updated: Mar 31, 2011 Differences Among the Three Divisions: Division II Division II is an intermediate-level division of competition, which offers an alternative to both the highly competitive level of intercollegiate sports offered in Division I and the nonscholarship level offered in Division III. Total Division II Membership: Division II has 302 member institutions, with 281 currently classified as active member institutions and 21 institutions advancing through the membership process. These schools range in size from less than 2,500 to over 15,000, with the average enrollment being around 4,500. Financial Aid: Very few of the 100,000 student-athletes competing in Division II receive a full athletics grant that covers all of their expenses, but most of them will receive some financial aid to help them through school. For the rest of their
expenses, student-athletes are on their own—using academic scholarships, student loans and employment earnings just like most other students attending the Division II institution. This healthy partnership is the essence of Division II, where studentathletes are valued for their athletics contribution and for being an important part of the overall student body. Division II also provides an intersection where athletically gifted students can compete at a high level, while maintaining much of a traditional student experience. Excellent outcomes come from athletics programs that are properly aligned with the educational mission of the institution. This balance is what distinguishes Division II from the others, and this philosophy is at the heart of all decisions made by the division's governing bodies. Scheduling: All Division II schools must field athletes in at least ten sports, with male and female competition in a given sport counting as two different sports. In addition, all coeducational schools must field athletes in at least four sports in each gender. Regionalization is a significant part of the Division II philosophy and is included in a championship policy that requires sport committees to select a predetermined number of teams in each of the regions of the sports involved. Regionalization guarantees access to national championships from every geographic area of the country and encourages a member school to compete against opponents within its region, instead of seeking contests against opponents outside the geographical region. This scheduling incentive is aimed at helping schools manage their regular-season travel budgets and limit missed class time for Division II student-athletes. Public/Private: Division II schools tend to be smaller public universities (52 percent) and many private institutions (48 percent). Last Updated: Mar 31, 2011
Differences Among the Three Divisions: Division III Institutions • 447 Total Members (432 active & 15 provisional / reclassifying • 20% public institutions / 80% private institutions Institutional Enrollment Minimum Average Maximum Men 0 1,142 7,622 Women 90 1,426 11,952 Total 356 2,562 19,464 NCAA Sponsored Championships Men - 13 Championship Sports: BA, BB, CC, FB, GO, LA, IH, SO, SW, TE, TI, TO, WR
Women - 14 Championship Sports: BB, CC, FH, GO, IH, LA, RW, SO, SB, SW, TE, TI, TO, VB National Collegiate Championships - 9 Men - 3 - GY, VB, WP Women - 3 - BW, GY, WP Men and Women - 3 - FN, RI, SK eAverage Number of Men's and Women's Sports Sponsored per Institution Men - 8.1 Women - 8.9 Athletic Participants Including Emerging Sports Division III All Divisions Men 99,013 (59%) 244,267 (57%) Women 69,797 (41%) 182,503 (43%) Total 163,211 (100%) 418,345 (100%) Average Number of Participants per Institution Men - 223 Women - 157.2 Last Updated: Apr 20, 2011
Recruiting Most schools try hard to comply with recruiting bylaws that support the NCAA’s underlying principles of fairness and integrity. The rules define who may be involved in the recruiting process, when recruiting may occur and the conditions under which recruiting may be conducted. Recruiting rules seek, as much as possible, to control intrusions into the lives of prospective student-athletes. The NCAA defines recruiting as “any solicitation of prospective student-athletes or their parents by an institutional staff member or by a representative of the institution’s athletics interests for the purpose of securing a prospective studentathlete’s enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program.” Most NCAA recruiting violations are inadvertent. Problems can range from occasional improper phone calls and text messages to the more serious matters such as the funneling of cash and other illegal benefits to prospective student-athletes and their families. Evolving technology presents unique challenges in recruiting. The NCAA position states new technology can be used so long as it complies with the spirit and, where updated, the letter of already existing guidelines. For example, schools cannot text prospective student-athletes at any time, but they can e-mail during permissible contact periods. Schools can do so even from social media platforms such as Facebook. Texting was eliminated because of the potential cost to prospective student-athletes. As part of its effort to ensure fairness in the recruiting process, the NCAA also seeks to control recruiting excesses. Recent examples include prohibiting college football coaches from arriving at high school football games in helicopters to impress potential recruits and restricting the nature of entertainment during official visits. Recruiting philosophies differ among divisions. For example, because of its community-oriented philosophy, Division II recruiting rules allow recruits to participate in certain community-engagement activities hosted on campus. Those activities might be regarded as a special benefit in Division I. Issues with recruiting are more common in men’s sports, although recruiting issues in women’s sports are on the rise. Of the issues in male sports, most occur in the sports of basketball and football.
