3. DIVISION I
NCAA DIVISIONS
346 INSTITUTIONS (EXAMPLES: PITT, DUQUESNE, RMU, WVU)
MUST SPONSOR AT LEAST 7 SPORTS FOR MEN & 7 SPORTS FOR WOMEN, OR 6 FOR MEN & 8 FOR WOMEN,
WITH 2 TEAM SPORTS FOR EACH GENDER
MUST SCHEDULE DIVISION I SCHOOLS TO COMPETE AGAINST TO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA
MUST MEET MINIMUM FINANCIAL AID AWARDS FOR ATHLETIC PROGRAM
ARGUABLY A MORE COMPETITIVE LEVEL OF INTERCOLLEGIATE COMPETITION
DIVISION II
291 INSTITUTIONS (EXAMPLES: SLIPPERY ROCK, CAL PA, IUP, EDINBORO)
MUST SPONSOR AT LEAST 4 SPORTS FOR MEN & 4 FOR WOMEN, 2 TEAM SPORTS FOR EACH GENDER
ONLY SCHEDULING REQUIREMENT FOR FOOTBALL AND MEN’S & WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
CAN OFFER ATHLETICALLY-RELATED FINANCIAL AID
MORE REGIONAL COMPETITION BETWEEN SCHOOLS
DIVISION III
439 INSTITUTIONS (EXAMPLES: CMU, LA ROCHE, WAYNESBURG, W&J)
MUST SPONSOR AT LEAST 5 SPORTS FOR MEN & 5 FOR WOMEN, WITH 2 TEAM SPORTS FOR EACH
GENDER
NO ATHLETICALLY-RELATED FINANCIAL AID IS OFFERED TO ANY DIVISION III STUDENT-ATHLETE
NAIA (EXAMPLES: CARLOW, POINT PARK)
NJCAA (EXAMPLES: CCAC, BUTLER COUNTY C.C., WESTMORELAND COUNTY C.C.)
4. GETTING THE FACTS:
UNDERSTANDING THE RECRUITING PROCESS
PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE (I.E., RECRUIT OR PROSPECT)
DEFINED AS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS STARTED CLASSES IN THE 9 TH
GRADE - - A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL.
“RECRUITED” PROSPECTS ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CONTACTED
BY COLLEGE COACHES (EITHER BY TELEPHONE OR IN-PERSON)
AND/OR ARE PROVIDED WITH AN EXPENSE-PAID VISIT TO A
COLLEGE CAMPUS, AND/OR A WRITTEN ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP
OFFER.
COLLEGE COACHES’ RECRUITING TIMELINE
FRESHMAN & SOPHOMORE YEARS – NOT MUCH DIRECT
INTERACTION OUTSIDE OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION.
JUNIOR & SENIOR YEARS – SPECIFIC RECRUITING MATERIALS CAN
BE SENT TO RECRUITS, TELEPHONE CALLS CAN BE INITIATED AND
EXPENSE PAID CAMPUS VISITS CAN BE PROVIDED.
UNOFFICIAL vs. OFFICIAL CAMPUS VISITS
RECRUITING “DEAD PERIODS”
SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS – VERBAL vs. WRITTEN
6. THE BASICS
In
order for a student in their first year of collegiate
enrollment to practice, compete and receive
athletically related financial aid at a Division I
and/or II institution they must:
◦ Be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center
◦ Have Test Scores/Transcripts on file at NCAA
Eligibility Center
◦ Receive a “Final Qualifier” Certification Status
for Academic and Amateurism purposes.
7. WHAT IS A FINAL “QUALIFIER”?
A
final qualifier is an incoming student-athlete for
whom the NCAA Eligibility Center has certified
as meeting all Division I or II initial-eligibility
requirements.
A final qualifier is eligible for financial aid,
practice and four seasons of competition.
A final qualifier:
◦ Has passed the required amount of core
courses in the required areas (each school has
their own list of approved core courses).
◦ Meets Division I or II “Sliding Scale.”
◦ Has graduated from high school.
◦ Is certified as an amateur athlete.
