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GOT STUDENT-ATHLETES?

NCAA Eligibility Center Overview & Updates For School Counselors

Dr. Erika CameronDr. Ian Martin

University of San Diego

NCAA ELIGIBILITY

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■ Certifies initial eligibility for college-bound student-athletes wanting to participate in NCAA Divisions I and II athletics. Domestic and International academic certification. Domestic and International amateurism certification.

■ Departments: Academic certification; Academic review; Amateurism certification; Customer service; and High school review.

What is the NCAA Eligibility Center?

■ Academic requirements that a college-bound student-athlete must meet in order to: Practice;

Compete; and

Receive athletics aid (scholarship).

■ First year at an NCAA Division I or II college/university.

■ Subsequent years governed by progress-toward-degree academic requirements. An enrolled student-athlete may gain/lose eligibility in each term.

What is Initial Eligibility?

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Academic Requirements■ Graduate from high school

■ Complete NCAA-approved courses

■ Earn a minimum required core-course grade point average (GPA).– English– Mathematics– Natural or physical science– Social studies– Foreign language or comparative religion or philosophy

– Is considered four-year college preparatory, taught at or above the high school’s regular academic level and is taught by a qualified instructor as defined by the appropriate academic authority.

■ Earn a required SAT or ACT sum score

Non-Traditional Courses■ Courses taught through:

– The internet (online or virtual)

– Distance learning

– Independent study

– Individualized instruction

– Correspondence

– Computer software programs

– Other similar means.

– MUST have a defined period for completion and have ongoing access between student and instructor.

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Division I (effective August 2016)■ 16 core requirement:

4 years English

3 years Math (Algebra 1 or higher)

2 years Science (including 1 lab, if offered)

1 year Additional English, Math or Science

2 years Social Science

4 years Additional Core

Division II (effective August 2018)■ 16 core requirement:

3 years English

2 years Math (Algebra 1 or higher)

2 years Science (including 1 lab, if offered)

3 years Additional English, Math or Science

2 years Social Science

4 years Additional Core

Core Curriculum

Core Curriculum Time Limitation:

• Must graduate on time.

• Ability to take one core course after graduation.

• Three core courses after graduation with approved Education Impacting Disability.

Core Curriculum Time Limitation:

• All core courses completed following start of ninth grade and prior to full-time enrollment at collegiate institution.

There are 3 possible Academic outcomes:

■ Full qualifier = scholarship, practice the first year and competition.

■ Academic redshirt = scholarship the first year, practice in first regular semester or quarter.

■ Nonqualifier = NO scholarship, NO practice and NO competition the first year.

NEW 2016 Division-I Freshman Eligibility Requirements

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■ Allowed to practice, receive athletics aid and compete in first academic year.

■ Minimum GPA of 2.300 with corresponding test score.

■ Prior to the start of the seventh semester, college-bound student-athletes must complete: At least 10 core courses. Seven of which must be in English, Math

and/or Science. Exception: International students.

■ These courses become “locked in” and must be used in the academic evaluation.

Division I Full Qualifier

■ Can receive athletics aid in first academic year.

■ Can practice during first semester/quarter. Must complete nine semester or eight quarter hours of academic credit during each

applicable term to maintain practice eligibility.

■ Cannot travel or compete..

■ Prospective student-athletes are not required to complete 10 core courses, including seven of English, math and science, prior to seventh semester.

■ Minimum 2.000 to 2.299 GPA with corresponding test score.

Division I Academic Redshirt

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■ If a college-bound student-athlete does not meet full qualifier or academic redshirt requirements, he/she will be a nonqualifier.

■ A college-bound student-athlete may not practice, receive athletics aid or compete during his/her first academic year at an NCAA Division I college/university.

Division I Final Nonqualifier

• Effective August 1, 2018, Division II college-bound student-athletes will be required to meet increased academic standards.

• The prospective student-athletes that will be impacted by the new standard in August 2018 and began high school in August 2014 (Rising Juniors).

Increased Division II Standards

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■ Allowed to practice, receive athletics aid and compete in first academic year.

■ Completion of 16 core courses.

■ Minimum GPA of 2.200 with corresponding test score on the full qualifier sliding scale.

• Allowed to practice and receive athletics aid in first academic year.

• Completion of 16 core courses.

• Minimum GPA of 2.000 with corresponding test score on the partial qualifier sliding scale.

2018 Division II Standards

■ First, some context: Approximately 180,000 registrants per year.

Approximately 85,000 final certifications performed per year.

Finite number of freshman roster spots available.o (E.g., over 281,000 senior boys and girls play basketball. There are only about

9,500 freshman roster spots in all three NCAA divisions. That is about 3.3 percent.)

The Certification Process

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■ Student registers in sophomore year.

■ Student takes the ACT and/or SAT junior year (using score recipient code 9999).

■ At the end of the junior year, student asks the high school to send his/her high school transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

■ If the student is on an active Institutional Request list (IRL), the NCAA Eligibility Center will perform a preliminary certification using the student’s six-semester transcript.

It is helpful to know where the student is academically; as it can help guide future course selection and/or academic effort.

■ On/after April 1 of the student’s senior year, he/she can request a final amateurism certification.

The Certification Process

■ Run at the time of preliminary certification (six-semester mark).

■ Division I: 900 SAT (critical reading and math) or 75 ACT sum; 3.000 core GPA; and 14 units (3 English, 2 math, 2 science, 2 additional English, math or science,

and 5 additional core courses).

■ Division II: 1000 SAT (critical reading and math) or 85 ACT sum; 3.000 core GPA; and 12 units (3 English, 2 math, 2 science and 5 additional core courses).

Early Academic Qualifier

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■ Registration complete, no fee issue.