Recruiting Glossary Terms Contact occurs any time a coach has any face-to-face contact with a prospective student-athlete or the prospect’s parents off the college’s campus and says more than hello. A contact also occurs if a coach has any contact with the prospective student-athlete or his or her parents at the prospective student-athlete’s high school or any location where the prospect is engaging in competition or practice. Contact period is the time when a college coach may have in-person contact with a prospective student-athlete and the prospect’s parents on or off the college’s campus. The coach may also watch the prospective student-athlete play or visit his or her high school. The prospect and the parents may visit a college campus, and the coach may write and telephone during this period. Dead period is a time when the college coach may not have any in-person contact with the prospective student-athlete or the prospect’s parents at any time. The coach may write and telephone during this time. Evaluation is an activity by a coach to evaluate a prospective student-athlete’s academic or athletics ability. This would include visiting the prospective studentathlete’s high school or watching the prospect practice or compete. Evaluation period is the time a college coach may watch a prospective studentathlete play or visit the high school but cannot have any in-person conversations with the possible recruit or the parents off the college’s campus. The prospective student-athlete and the parents can visit a college campus during this period and a coach may call or write during this period. National Letter of Intent is the document a prospective student-athlete signs when he or she agrees to attend the designated college or university for one academic year. According to the terms of the National Letter of Intent program, participating institutions agree to provide athletics financial aid for one academic year to the student-athlete, provided he or she is admitted to the institution and is eligible for financial aid under NCAA rules. An important provision of the National Letter of Intent program is a recruiting prohibition applied after a prospective student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent. This prohibition requires participating institutions to cease recruitment of a prospective student-athlete once a National Letter of Intent is signed with another institution.
Official visit is a prospective student-athlete’s visit to a college campus paid for by the college. The college can pay for transportation to and from the college,
room and meals (three per day) while visiting and reasonable entertainment expenses, including three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest. NCAA recruiting bylaws limit the number of official visits a recruit may take to five. Prospective student-athlete is the title given when a student enters ninth grade. It also applies when, before a student’s ninth-grade year, a college gives the student, the student’s relatives or their friends any financial aid or other benefits that the college does not generally provide to prospective students. Quiet period is a time when the college may not have any in-person talk with the prospective student-athlete or the parents off the college’s campus. The coach may not watch the prospect play or practice. uThe prospective student-athlete can visit college campuses during this time and a coach may write or telephone. Unofficial visit is any visit by a prospective student-athlete and their parents to a college campus paid for by the prospective student athlete or the prospect’s parents. The only expense the prospective student-athlete can receive from the college is three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest. The prospect may make as many visits as he or she likes and may take the visits at any time. The only time the prospective student-athlete cannot talk with a coach during an unofficial visit is during a dead period. Verbal commitment is the phrase used to describe a college-bound studentathlete’s commitment to a school before he or she is able to sign a National Letter of Intent. A college-bound student athlete can announce a verbal commitment at any time. While verbal commitments have become popular, they are NOT binding on either the college-bound student-athlete or the school.
Estimated Probability of Competing in Athletics Beyond the High School Interscholastic Level StudentAthletes High School Student Athletes High School Senior Student Athletes NCAA Student Athletes NCAA Freshman Roster Positions NCAA Senior Student Athletes NCAA Student Athletes Drafted Percent High School to NCAA Percent NCAA to Professional Percent High School to Professional
Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball
Football
Baseball
Men's Ice Hockey
Men's Soccer
540,207
439,550
1,109,278
472,644
36,475
391,839
154,345
125,586
316,937
135,041
10,421
111,954
17,008
15,423
66,313
30,365
3,945
21,770
4,859
4,407
18,947
8,676
1,127
6,220
3,780
3,427
14,736
6,748
877
4,838
44
32
250
600
33
76
3.1%
3.5%
6.0%
6.4%
10.8%
5.6%
1.2%
0.9%
1.7%
8.9%
3.8%
1.6%
0.03%
0.03%
0.08%
0.44%
0.32%
0.07%
Note: These percentages are based on estimated data and should be considered approximations of the actual percentages.
