Becoming a Prospective Student-Athlete
You become a "prospective student-athlete" once you have started classes for the ninth grade. Before the ninth grade, you become a prospective student-athlete if the University gives you (or your relatives or friends) any financial aid or other benefits that the University does not provide to prospective students generally.
You become a "recruited prospective student-athlete" at the University if any coach or representative of the college's athletics interests (i.e. "booster") does any of the following:
Provides you with an official visit;
Initiates or arranges more than one telephone call with you or your relatives;
Meets with you or your relatives at a location other than the University's campus;
Issues to you a National Letter of Intent (NLI).
Restrictions on Recruiting Contacts
Recruiting contacts may be made only by authorized University staff members. Representatives of the University's athletics interests are not permitted to contact you, whether in-person, by telephone or through written correspondence. Representatives include any individual who has made financial contributions to the University or participated in any way in promoting the University's athletics program.
Recruiting Materials
In sports other than men's basketball, coaches may not provide recruiting materials until September 1 at the beginning of your junior year in high school. In men's basketball, coaches may provide recruiting materials beginning June 15 at the conclusion of your sophomore year. Exceptions to these rules permit the University to provide camp brochures, questionnaires, general University publications that are not athletically related, and NCAA educational materials.
Recruiting Contacts
Off-campus, in-person recruiting contacts are not permitted before July 1 following your junior year in high school. NCAA rules prohibit all in person contact with a two-year college prospect during the prospect's first year of college if the prospect was not a qualifier at the time of initial full-time enrollment.
Telephone Calls
In general, coaches are not permitted to initiate telephone calls to prospective student-athletes prior to July 1 following completion of your junior year in high school. There are limited exceptions in the sports of football and basketball that may permit calls during the months of April, May and/or June.
Prohibited Benefits and Inducements
Staff members and representatives of the University's athletics interests are prohibited from any involvement in offering or giving financial aid or other benefits to a prospective student-athlete unless expressly permitted under NCAA rules.
Examples of specifically prohibited financial aid, benefits and arrangements include, but are not limited to, the following:
An employment arrangement for a prospect's relatives;
Gift of clothing or equipment;
Cosigning of loans;
Providing loans to a prospective student-athlete's relatives or friends;
Cash or like items;
Any tangible items, including merchandise;
Free or reduced-cost services, rentals or purchases of any type;
Free or reduced-cost housing;
Use of the University's athletics equipment;
Sponsorship of an awards banquet for high school athletes.
Your receipt of any impermissible benefits or inducements could jeopardize your eligibility to compete in intercollegiate athletics.