■ HS Transcript (HST) received from all schools/programs attended. Includes classes taken at a different program, even if it is on your HST.

■ ACT and/or SAT score(s) on file. Must come directly from testing agency.

■ Student placed on active IRL by college/university. National Letter of Intent (NLI) prioritization.

■ No outstanding academic tasks in student’s account.

Final Certification Ready to Process - Final (RTP-F)

■ Update List of NCAA Courses annually (or whenever curriculum changes).– Update as soon as courses have been approved by your board, and before you register students in courses

■ Guide college-bound student-athletes to take college-prep courses.– Do not register students in courses that are not on your school’s List of NCAA Courses.– Check both sides of your school’s list: approved and denied courses.

■ Send transcripts (through e-transcript providers) for all registered students.– At end of academic year, after graduation for registered juniors and graduated seniors.– One-off transcripts may be required for students who register late (e.g., during senior year).– Acceptable Delivery Method: E-transcript provider; Mail; or Overnight delivery.

■ Fee Waiver. Attest to ACT/SAT fee waiver through the High School Portal.

■ Loop in other individuals that can help.– Athletics personnel (AD, coaches)– Interested/involved parents; and

– Local NCAA college/university staff.

How to Avoid the Bumps

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■ Log in to your account on the High School Portal. CEEB plus PIN.

High Schools Can Register for Free Transcript Service

STUDENT-ATHLETE RECRUITMENT

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The Recruitment Process

There are three reasons high school students do not get recruited:

1. They are not good enough.

2. The right college coaches who may need their talent have not heard of them.

3. They are not meeting the academic qualifications to be eligible to play a sport in college.

Four Step Process

Assess Athletic Ability (high school or club coach)

Identify Appropriate Colleges (School Counselors help student to find the right “fit”)

Communicate with the college coach (phone, email or letter)

Have the academic profile to be able to qualify

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Recruiting Process

■ Prospective Student Athlete– Anyone who has started classes for the 9th grade

■ Sophomore year (D1 only)– Camp brochures, questionnaires– No phone calls from coaches– No off-campus contact by coaches

Recruiting Process (cont.)■ Junior Year

– Recruiting Materials (includes emails)■ Sept. 1st (DI/DII)

– MBB – June 15■ DIII – anytime

– Phone calls■ Men’s Basketball

– 1x per month starting June 15th thru July 31st after his Junior year■ Women’s Basketball

– 1x per month in April, May, June 1-20, June 21-30– 3x in July (no more than 1x per week)

■ Football– 1 call from April 15th thru May 31st

■ No limit on # of calls or when made (DIII)

– No off-campus contact by coaches

– Register w/NCAA Initial Eligibility Center (summer after junior year)

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Recruiting Process (cont.)■ Senior Year (D1 and D2)– Recruiting Materials

– Telephone calls■ D1 – varies per sport– FB (1x week after 9/1)

– MBB (2x week starting 8/1)

– WBB (1x week starting 8/1)

■ D2 – 1x week starting June 15th

– Off Campus Contacts■ D1 (MBB – 9/9, WBB – 9/16, FB – 11/27)

■ D2 (All Sports – 6/15)

■ D3 (All Sports – after Junior year)

Recruiting Process (cont.)■ Text Messaging

– Banned at all levels now

■ Unofficial Visits– Unlimited #, at student’s own expense

■ Official Visits– Starting 1st day of class senior year

– Can be paid for by school■ Travel, lodging, entertainment, etc…

– Limits to the # of visits■ 1 per school

■ 5 visits total

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SCHOOL COUNSELORS WORKING WITH HIGH

SCHOOL STUDENT-ATHLETES

The School Counselor's Role■ Provide information to all students about the academic requirements for high school

graduation, college admission and athletic participation.

■ During the college search and application process, remind student-athletes that sports should be only part of their decision.– Stress to that they are choosing a college, not a team, and should consider all the factors that

go into that choice, such as location, size, academic offerings and student life. – They should look for a college they'll thrive in even if they stop playing sports.

■ Make sure that your student-athletes understand that meeting the academic eligibility requirements to play a sport at a given college is not the same as meeting the academic standards for admission to that college.– Simply meeting NCAA academic requirements may not be sufficient to gain admission to

desired colleges.

■ As with any student, the more rigorous a course load your student-athletes take, the more options they have when it comes time to choose a college.

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Specific Counseling Strategies Start in the ninth grade

Speak at ninth — and 10th — grade assemblies about the athletic associations' requirements.

Bring in guest speakers, such as an athletic director from a local college, to talk about requirements and options.

Give ninth-graders the NCAA worksheets (in the Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete from the Publications section of the NCAA website) to keep track of their course and grade information.

Make sure potential athletes know that the NCAA looks at their GPA in core courses only — not their overall GPA.

Reach out to parents and let them know what the academic requirements are.

Work with the athletic director to create a manual for student-athletes. Update it annually, since rules and regulations change often.

Work with your school coaches

Meet with your school's athletic staff and let them know that you are a resource on college admission.

Review NCAA eligibility each year and inform coaches of changes.

Provide handouts of the NCAA eligibility requirements to coaches.

Share application details. The high school coach should know where students are applying and have the contact information of the coaches at those colleges.

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Getting Information to Student-AthletesBelow are some ideas for providing information to students and parents:

Host student-athlete nights for students and parents where you and the athletic staff can give an overview of the college selection and application process. Possible outside speakers include college coaches or athletic directors.

During your school's fall college nights, present separate sessions aimed at student-athletes. Invite outside speakers.

Distribute handouts listing current NCAA and NAIA requirements and other useful material at college nights and student-athlete nights.

Overview of the athletic associations (NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA)

Thank you. Any Questions?

Erika Cameronecameron@sandiego.edu

Ian Martinimartin@sandiego.edu