Becoming an NCAA Student-Athlete If you want to become an NCAA student-athlete, you must first take care of your “student” side. College-bound student-athletes who want to compete for a Division I & II program must be certified academically (and also as an amateur) by the NCAA Eligibility Center. NCAA Eligibility Center certification does not necessarily mean that a collegebound student-athlete will be accepted for admission at a Division I or II member college or university since institutional admissions requirements often are more restrictive than NCAA initial-eligibility standards. Any college-bound studentathlete should prepare for the academic side of college as though the athletics experience did not exist. Division III does not require NCAA Eligibility Center certification. To participate in Division III athletics, a student-athlete must have been admitted as a regularly enrolled, degree-seeking student in accordance with the regular, published entrance or admissions policies of that college or university
Getting Started If you wish to participate in NCAA Division I or II athletics, you need to be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center. You need to qualify academically (link to Academic requirements page) and you need to be cleared as an amateur student-athlete.
What Do I Need To Do? • Grade 9 ◦ Verify with your high school guidance counselor and the online corecourse listing to make sure you are on track. • Grade 10 ◦ Verify with your high school guidance counselor and the online corecourse listing to make sure you are on track. • Grade 11 ◦ Register with the eligibility center. ◦ Make sure you are still on course to meet core-course requirements (verify you have the correct number of core courses and that the core courses are on your high school's 48-H with the eligibility center). ◦ After your junior year, have your high school guidance counselor send a copy of your transcript. If you have attended any other high schools, make sure a transcript is sent to the eligibility center from each high school. ◦ When taking the ACT or SAT, request test scores to be sent to the eligibility center (the code is "9999"). ◦ Begin your amateurism questionnaire. • Grade 12 ◦ When taking the ACT or SAT, request test scores to be sent to the eligibility center (the code is "9999"). ◦ Complete amateurism questionnaire and sign the final authorization signature online on or after April 1 if you are expecting to enroll in college in the fall semester. (If you are expecting to enroll for spring semester, sign the final authorization signature on or after October 1 of the year prior to enrollment.) ◦ Have your high school guidance counselor send a final transcript with proof of graduation to the eligibility center.
Home School Information Use high school code "969999" as the high school code for any home school coursework. This information is for those who have attended a home school or nontraditional school for either all or part of their high school career. In order to evaluate your certification status for purposes of NCAA athletics initial eligibility,
please submit the following information to the Eligibility Center: • Completed student release form. • Fee payment. • Standardized test score (ACT and/or SAT). Must be submitted directly from the testing agency. Note that test scores received on a transcript cannot be used by the Eligibility Center. A Student Score Report or scores taken directly from a Student Score Report cannot be accepted by the Eligibility Center for initial-eligibility purposes. • Home school transcript that includes: ◦ Course titles; ◦ Course grades; ◦ Units of credit for courses; ◦ Grading scale (if numeric grading is used, alpha/letter equivalent grades are needed); and ◦ Signature of the home school administrator (the parent or other person who organized, taught and evaluated the home school coursework). • Transcript from any other high school, college and/or nontraditional program attended (mailed directly from the issuing institution). • Proof of high school graduation, including specific graduation date (month/day/year). • Evidence that home schooling was conducted in accordance with state laws (a written statement from the home school administrator verifying compliance with state home school legislation). Please attach any supporting documentation. • A statement of who taught and evaluated the coursework, awarded grades and issued credit. • List of textbooks used throughout home schooling [course title, textbook title, publisher name and book level (if applicable)]. There are some examples listed below for reference including a home school checklist, transcript example and textbook list. This will help provide guidance on what the Eligibility Center needs regarding home school information. If your home school coursework was taken through an established nontraditional program (e.g., correspondence, internet, tutoring, etc.) that evaluated your coursework and issues transcripts, please have that program provide a copy of your transcript and provide contact information so the Eligibility Center can obtain further information, if necessary. The Eligibility Center will evaluate home school coursework only after all required documents have been received. After the information listed above is received, the Eligibility Center may need to request additional information or clarification before completing an academic certification. HOME SCHOOL EVALUATION ADDRESS: NCAA Eligibility Center (ATTN: Home School Evaluation) 1802 Alonzo Watford Sr. Drive Indianapolis, IN 46202-
6222 Phone: 877/ 262-1492 or 317/ 223-0700. Follow the prompts or request to be directed to the home school department. If you were home schooled in New York, please note that the Eligibility Center cannot accept "proof of graduation" from a diploma issued by a home school in New York, because the state of New York does not recognize diplomas that are issued by a home school. If a student is home schooled in New York and does not graduate from a high school, that student would have to provide a GED certificate in order to meet the NCAA's graduation requirement
Initial Eligibility Division I Academic Eligibility To participate in Division I athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during the first year of college, a student-athlete must: • Complete the 16 core-course requirement in eight semesters: ◦ 4 years of English ◦ 3 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) ◦ 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by the high school) ◦ 1 extra year of English, math or natural or physical science ◦ 2 years of social science ◦ 4 years of extra core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy) • Earn a minimum required grade-point average in core courses • Earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches the core course gradepoint average and test-score sliding scale. (For example, a 3.000 corecourse grade-point average needs at least a 620 SAT).
