Recruiting 101

The NCAA supports student-athlete well-being by promoting a fair recruiting environment that limits intrusions into the lives of student-athletes and their families.

Recruiting happens when a college employee or representative invites a high school student-athlete to play sports for their college. Recruiting can occur in many ways, such as face-to-face contact, phone calls or text messaging, through mailed or emailed material or through social media.

Recruiting Terms

CONTACT: College coach says more than hello during a face-to-face meeting with a college-bound student-athlete or his or her parents off the college’s campus.

EVALUATION: College coach observes student-athlete practicing or competing.

VERBAL COMMITMENT: College-bound student-athlete verbally agrees to play sports for a college before they are eligible to sign a National Letter of Intent (NLI). The commitment is not binding for either party and can be changed at any time.

When a student-athlete officially commits to attend a Division I or II college, he or she signs a National Letter of Intent, agreeing to attend that school for one (1) academic year.

Campus Visits

Any visit to a college campus by a college-bound student-athlete or their parents paid for by the college is an official visit. Visits paid for by student-athletes or their parents are considered unofficial visits.

During an official visit the college may pay for transportation, lodging and up to three meals per day for the student-athlete and his or her parents or guardians. Entertainment expenses including up to three (3) tickets to a home sporting event may also be available.

The only expenses a college-bound student-athlete may receive from a college during an unofficial visit are three (3) tickets to a home sporting event.

National Letter of Intent

The National Letter of Intent is signed by a college-bound student-athlete agreeing to attend a Division I or II college for one (1) academic year. Participating colleges agree to provide financial aid for one academic year to the student-athlete as long as the student-athlete is admitted to the school and is eligible for financial aid under NCAA rules. Other forms of financial aid do not guarantee the student-athlete financial aid.

The National Letter of Intent is voluntary and not required for a student-athlete to receive financial aid or participate in sports.

Signing a National Letter of Intent ends the recruiting process because participating schools are prohibited from recruiting student-athletes who have already signed letters with other participating schools.

A student-athlete who signs a National Letter of Intent, but decides to attend another college, may request a release from his or her contract with the school. If a student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent with one school but attends a different school, he or she loses one full year of eligibility and must complete a full academic year at the new school before being eligible to compete.

Recruiting Calendars

NCAA member schools limit recruiting to certain periods during the year. Recruiting calendars promote the well-being of college-bound student-athletes and ensure fairness among schools by defining certain periods during the year in which recruiting may or may not occur in a particular sport.

During a contact period, a college coach may have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents.

During an evaluation period, a college coach may watch college-bound student-athletes compete, visit their high schools and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents. However, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents off the college’s campus during an evaluation period.

During a quiet period, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools. Coaches may write or telephone college-bound student-athletes or their parents during this time.

During a dead period, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools. Coaches may write and telephone student-athletes or their parents during a dead period.