NCAA Recruiting Rules Education November 2009

Overview Principle governing recruiting. Key Recruiting Terms Telephone calls. Printed recruiting materials. Contacts and evaluations. Recruiting time periods. Recruiting visits. Tryouts. Publicity. Questions.

Principle Governing Recruiting The recruiting process involves a balancing of the interests of prospective student-athletes (prospects), secondary educational institutions and the NCAA. Recruiting regulations are designed to promote equity among member institutions in its recruiting of prospects and to shield prospects from undue pressures that may interfere with their scholastic or athletics interests.

Key Recruiting Terms

Prospective Student-Athlete (PSA) A prospective student-athlete is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade; OR A student-athlete who has not yet started classes for the ninth grade, but to whom the institution provides any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally.

Recruiting 13.02.10 Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospect or prospect's relatives (or legal guardian) by an institutional staff member or by a representative of the institution's athletics interest for the purpose of securing the prospect's enrollment and participation in the institution's athletics program.

Contact 13.02.3 Contact is any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or the prospect's parents, relatives or legal guardian(s) and an institutional staff member in excess of a greeting.

Contact (continued) Any prearranged encounter or any encounter on the grounds of prospect's educational institution. An institutional staff member or athletics representative who is approached by a prospect or the prospect's parents, relatives or legal guardian(s) at any location shall not use a contact, provided: the encounter was not prearranged, the staff member or athletics representative does not engage in any dialogue in excess of a greeting, and the staff member or athletics representative takes appropriate steps to immediately terminate the encounter. (NCAA Bylaw 13.02.3)

Evaluation 13.02.6 An evaluation is any off-campus activity designed to assess the academic or athletics ability of a prospect; OR The observation of a prospect participating in practice or competition at any site.

What Triggers Recruitment? Providing a prospect with an official visit; Arranging, in-person, off-campus encounter; or Initiating or arranging a telephone contact with the prospect on more than one occasion. Issuing an NLI or the institutions written offer of athletically related aid What triggers recruitment by staff members or athletics representatives (a) Providing the prospective student-athlete with an official visit; (b) Having an arranged, in-person, off-campus encounter with the prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete’s relatives or legal guardian(s); (c) Initiating or arranging a telephone contact with the prospective student-athlete, the prospective student-athlete’s relatives or legal guardian(s) on more than one occasion for the purpose of recruitment; or (d) Issuing a National Letter of Intent or the institution’s written offer of athletically related financial aid to a prospective student-athlete.

Telephone Calls

General Rule (Bylaw 13.1.3.1) Telephone calls to a prospect [or the prospect's relative or legal guardian(s)] may not be made prior to June 15 preceding the PSAs senior year in high school.

General Rule (continued) Telephone contact is limited to one call per week.

Additional Regulations and Exceptions During Conduct of Your Institution's Athletics Contests Telephone calls to a prospect may not be made during the conduct of any institutional intercollegiate athletics contests in that sport from the time the institution’s team reports on call at the competition site at the direction of the coach until the competition has concluded and the team has been dismissed by the coach. During Conduct of Athletics Contest. Telephone calls to a prospective student-athlete [or the prospective student-athlete’s relatives or legal guardian(s)] may not be made during the conduct of any of the institution’s intercollegiate athletics contests in that sport until the competition has concluded and the team has been dismissed by the coach.

Unlimited Telephone Calls to Prospects Unlimited calls can be made to prospects on: The initial date of the signing of the National Letter of Intent (NLI) and the following two days after the initial signing date. Subsequent to the calendar day on which the prospects signs the NLI or other written commitment. The day of an off-campus contact. The five days immediately before the prospect's official visit.

Additional Regulations and Exceptions Telephone Calls Initiated by Prospect Institutional staff members may receive telephone calls from a prospect placed at the prospect's own expense at any time.

Printed Recruiting Materials Read slide. Questionnaires may be sent to prospects prior to September 1 of the prospect's junior year. Camp brochures – add language

All Sports An institution may not provide athletically related recruiting materials (including electronic mail and facsimiles) to a prospect until September 1 at the beginning of the prospect's junior year in high school.

Printed Materials Exceptions An institution may provide the following to a prospect at any time: Educational information published by the NCAA (e.g., NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete). Camp brochures and questionnaires. Nonathletically related materials (e.g., institutional admissions publications, academic publications, student-services publications).

Contacts & Evaluations

All Sports - Contacts In-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall not be made with the prospect or prospect's relatives or legal guardian(s) before June 15, immediately preceding prospect's senior year of high school. Limited to three in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts per prospect. No limit on number of contacts after prospect signs NLI. No in-person, off-campus contact with boosters. Restrictions on contacts at competition site still apply.

All Sports - Evaluations No limitations on number of evaluations. Evaluations conducted during a contact period would NOT be a contact, provided no contact is made.

Recruiting Time Periods

Contact Period Period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics department staff members to make in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations.

Evaluation Period Period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics staff members to be involved in off-campus activities to assess the academic qualifications and playing ability of prospects. No contact shall be made with the prospective student-athlete during an evaluation period.