Division II Academic Eligibility (2009 - July 31, 2013) If you enroll in a Division II college between now and July 31, 2013, and want to participate in athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during your first year, you must: • • • • •
Graduate from high school; Complete these 14 core courses: 3 years of English 2 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by your high school)
• 2 additional years of English, math, or natural or physical science • 2 years of social science • 3 years of extra core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy); • Earn a 2.000 grade-point average or better in your core courses; and • Earn a combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.
Division II Academic Eligibility (As of August, 2013) If you enroll in a Division II college on or after August 1, 2013, and want to participate in athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during your first year, you must • • • • • • • • • •
Graduate from high school; Complete these 16 core courses: 3 years of English 2 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by your high school) 3 additional years of English, math, or natural or physical science 2 years of social science 4 years of additional core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, non-doctrinal religion or philosophy); Earn a 2.000 grade-point average or better in your core courses; and Earn a combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.
Amateurism Eligibility All incoming student-athletes must be certified as an amateur student-athlete. With global recruiting becoming more common, determining the amateur status of college-bound student-athletes can be challenging. All college-bound studentathletes, including international students, need to adhere to NCAA amateurism requirements in order to preserve their eligibility for NCAA intercollegiate athletics.
Certification process All college-bound student-athletes must have an academic and amateurism certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center. For the staff at the NCAA Eligibility Center to certify your amateur status, you must answer a questionnaire during registration. The questionnaire covers the following pre-collegiate enrollment activities: • Contracts with professional teams • Salary for participating in athletics
• • • • • •
Prize money Play with professionals Tryouts, practice or competition with a professional team Benefits from an agent or prospective agent Agreement to be represented by an agent Delayed initial full-time collegiate enrollment to participate in organized sports competition The Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete contains more detailed information about initial academic and amateurism eligibility
Division I Toolkit Academic Eligibility To participate in Division I athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during the first year of college, a student-athlete must: • Complete the 16 core-course requirement in eight semesters: ◦ 4 years of English ◦ 3 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) ◦ 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by the high school) ◦ 1 extra year of English, math or natural or physical science ◦ 2 years of social science ◦ 4 years of extra core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy) • Earn a minimum required grade-point average in core courses • Earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches the core course gradepoint average and test-score sliding scale. (For example, a 3.000 corecourse grade-point average needs at least a 620 SAT).
Amateurism Eligibility All incoming student-athletes must be certified as an amateur student-athlete. With global recruiting becoming more common, determining the amateur status of college-bound student-athletes can be challenging. All college-bound studentathletes, including international students, need to adhere to NCAA amateurism requirements in order to preserve their eligibility for NCAA intercollegiate athletics.
Certification process All college-bound student-athletes must have an academic and amateurism certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center.
The online registration process that must be completed by all future Division I and II college-bound student-athletes includes a questionnaire relating to the individual’s amateur status. For the staff at the NCAA Eligibility Center to certify amateur status, collegebound student-athletes must answer a questionnaire during registration. The questionnaire covers the following precollegiate enrollment activities: • • • • • • • •
Contracts with professional teams Salary for participating in athletics Prize money Play with professionals Tryouts, practice or competition with a professional team Benefits from an agent or prospective agent Agreement to be represented by an agent Delayed initial full-time collegiate enrollment to participate in organized sports competition The Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete contains more detailed information about initial academic and amateurism eligibility.
Recruiting Rules NCAA policies govern how coaches can recruit college-bound student-athletes. The rules specify when and how coaches can contact prospects, what materials can be sent and when student-athletes can visit campus. The rules differ from sport to sport. The NCAA Eligibility Center administers the National Letter of Intent program. The National Letter of Intent is a contract between a college or university and a prospect that requires the college-bound student-athlete to attend the college or university for one academic year and the college or university to provide athletics financial aid for one academic year. The National Letter of Intent is a legal document and should be read carefully before being signed.
Financial Aid Individual colleges or universities award athletics grants-in-aid (often described as scholarships) on a one-year, renewable basis. They may be renewed for a maximum of five years within a six-year period of continuous college attendance. Aid can be renewed, canceled or reduced at the end of each year for many reasons. If a student-athlete’s aid will be reduced or canceled, the college or university must provide the student-athlete with an opportunity to appeal.