8. Registering with the NCAA
Eligibility Center
Any
student who will attend a NCAA
Division I or II institution and wishes to
participate in intercollegiate athletics must
register at www.eligibilitycenter.org
Application fee: $70. Fee waivers accepted
from Guidance Counselors.
Online Registration Only.
9. High School Transcripts
and Standardized Test
Scores
Core Course GPA will be determined using
the official transcript sent by the High
School directly to the NCAA Eligibility
Center. No other type of transcript is
accepted.
SAT score is highest combination of Critical
Reading and Math Sections.
ACT score is highest combination of
English, Math, Reading and Science
subsections.
10. Important!
Test Scores Submission
Test
Scores must be sent directly to the
Eligibility Center via the Testing Agency.
Code for NCAA for both SAT and ACT:
9999.
May be requested upon registration or may
be sent after results are posted via the
appropriate website.
Test scores submitted by the high
school on an official transcript will
not be accepted.
11. Recap – Division I
Final
Qualifier in Division I:
◦ Has 16 core courses in designated areas
◦ Core Course GPA corresponds with minimum test
score requirement on sliding scale
◦ Has graduated from High School
Any
student not meeting any of these
requirements is a final Non-Qualifier.
◦ May not receive aid, practice and/or compete in
first year. Has 3-4 seasons of competition.
◦ Some Division I conferences do not permit nonqualifiers to participate.
◦ No Partial Qualifier.
12. Division II Initial Eligibility
Requirements
Qualifier:
Graduates and earns a minimum of 2.0
GPA in 16 core courses as designated and 820
SAT (68 ACT). May practice, compete and receive
athletics aid in freshman year.
Partial
Qualifier: Graduates and meets either the
GPA requirement or the test score requirement. In
freshman year, may receive athletics aid and
practice only on campus, but may not compete; still
has 4 seasons of eligibility.
Non-qualifier:
Any prospect who is neither a
Qualifier nor a Partial Qualifier. No practice,
competition or athletics aid in freshman year; still
has 4 seasons of eligibility.
13. Amateurism Certification
All
prospective and enrolled student-athletes must
meet the NCAA’s definition of an amateur in order
to participate in intercollegiate athletics
◦ A student-athlete shall not be eligible for
participation in an intercollegiate sport if the
individual takes or has taken pay, or has
accepted the promise of pay in any form, for
participation in that sport, or if the individual has
violated any of the other regulations related to
amateurism as set forth by the NCAA.
Upon
registration, prospects will be asked a series
of questions—certain answers may trigger requests
for additional information.
14. “Eight Semester” Rule
A prospective student-athlete must
complete his or her core-curriculum
requirements no later than the high school
graduation date of the prospective studentathlete's class as determined by the first
year of enrollment in high school (ninth
grade).
15. “Eight Semester” Rule
A
Student must:
◦ Satisfy 16 core course requirement;
◦ Meet Sliding Scale (test may be retaken multiple
times until initial enrollment in a collegiate
institution);
◦ Not exceed the standard graduation date of their
incoming class (i.e., 4 years). If the requirements
are not met within this time frame, they will not be
able to complete them during a “fifth” year of high
school.
*Exception*:
A prospect who graduates “on time”
may use up to one additional core course taken up
to one year after graduation to satisfy NCAA initialeligibility requirements (e.g., core course GPA,
number of core courses).
16. 5 HELPFUL REMINDERS
1.
Can send up to four SAT scores out for FREE - - NCAA’s
four-digit code is 9999.
2.
Students must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center in
order to take an “official (recruiting) visit” during your senior
year of high school…and to receive a written athletic
scholarship offer in the form of a National Letter of Intent.
3.
If the student attends multiple high school, they must have
official transcripts sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center from
each high school separately. Official transcripts can only be
sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center directly from the high
school.
4.
There will be a change to the current Qualifier standards for
all prospective Division I student-athletes in the Class of ‘16.
5.
Consult with and seek the assistance of your guidance
counselor throughout the process for updates on your
eligibility status, core course planning, fee waivers,
submission of information, etc.
