GENERAL RECRUITING REGULATIONS
There are a number of recruiting rules the NCAA has in place to ensure that all member institutions compete on a level playing field for the services of a prospective student-athlete. College coaches must follow the recruiting rules. Prospects are also expected to follow the recruiting rules. The following are a summary of those regulations but in no way encompass all NCAA recruiting rules.
Who is a prospective student-athlete?
Per NCAA regulations, a prospect is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospective student-athlete if the institution provides an individual any financial assistance (e.g., reduced camp fee) or other benefits that the institution does not provide to students generally. An individual remains a prospect until:
a) the student officially registers and enrolls in a minimum full-time program of studies and attends classes in any term of a four-year collegiate institution's regular academic year (excluding summer); or
b) the student participates in a regular squad practice or competition at a four-year college institution that occurs before the first day of classes.
How do I know if I am a recruited prospective student-athlete?
Actions by staff members or athletics representatives that cause a prospective student-athlete to become a recruited prospective student-athlete at that institution are:
a) Providing the prospect with an official visit; or,
b) Having an arranged, in-person, off-campus encounter with the prospect or the prospect's parent(s), relatives or legal guardian(s); or,
c) Initiating or arranging a telephone contact with the prospect, the prospect's relatives or legal guardian(s) on more than one occasion for the purpose of recruitment.
Correspondence:
A member institution may not provide recruiting materials (correspondence, media guides, etc.) to a prospect until after September 1 of the prospect's junior year in high school.
Telephone Calls:
All sports except football and basketball: Telephone calls may not be made with a prospect until after July 1st subsequent to the completion of the prospect's junior year in high school. Thereafter, only one telephone call per week may be made to any prospective student-athlete. However, a prospective student-athlete may telephone a coaching staff member as many times as they would like and at any time.
Men's Basketball Telephone Call Reguations:
An institution is permitted to make one telephone call per month to a prospective student-athlete [or the prospective student-athlete's parents or legal guardian(s)] on or after June 15 of the prospective student athlete's sophomore year in high school through July 31 of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school;
An institution is permitted to make two telephone calls per week to a prospective student-athlete [or the prospective student-athlete's parents or legal guardian(s)] beginning August 1 prior to the to the prospective student-athlete's senior year in high school.
An institution is permitted to make one telephone call per week to a two-year or four-year college prospective student-athlete athlete [or the prospective student-athlete's parents or legal guardian(s)]. A UCI coach is unable to speak or correspond in writing or email with a four-year prospect athlete [or the prospective student-athlete's parents or legal guardian(s)] unless UCI is granted permission to contact the four-year college prospect from their previous institution.
Women's Basketball Telephone Call Regulations:
An institution is permitted to make one telephone call to a prospective student-athlete [or the prospective student-athlete's parents or legal guardian(s)] during each of the months of April and May of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school;
An institution is permitted to make one telephone call on or after June 1 through June 20 and one call on or after June 21 through June 30 of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school;
In addition, only three telephone calls may be made to a prospective student-athlete [or the prospective student-athlete's parents or legal guardian(s)] during the month of July following the, with no more than one telephone call per week; thereafter, staff members may shall not make such telephone calls more than once per week.
Contacts:
A contact occurs any time a coach has face-to-face contact with your or your parents off the college's campus and says more than hello. A contact also occurs if a coach has any contact with you or your parents at your high school or any location where you are competing or practicing.
A contact period is a time in which a college coach is permitted to have in-person contact with you and/or your parent on or off the college's campus. The coach may also watch you play or visit your high school. You and your parents may visit a college campus and the coach may write and telephone you during this period.
Off-campus recruiting contacts shall not be made with a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardian(s) before July 1 following the prospective student-athlete's completion of the junior year in high school.
In sports other than football and basketball, each institution is limited to seven recruiting opportunities (contacts and evaluations combined) per prospective student-athlete. During the senior year of high school, not more than three of the seven opportunities may be off-campus contacts at any site and shall include contacts with the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardian(s), but shall not include contacts made during an official visit.
Men's Basketball Contact Regulations: During the academic year, each institution shall be limited to seven recruiting opportunities (contacts and evaluations combined) per prospective student-athlete but may not include more than three in-person, off-campus contacts during the prospective student-athlete's senior year.
Women's Basketball Contact Regulations: During the academic year, each institution shall be limited to five recruiting opportunities (contacts and evaluations combined) per prospective student-athlete but may not include more than three in-person, off-campus contacts at any site during the prospective student-athlete's senior year and shall include contacts with the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardian(s), but shall not include contacts made during an official visit.
Evaluations:
An evaluation is an activity by a coach to evaluate your academic or athletics ability. This would include visiting your high school or watching you practice or compete.
An evaluation period is a period of time when a coach may watch you play or visit your high school, but cannot have any in-person conversations with you or your parents off the college's campus. Your and your parents can visit a college campus during this period. A coach may write or telephone you or your parents during this time.
Quiet & Dead Periods:
A quiet period is a period of time in which the college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your parents off the college's campus. The coach may not watch you play or visit your high school during this period. You and your parents may visit a college campus during this time. A coach may write or telephone you or your parents during this time.
A dead period is a period of time in which a college coach may not have any in-person contact with you or your parents at any time or in any location. The coach may write and telephone you or your parents during this time.