Financial aid is awarded in various amounts, ranging from full scholarships (including tuition, fees, room, board and books) to small awards that might provide only course-required books. Such partial awards are known as “equivalencies.” Some Division I sports (including Football Bowl Subdivision football and basketball) do not permit equivalencies. All scholarships from any source in any amount must be reported to the college financial aid office. The total amount of financial aid a student-athlete can receive and the total amount of athletics aid a team can award may be limited. These limits can affect whether a student-athlete can accept aid from other sources. Athletics financial aid can be a tremendous benefit to most families, but some costs are not covered (for example, travel between home and school). Also, although the benefits of athletically related financial aid are substantial, the likelihood of participating is relatively small. Any young person contemplating college attendance should use high school for legitimate academic preparation.
Transfer Rules Division I student-athletes interested in transferring to another four-year college or university and student-athletes at two-year colleges interested in attending a four-year school should be aware of the rules that govern the transfer process. • Eligibility: Transfers from two-year colleges must have their academic and amateur status certified, just as incoming freshmen do. • Permission to contact: Most transfers from four-year college or university to four-year college or university require a “permission-to-contact” letter from the current school’s athletics director to the new school’s coach or administrator. The new school cannot contact the student-athlete until the current school agrees to the contact. If the current school does not agree, the student-athlete can appeal. • Five-year clock: Division I student-athletes have five calendar years from the first enrollment at a two- or four-year school to compete four seasons of competition. • Academic year in residence: Research shows that student-athletes who remain at one college or university throughout their academic careers graduate at higher rates than those who transfer. To encourage an academic focus, the NCAA requires Division I student-athletes who transfer from a two-year school and do not meet transfer requirements or transfer from one four-year school to another four-year school to spend one academic year in residence before being eligible to play There are exceptions to the rule: If the student-athlete has never transferred before from a four-year school and meets academic requirements, that student-athlete
might be able to use the one-time transfer exception (except in baseball, basketball, men’s ice hockey or football). If the first school dropped the sport of the affected student-athlete If the student-athlete never has been recruited, received an athletics scholarship or practiced beyond a 14-consecutive day period at any school or participated in competition before transferring If the student-athlete returns to the first school without participating at the second school If the student-athlete did not practice or play in his or her sport for two years Individual colleges or universities and conferences also often have their own rules governing transfers.
Division II Toolkit Academic Eligibility (2009 - July 31, 2013) If you enroll in a Division II college between now and July 31, 2013, and want to participate in athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during your first year, you must: • • • • •
Graduate from high school; Complete these 14 core courses: 3 years of English 2 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by your high school) • 2 additional years of English, math, or natural or physical science • 2 years of social science • 3 years of extra core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy); • Earn a 2.000 grade-point average or better in your core courses; and • Earn a combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68. If you enroll in a Division II college on or after August 1, 2013, and want to participate in athletics or receive an athletics scholarship during your first year, you must • • • • •
Graduate from high school; Complete these 16 core courses: 3 years of English 2 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher) 2 years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if offered by your high school) • 3 additional years of English, math, or natural or physical science • 2 years of social science
• 4 years of additional core courses (from any category above, or foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy); • Earn a 2.000 grade-point average or better in your core courses; and • Earn a combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.
Division II Qualifier Being a qualifier entitles you to: • Practice or compete for your college or university during your first year of college; • Receive an athletics scholarship during your first year of college; and • Play four seasons in your sport if you maintain your eligibility from year to year.
Division II Partial Qualifier You will be considered a partial qualifier if you do not meet all of the academic requirements listed above but have graduated from high school and meet one of the following standards: • The combined SAT score of 820 or ACT sum score of 68; or • Completion of the 14 core courses with a 2.000 core-course grade-point average. As a partial qualifier, you: • • • •
Can practice with your team at its home facility during your first year of college; Can receive athletically related financial aid during your first year of college; Cannot compete during your first year of college; and Can play four seasons in your sport if you maintain your eligibility from year to year.
Division II Nonqualifier You will be considered a nonqualifier if you did not graduate from high school or if you graduated and are missing both the core-course grade-point average or minimum number of core courses and the required ACT or SAT scores. As a nonqualifier, you: • Cannot practice or compete for your college or university during your first year of college; • Cannot receive athletically related financial aid during your first year of college, although you may receive need-based financial aid; and • Can play four seasons in your sport if you maintain your eligibility from year to year.
Amateurism Eligibility
All incoming student-athletes must be certified as an amateur student-athlete. With global recruiting becoming more common, determining the amateur status of college-bound student-athletes can be challenging. All college-bound studentathletes, including international students, need to adhere to NCAA amateurism requirements in order to preserve their eligibility for NCAA intercollegiate athletics.
