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: NLI Signing Periods for Basketball
Next Tuesday, the National Letter of Intent (NLI) signing period for Division I men’s and women’s basketball programs begins. This is dubbed the “early signing period” which this year runs from November 11 to November 18. The NLI agreement binds the institution to the signed prospect for purposes of guaranteeing athletics aid to the prospect for the period of the award specified in the agreement and, in return, the prospect is bound to be admitted, meet eligibility requirements, and attend that institution to be eligible for that athletics aid.
These eight days in November are not the only window for Division I institutions to sign men’s and women’s basketball prospects to an NLI. Division I men’s and women’s basketball programs also have a “regular signing period” for NLI signing which runs from April 14, 2021 through May 19, 2021 -- a window that lands after March Madness but before the NBA Draft. Division I institutions could still sign basketball prospects to non-binding, institutional financial aid agreements after this spring NLI period concludes.
Although no changes to 2020-21 NLI signing dates have been forecasted yet, there's indication that the Division I men's and women's basketball temporary dead period may be extended to April 2021 to coincide with the conclusion of the Division I men's and women's basketball seasons. The regular NLI signing period dates could be subject to change or, conversely, basketball programs will be signing prospects this April for which they have had fewer opportunities to interact (e.g., no official or unofficial recruiting visits due to temporary dead period lasting several months in light of the pandemic).
If these unenviable pandemic realities continue to limit in-person recruiting evaluation and interaction opportunities and Division I adopts universal transfer exception for all sports including basketball (which is anticipated), it will be interesting to monitor the transfer rates of prospects in the 2021 class.
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.