Quiet Period Period of time when it is permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on an institution's campus.

Dead Period Period of time when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off an institution's campus or to permit official or unofficial visits by prospects to the institution's campus. Institution can make telephones calls and write to prospects during a dead period.

Recap of General Rules Telephone calls – not before June 15 following junior year and no more than one per week. Recruiting materials – not before September 1 of junior year. Contacts – not before June 15 of senior year. Contacts – not more than three contacts. Evaluations – no limits. Recruiting visits – official/paid and unofficial visits.

Recruiting Visits

Official Visits Visits may begin with the opening day of classes of the prospect's senior year of high school. Not more than one official visit per institution. Maximum of five visits per prospect to Divisions I and II while in high school. Maximum of five visits per prospect (to Divisions I and II) beginning September 1 after the prospect's completion of high school.

Official Visits (continued) Visits may not exceed 48 hours in duration. Test scores (SAT, ACT, Plan, PSAT) required prior to visit. May use ACT taken on a state testing date under state testing conditions. May receive complimentary meals in the college’s dining hall for the duration of their stay on campus.

Unofficial Visits At prospect's expense. May visit prior to senior year. May make unlimited visits. May only provide transportation to off-campus practice and competition sites in the prospect's sport and other institutional facilities.

Unofficial Visits (continued) May provide one meal at an on-campus dining facility. May provide a meal in an off-campus dining facility when all on-campus dining facilities are closed. No lodging. May not occur during a dead period. If dining facilities are closed.

Official Visit Unofficial Visit Expenses provided by college. One per college, no more than five total. Academic requirements. 48-hour time limitation. Self-financed (prospect or parents). Unlimited number of visits. No academic requirements. No time limitation.

Tryouts

Tryouts Permissible Activities A tryout of a prospect may be conducted only on the institution's campus or at a site at which it normally conducts practice or competition under specified conditions.

Tryouts Permissible Activities Specified Conditions: Not more than one tryout, per prospect, per institution, per sport. Conducted only for a high school senior who is enrolled in a term other than the term in which the traditional season in the sport occurs or who has completed high school eligibility in the sport. For a two-year college student-athlete, after the conclusion of the sport season. Exhausted two-year eligibility tryout can be at anytime. For a four-year college student-athlete, after the conclusion of the sport season and written permission to contact has been obtained. Must have a medical examination within last six months prior to tryout. May include tests to evaluate strength, speed, agility and sport skills.

Tryouts Permissible Activities Specified Conditions: Competition may occur against the institution's team, provided competition is during the academic year and is considered a countable athletically related activity. Time of tryout activities (other than physical exam) shall be limited to the length of the institution's normal practice period but not longer than two hours. May provide equipment and clothing on an issuance-and-retrieval basis.

Tryouts Competition Against Prospects The varsity team may compete against a two-year college team, but may not compete against a high school or prep school. Subvarsity teams are not bound by this prohibition. Varsity team may participate in a contest against an established outside team that includes prospects, provided: Outside team is ongoing. Outside team was not established for the specific purpose of competing against the collegiate team.

Exceptions to Tryout Rule Developmental clinics. Open events. Activities not involving institution’s staff. Local sports clubs. Officiating. Private lessons – golf, tennis and equestrian only. High-school, preparatory school and two-year college practice and competition.

Publicity

Publicity Introduction of Prospects Shall not permit a media entity to be present during any recruiting contact. Shall not publicize (or arrange for publicity of) a prospect's visit to campus. Shall not introduce a visiting prospect at a function that is attended by media representatives or open to the general public.

Radio/TV Shows Shall not permit a prospect or high school, college-preparatory school or two-year college coach to appear, be interviewed or otherwise be involved on: A radio or television program conducted by an institution's coach; A program in which the institution's coach is participating; or A program in which a member of the institution's athletics staff has been instrumental in arranging for the appearance of the prospect or coach or related program material.

Publicity Prior to Signing Before signing a prospect to a National Letter of Intent (NLI) or an institution's written offer of admission or financial aid, a member institution may comment publicly only to the extent of confirming its recruitment of the prospect.

Publicity After Signing Publicity released by an institution concerning a prospect's commitment to attend the institution shall occur only after the prospect has signed an NLI or after the prospect has signed the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid. Such communication may be released to media outlets at the institution's discretion except as limited by Bylaw 13.10.7. There are no limits on the number of occasions that an institution may release such information. However, an institution is prohibited from purchasing or receiving commercial advertising to be used to identify a prospect by name or picture.

Publicity After Signing Institutional press conferences, receptions, dinners and similar meetings held for the purpose of making announcements are expressly prohibited. Contents of a properly issued press release may be determined by the institution and may include comments by coaching staff members about the abilities of the prospect.

One–Time Exception Announcement of All Signings An institution may make an announcement on its campus for the sole purpose of presenting at one time to the media the names of all prospects who have accepted offers of admission and/or athletically related aid in a particular sport from an institution. No prospects (or their friends or relatives) may be in attendance.

Confused??? Check your NCAA Division II Manual or visit the Compliance Office ALWAYS ASK BEFORE YOU ACT!!!!