NCAA Recruiting Rules and Guidelines

College Basketball

What is a contact?

A contact occurs any time a college coach says more than hello during a face-to-face contact with a college-bound student-athlete or his or her parents off the college’s campus.

What is a contact period?

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 and visit their high schools, and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents.

Division I:

A coach may contact a junior prospect once on their HS campus in April, then again after July 1. The institution is limited to a maximum of three contacts.*

Division II:

A coach may contact a prospect after June 15 following completion of their junior year. The institution is limited to a maximum of three contacts.

Division III:

A coach may contact a prospect after the completion of their junior year. The institution is not limited in the number of contacts they make have with a prospect.

View calendar for specific dates.

What is an evaluation period?

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.

Division I:

Institutions are limited to seven recruiting opportunities (not more than three of which can be contacts). Evaluations made during the summer do not count against the limit. An evaluation at a contest counts as an evaluation for all prospects competing in that contest.

Division II:

There is no limit to the number of evaluations an institution may make.

Division III:

There is no limit to the number of evaluations an institution may make.

What is the difference between a dead period and a quiet period?

Many think they are one and the same. However, a “dead” period is a time when coaches cannot have any contact other than phone contact with players they are recruiting. Typical dead periods include the NCAA D-I Championship tournament and the time immediately before and after the initial National Letter of Intent signing day. Coaches can’t scout, visit players’ homes, bring recruits in for visits, talk to them in-person, etc.

A “quiet” period is a time when coaches simply cannot scout off campus.

What is the difference between an official visit and an unofficial visit?

Unofficial Visits:

A prospect may visit an institution at the prospect’s own expense any number of times, and may visit a particular institution unofficially as often as they like.

Official Visits:

A prospect may accept an offer from a coach to make an official (paid) visit to their institution. The visit is limited to 48 hours in length, must occur after the opening day of classes of their senior year, and all meals and entertainment must be comparable to that of normal student life.

Division I/II:

A prospect can make a maximum of five (5) official visits, but not more than one to a particular institution.

Division III:

A prospect may make an unlimited number of visits, but not more than one to a particular institution. Official visits to Division III schools do not count against the maximum number of visits in Division I and II. Additionally, any person may transport or pay the transportation costs of a prospect to visit the institutions campus provided that person accompanies the prospect on the visit.

What is a National Letter of Intent?

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 since participating schools are prohibited from recruiting student-athletes who have already signed letters with other participating schools. A student-athlete who has signed a National Letter of Intent 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 will lose one full year of eligibility and must complete a full academic year at their new school before being eligible to compete.

Signing a National Letter of Intent:

An institution may indicate to a prospect in writing that an athletics grant-in-aid (scholarship) will be offered by the institution, however the prospect cannot sign a form indicating acceptance of such an award before the initial signing date for the NLI. There is a one week early signing period in November, and the regular signing period beginning the second Wednesday in April and extending through the summer. Exact dates can be found by accessing www.nationalletter.org.

Transportation:

An institution may pay the prospects actual round-trip transportation costs provided a direct route between the prospects home and the institutions campus is used. It is permissible to pay a prospect’s actual costs for reasonable expenses (e.g., meals, lodging) incurred while traveling to and from campus. Also, any member of an institutions athletics department staff may provide transportation for a prospect between the campus and the bus or train station or the nearest major airport.

A prospect’s friends or relatives may receive cost-free transportation to visit an institution’s campus only by accompanying the prospect at the time the prospect travels in an automobile to visit the campus. However, the trip shall count as an official paid visit for each recruited athlete in the automobile.

Length of Official Visit:

An official visit shall not exceed 48 hours and begins when the prospect arrives on campus. At the completion of the 48 hour period, the prospect must depart the campus immediately; otherwise, the institution may not pay any expenses incurred by the prospect upon departure.

Where can a Prospect Stay?

A prospect can be provided lodging as regular students would. Local commercial facilities may be used but at a scale comparable to that of normal student life. Additional persons may stay in the same room of a prospect, but the institution may not pay the costs resulting from the additional occupants.

What type of entertainment can be provided?

An institution may provide entertainment, which may not be excessive, for a prospect and a prospect’s parents or spouse and only within a 30-mile radius of the institution’s main campus. It is not permissible to entertain other relatives or friends of a prospect at any time at any side.

Can a prospect receive cash for entertainment purposes?

An institution or a booster may not provide cash to a prospect; however, the institution may provide $30.00 for each day of the visit to a student-host. These funds are to cover all actual costs of entertainment, excluding meals and admission to athletics events.