Certification process All college-bound student-athletes must have an academic and amateurism certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center. For the staff at the NCAA Eligibility Center to certify your amateur status, you must answer a questionnaire during registration. The questionnaire covers the following pre-collegiate enrollment activities: • • • • • • • •
Contracts with professional teams Salary for participating in athletics Prize money Play with professionals Tryouts, practice or competition with a professional team Benefits from an agent or prospective agent Agreement to be represented by an agent Delayed initial full-time collegiate enrollment to participate in organized sports competition The Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete contains more detailed information about initial academic and amateurism eligibility.
Recruiting Rules The NCAA has policies governing the recruitment of college-bound studentathletes. The rules specify when and how coaches can contact you and send you materials and when you can visit campus. The rules differ depending on which sport you play. The NCAA Eligibility Center administers the National Letter of Intent program. The National Letter of Intent is a contract between a college or university and a prospect that requires the prospect to attend the college or university for one academic year and the college or university to provide athletics financial aid for one academic year. This is a legal document and should be read carefully before signing.
Financial Aid
Athletics grants-in-aid are awarded by individual colleges or universities on a one-year, renewable basis. They may be renewed for a maximum of five years within a six-year period of continuous college attendance. Aid can be renewed, canceled or reduced at the end of each year. If your aid is reduced or canceled, your college or university must provide you with an opportunity to appeal. Grants-in-aid are awarded in a variety of amounts, ranging from full packages (including tuition, fees, room, board and books) to smaller packages known as equivalencies. Most athletically related financial aid in Division II is provided as equivalencies. All financial aid from any source must be reported to your college financial aid office. The total amount of financial aid a student-athlete can receive and the total amount of athletics aid a team can award may be limited. These limits can affect whether a student-athlete can accept aid from other sources. Athletics financial aid can be a tremendous benefit to most families, but some costs are not covered by the scholarship (for example, travel between home and school).
Differences Among the Three Divisions: Division I Number of required sports: Division I members must offer at least 14 sports (at least seven for men and seven for women, or six for men and eight for women). The institution must sponsor at least two team sports (for example, football, basketball or volleyball) for each gender. The school also must have participating male and female teams or participants in the fall, winter and spring seasons. Scheduling: Each Division I program must play a minimum number of contests against Division I opponents. The minimums vary by sport. Financial aid: Division I institutions must offer a minimum amount of financial aid but may not exceed established maximums. Football Bowl Subdivision football, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s gymnastics, women’s volleyball are women’s tennis are considered head-count sports for financial aid purposes in Division I. Financial aid equivalencies (one grant-in-aid package divided into smaller pieces) may be offered in all other sports. Subdivisions: Division I allows for institutions to choose subdivisions based on the scope of their football programs. The three subdivisions are: Football Bowl Subdivision (120 members): The Football Bowl Subdivision uses the postseason bowl system rather than a playoff to determine a national champion in football. FBS members must comply with higher standards for sports sponsorship (the overall program must offer 16 teams rather than the 14 required of other Division I members), football scheduling and overall financial aid. In addition, FBS members must meet minimum attendance standards in football. Football Championship Subdivision (118 members). FCS members determine their football champion through an NCAA playoff. Division I (97 members). The remaining programs of Division I do not sponsor football. Total Division I membership: 335 members. Public/private: In Division I, 66 percent of the members are public institutions; 34 percent are private. Last Updated: Mar 31, 2011 Differences Among the Three Divisions: Division I Number of required sports: Division I members must offer at least 14 sports (at least seven for men and seven for women, or six for men and eight for women). The institution must sponsor at least two team sports (for example, football, basketball or volleyball) for each gender. The school also must have participating male and female teams or participants in the fall, winter and spring seasons.
