What is the NCAA?
The NCAA is a membership organization of colleges and universities that
participate in intercollegiate athletics. The primary purpose of
the Association is to maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral
part of the educational program and the athlete as an integral part of
the student body.
What are
the differences among Division I, II, and III schools?
The difference lies in the number of sports that institutions are
required to sponsor and in the amount of athletically related financial
aid they award to students. Institutions select their division. In
Divisions I and II scholarships may be awarded to student-athletes;
Division III institutions may not award scholarships on the basis of
athletic talent.
You do
not have to register with the Clearinghouse to play Division III sports.
How does
the recruitment process work?
In an attempt to minimize high-pressure recruitment tactics, the NCAA
strictly regulates the conversations that take place between coaches and
prospective student-athletes. During the junior year, coaches are
allowed to mail or email information to students, but all verbal contact
(phone calls or appointments) must be student-initiated. For this
reason, it is important that student athletes email or call
coaches to express interest in schools they may want to attend.
Beginning in July before the senior year, coaches are allowed to call
students in their homes but are limited to one call per week. However,
students may initiate conversations as frequently as necessary.
NCAA Division I & Division II Rules to Follow
1.
Coaches may
not contact prospective recruits before Sept. 1st of the
players' junior year in high school. You can call or write but they
cannot call you or send any promotional softball material about their
program.
2.
Coaches may
not contact you by phone or in person before July 1st after your junior
year.
3.
Coaches may
not talk to senior players at tournaments until their team has been
eliminated. They can talk to a family member, which will constitute an
official contact.
4.
Coaches may
only call prospective student athletes once a week. (You may call them
as often as you like.)
5.
Coaches can
only have 3 in person official contacts with a player. (Parents talking
to a coach is a contact.)
6.
A player can
only have 5 official visits. (You must be in your senior year to take an
official visit.)
7.
Early signing period
is during the 2nd & 3rd week of November of your senior year; the next
signing period is in April of your senior year.
What is the
NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse?
The NCAA
Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse (the clearinghouse) is an organization
that works with the NCAA to determine a student's eligibility for
athletics participation in his or her first year of college enrollment.
Students who want to participate in college sports
during their first year of enrollment in college must register with the
clearinghouse.
Located in
Iowa City, Iowa, the clearinghouse staff follows NCAA bylaws and
regulations in analyzing and processing a student's high school academic
records, ACT or SAT scores, and key information about amateurism
participation, to determine the student's initial eligibility.
How to find
answers to your questions...
The answers
to most questions can be found in the NCAA’s Guide for College Bound
Athletes (which is available on the NCAA website), on their website
www.ncaaclearinghouse.net
If you have
additional questions that cannot be answered in the guide or on the
website, please contact the NCAA clearinghouse directly.
NCAA
FRESHMAN-ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS
Core Courses
· Starting
August 1, 2008, 16 core courses will be required for NCAA
Division I only. This rule applies to any student first entering any
Division I college or university on or after August 1, 2008. See the
chart below for the breakdown of this 16 core-course requirement.
· 14 core courses are required in NCAA Division II.
See the breakdown of core-course requirements below.
Test Scores
· Division I
has a sliding scale for test score and grade-point average. The
sliding scale for those requirements is available on this
NCAA handout.
· Division II has a minimum SAT score requirement
of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.
Grade-Point Average
· Division I
grade-point-average requirements are listed on this
NCAA handout.
· The
Division II grade-point-average requirement is a minimum 2.000.
DIVISION I 16 Core-Course Rule
16 Core Courses:
4 years of
English.
3 years of
mathematics (Algebra I or higher).
2 years of
natural/physical science (1 year of lab
if offered by
high school).
1 year of
additional English, mathematics or
natural/physical
science.
2 years of
social science.
4 years of
additional courses (from any area
above, foreign
language or nondoctrinal
religion/philosophy).
DIVISION II 14 Core-Course Rule
14 Core Courses:
3 years of
English.
2 years of
mathematics (Algebra I or higher).
2 years of
natural/physical science (1 year of lab
if offered by
high school).
2 years of
additional English, mathematics or
natural/physical
science.
2 years of
social science.
3 years of
additional courses (from any area
above, foreign
language or nondoctrinal
religion/philosophy).
For more
information regarding the rules, please go to
www.ncaa.org.
Click on
“Academics and
Athletes” then “Eligibility and Recruiting.” Or visit the clearinghouse
Web site at
www.ncaaclearinghouse.net. Please call the NCAA
Eligibility Center if you
have questions:
Toll-free number: 877/622-2321
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