Athletics Veritas is a weekly series aimed at helping higher education executives, faculty, and other stakeholders stay tuned in on trending national issues impacting college athletics, especially NCAA Division I. Athletics Veritas is created by senior DI athletic administrators around the nation.
Term-in-Ology:September to Remember – September 1st is One of The Most Important Dates in The College Athletics Recruiting Cycle
Last Week Thursday— September 1— was circled on the calendars of college coaches as well as prospects and parents across the country. Let’s take a look at a few reasons September 1 is a critical date in the recruiting cycle for multiple Division I sports.
In women’s basketball, off-campus recruiting contacts cannot be made with an individual (or the individual's family members) before September 1 at the beginning of the individual's senior year in high school. Contacts may occur only at the prospective student-athlete’s educational institution or residence.
For men’s basketball, in conducting off-campus recruiting activities, men’s basketball coaching staff are limited to 100 recruiting-person days from September 1 through May 31. A recruiting-person day is defined as one coach engaged in an off-campus recruiting activity of a men's basketball prospective student-athlete on one day (12:01 a.m. to midnight)— two coaches engaged in recruiting activities on the same day shall use two recruiting-person days.
In baseball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, and softball, electronic or written recruiting materials and correspondence of any kind may not be sent to, and official visits may not be conducted for, prospects or their parents/guardians until September 1 of prospect’s junior year. Also in these four sports, recruiting conversations during an institutional camp or clinic (including a camp or clinic involving individuals not prospect-age---below 9th grade) are not permitted between a Division I coach in these sports and a participating individual before September 1 of that individual’s junior year of high school.
In men’s and women’s lacrosse and softball, an institutional staff member may not receive telephone calls from an individual (or the individual’s family members) before September 1 at the beginning of the individual’s junior year in high school. Also in these three sports, verbal offers of an athletics scholarship may not be made by institutional staff to a prospect until September 1 of prospect’s high school junior year.
In men’s and women’s lacrosse, off-campus recruiting contacts shall not be made with an individual (or the individual's family members) before September 1 at the beginning of the individual's junior year in high school. Contacts that occur during a prospective student-athlete's junior year may occur only at the prospective student-athlete's educational institution or residence.
In softball, off-campus recruiting contacts shall not be made with an individual (or the individual's family members) before September 1 at the beginning of the individual's junior year in high school.
In football, September 1 also carries significance as electronic or written recruiting materials and correspondence of any kind may not be sent to prospects until September 1 of prospect’s junior year. In addition to a two-month stretch from April to June of a football prospect’s junior year when official visits may happen, the next window for football prospects to take official visits to Division I campuses begins September 1 of their senior year.
Sport specific recruiting calendars can also pivot on September 1. For women’s volleyball and women’s basketball, for example, September 1 begins a multi-week contact period for those respective sports.
Athletics Veritas is presented for information purposes only and should not be considered advice or counsel on NCAA compliance matters. For guidance on NCAA rules and processes, always consult your university’s athletics compliance office, conference office, and/or the NCAA.