Scheduling: Each Division I program must play a minimum number of contests against Division I opponents. The minimums vary by sport. Financial aid: Division I institutions must offer a minimum amount of financial aid but may not exceed established maximums. Football Bowl Subdivision football, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s gymnastics, women’s volleyball are women’s tennis are considered head-count sports for financial aid purposes in Division I. Financial aid equivalencies (one grant-in-aid package divided into smaller pieces) may be offered in all other sports. Subdivisions: Division I allows for institutions to choose subdivisions based on the scope of their football programs. The three subdivisions are: Football Bowl Subdivision (120 members): The Football Bowl Subdivision uses the postseason bowl system rather than a playoff to determine a national champion in football. FBS members must comply with higher standards for sports sponsorship (the overall program must offer 16 teams rather than the 14 required of other Division I members), football scheduling and overall financial aid. In addition, FBS members must meet minimum attendance standards in football. Football Championship Subdivision (118 members). FCS members determine their football champion through an NCAA playoff. Division I (97 members). The remaining programs of Division I do not sponsor football. Total Division I membership: 335 members. Public/private: In Division I, 66 percent of the members are public institutions; 34 percent are private. Last Updated: Mar 31, 2011 Differences Among the Three Divisions: Division II Division II is an intermediate-level division of competition, which offers an alternative to both the highly competitive level of intercollegiate sports offered in Division I and the nonscholarship level offered in Division III. Total Division II Membership: Division II has 302 member institutions, with 281 currently classified as active member institutions and 21 institutions advancing through the membership process. These schools range in size from less than 2,500 to over 15,000, with the average enrollment being around 4,500. Financial Aid: Very few of the 100,000 student-athletes competing in Division II receive a full athletics grant that covers all of their expenses, but most of them will receive some financial aid to help them through school. For the rest of their
expenses, student-athletes are on their own—using academic scholarships, student loans and employment earnings just like most other students attending the Division II institution. This healthy partnership is the essence of Division II, where studentathletes are valued for their athletics contribution and for being an important part of the overall student body. Division II also provides an intersection where athletically gifted students can compete at a high level, while maintaining much of a traditional student experience. Excellent outcomes come from athletics programs that are properly aligned with the educational mission of the institution. This balance is what distinguishes Division II from the others, and this philosophy is at the heart of all decisions made by the division's governing bodies. Scheduling: All Division II schools must field athletes in at least ten sports, with male and female competition in a given sport counting as two different sports. In addition, all coeducational schools must field athletes in at least four sports in each gender. Regionalization is a significant part of the Division II philosophy and is included in a championship policy that requires sport committees to select a predetermined number of teams in each of the regions of the sports involved. Regionalization guarantees access to national championships from every geographic area of the country and encourages a member school to compete against opponents within its region, instead of seeking contests against opponents outside the geographical region. This scheduling incentive is aimed at helping schools manage their regular-season travel budgets and limit missed class time for Division II student-athletes. Public/Private: Division II schools tend to be smaller public universities (52 percent) and many private institutions (48 percent). Last Updated: Mar 31, 2011
Differences Among the Three Divisions: Division III Institutions • 447 Total Members (432 active & 15 provisional / reclassifying • 20% public institutions / 80% private institutions Institutional Enrollment Minimum Average Maximum Men 0 1,142 7,622 Women 90 1,426 11,952 Total 356 2,562 19,464 NCAA Sponsored Championships Men - 13 Championship Sports: BA, BB, CC, FB, GO, LA, IH, SO, SW, TE, TI, TO, WR
Women - 14 Championship Sports: BB, CC, FH, GO, IH, LA, RW, SO, SB, SW, TE, TI, TO, VB National Collegiate Championships - 9 Men - 3 - GY, VB, WP Women - 3 - BW, GY, WP Men and Women - 3 - FN, RI, SK eAverage Number of Men's and Women's Sports Sponsored per Institution Men - 8.1 Women - 8.9 Athletic Participants Including Emerging Sports Division III All Divisions Men 99,013 (59%) 244,267 (57%) Women 69,797 (41%) 182,503 (43%) Total 163,211 (100%) 418,345 (100%) Average Number of Participants per Institution Men - 223 Women - 157.2 Last Updated: Apr 20, 2011
Recruiting Most schools try hard to comply with recruiting bylaws that support the NCAA’s underlying principles of fairness and integrity. The rules define who may be involved in the recruiting process, when recruiting may occur and the conditions under which recruiting may be conducted. Recruiting rules seek, as much as possible, to control intrusions into the lives of prospective student-athletes. The NCAA defines recruiting as “any solicitation of prospective student-athletes or their parents by an institutional staff member or by a representative of the institution’s athletics interests for the purpose of securing a prospective studentathlete’s enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program.” Most NCAA recruiting violations are inadvertent. Problems can range from occasional improper phone calls and text messages to the more serious matters such as the funneling of cash and other illegal benefits to prospective student-athletes and their families. Evolving technology presents unique challenges in recruiting. The NCAA position states new technology can be used so long as it complies with the spirit and, where updated, the letter of already existing guidelines. For example, schools cannot text prospective student-athletes at any time, but they can e-mail during permissible contact periods. Schools can do so even from social media platforms such as Facebook. Texting was eliminated because of the potential cost to prospective student-athletes. As part of its effort to ensure fairness in the recruiting process, the NCAA also seeks to control recruiting excesses. Recent examples include prohibiting college football coaches from arriving at high school football games in helicopters to impress potential recruits and restricting the nature of entertainment during official visits. Recruiting philosophies differ among divisions. For example, because of its community-oriented philosophy, Division II recruiting rules allow recruits to participate in certain community-engagement activities hosted on campus. Those activities might be regarded as a special benefit in Division I. Issues with recruiting are more common in men’s sports, although recruiting issues in women’s sports are on the rise. Of the issues in male sports, most occur in the sports of basketball and football.
Recruiting Glossary Terms Contact occurs any time a coach has any face-to-face contact with a prospective student-athlete or the prospect’s parents off the college’s campus and says more than hello. A contact also occurs if a coach has any contact with the prospective student-athlete or his or her parents at the prospective student-athlete’s high school or any location where the prospect is engaging in competition or practice. Contact period is the time when a college coach may have in-person contact with a prospective student-athlete and the prospect’s parents on or off the college’s campus. The coach may also watch the prospective student-athlete play or visit his or her high school. The prospect and the parents may visit a college campus, and the coach may write and telephone during this period. Dead period is a time when the college coach may not have any in-person contact with the prospective student-athlete or the prospect’s parents at any time. The coach may write and telephone during this time. Evaluation is an activity by a coach to evaluate a prospective student-athlete’s academic or athletics ability. This would include visiting the prospective studentathlete’s high school or watching the prospect practice or compete. Evaluation period is the time a college coach may watch a prospective studentathlete play or visit the high school but cannot have any in-person conversations with the possible recruit or the parents off the college’s campus. The prospective student-athlete and the parents can visit a college campus during this period and a coach may call or write during this period. National Letter of Intent is the document a prospective student-athlete signs when he or she agrees to attend the designated college or university for one academic year. According to the terms of the National Letter of Intent program, participating institutions agree to provide athletics financial aid for one academic year to the student-athlete, provided he or she is admitted to the institution and is eligible for financial aid under NCAA rules. An important provision of the National Letter of Intent program is a recruiting prohibition applied after a prospective student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent. This prohibition requires participating institutions to cease recruitment of a prospective student-athlete once a National Letter of Intent is signed with another institution.
Official visit is a prospective student-athlete’s visit to a college campus paid for by the college. The college can pay for transportation to and from the college,
room and meals (three per day) while visiting and reasonable entertainment expenses, including three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest. NCAA recruiting bylaws limit the number of official visits a recruit may take to five. Prospective student-athlete is the title given when a student enters ninth grade. It also applies when, before a student’s ninth-grade year, a college gives the student, the student’s relatives or their friends any financial aid or other benefits that the college does not generally provide to prospective students. Quiet period is a time when the college may not have any in-person talk with the prospective student-athlete or the parents off the college’s campus. The coach may not watch the prospect play or practice. uThe prospective student-athlete can visit college campuses during this time and a coach may write or telephone. Unofficial visit is any visit by a prospective student-athlete and their parents to a college campus paid for by the prospective student athlete or the prospect’s parents. The only expense the prospective student-athlete can receive from the college is three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest. The prospect may make as many visits as he or she likes and may take the visits at any time. The only time the prospective student-athlete cannot talk with a coach during an unofficial visit is during a dead period. Verbal commitment is the phrase used to describe a college-bound studentathlete’s commitment to a school before he or she is able to sign a National Letter of Intent. A college-bound student athlete can announce a verbal commitment at any time. While verbal commitments have become popular, they are NOT binding on either the college-bound student-athlete or the school.
Estimated Probability of Competing in Athletics Beyond the High School Interscholastic Level StudentAthletes High School Student Athletes High School Senior Student Athletes NCAA Student Athletes NCAA Freshman Roster Positions NCAA Senior Student Athletes NCAA Student Athletes Drafted Percent High School to NCAA Percent NCAA to Professional Percent High School to Professional
Men's Basketball
Women's Basketball
Football
Baseball
Men's Ice Hockey
Men's Soccer
540,207
439,550
1,109,278
472,644
36,475
391,839
154,345
125,586
316,937
135,041
10,421
111,954
17,008
15,423
66,313
30,365
3,945
21,770
4,859
4,407
18,947
8,676
1,127
6,220
3,780
3,427
14,736
6,748
877
4,838
44
32
250
600
33
76
3.1%
3.5%
6.0%
6.4%
10.8%
5.6%
1.2%
0.9%
1.7%
8.9%
3.8%
1.6%
0.03%
0.03%
0.08%
0.44%
0.32%
0.07%
Note: These percentages are based on estimated data and should be considered approximations of the actual percentages.
