Presented by:University of Louisville

Athletics Compliance Staff

Initial-Eligibility

Amateurism

Recruiting

Continuing Eligibility

Athletics Aid

Life as a Collegiate Student-Athlete

1. Graduation from high school with class

2. Minimum core grade point average

3. Minimum corresponding ACT or SAT score

4. Completion of 16 core courses

NCAA Bylaw 14.3.1

1. Recognized academic course that qualifies for graduation;

◦ Falls into one of the following: English, Math, Natural/Physical Science, Social Science, Foreign Language, Non-doctrinal Religion/Philosophy

2. Considered college preparatory;

◦ Academically prepares a student to enter a 4-year college

3. Math is completed at the level of Algebra 1 or higher;

4. Taught by a qualified instructor; and

5. Taught at or above the regular academic level

NCAA Bylaw 14.3.1.3

1. Meets all requirements of a core course;

2. Instructor and student have ongoing access to one another for purposes of teaching, evaluating, providing assistance;

3. Instructor and student have regular interaction for purposes of teaching, evaluation, providing assistance;

4. Completed work is available for evaluation and validation;

5. Evaluation of work is completed by appropriate academic authority in accordance with established academic policies;

6. Course includes defined time period for completion; and

7. Course is acceptable for any student and placed on the high school transcript

NCAA Bylaw 14.3.1.3.2

4 English

3 Mathematics

2 Natural or Physical Science (at least one laboratory class)

1 Additional English, Mathematics, or Natural or Physical Science

2 Social Science

4 Additional Core Courses (from any of the above subject areas or foreign language, philosophy, or non-doctrinal religion)

NCAA Bylaw 14.3.1.1

A prospect must complete core-curriculum requirements not later than the high school graduation date of his or her high school class

◦ Anticipated graduation date is determined by the prospect’s 9th grade enrollment

Exception: A prospect who graduates on time with his or her high school class may use 1 core course completed in the year following graduation

NCAA Bylaws 14.3.1.3.1 and 14.3.1.3.1.1

Three Categories of Eligibility:◦ Qualifier: eligible for athletics aid, practice, and

competition during first year of enrollment Minimum 2.300 core GPA

◦ Academic Redshirt: eligible for athletics aid in first year of enrollment and for practice during first term of enrollment Minimum 2.000 core GPA Must meet additional academic requirements to be eligible

for practice in second term of enrollment May not engage in competition during first year of

enrollment◦ Non-Qualifier: ineligible for athletics aid, practice, and

competition during first year of enrollment Below 2.000 core GPA, insufficient test score, less than 16

core courses

10 of the 16 required core courses must be completed prior to the start of the 7th

semester of high school◦ This includes summer school between the end of

junior year and the start of senior year 7 of these 10 course must be English, Math,

and Natural/Physical Science The grades for these 10 courses must be

used in calculating GPA and cannot be replaced by classes completed at a later date

Core GPA SAT ACT(Sum Score)

4.000 400 373.550 400 373.000 620 522.750 720 592.500 820 682.300 900 75

Core GPA SAT ACT(Sum Score)

3.550 400 373.000 620 522.750 720 592.500 820 682.300 900 752.000 1020 86

NCAA Bylaw 14.3.1.2.1

Use of nonstandard ACT and/or SAT test (NCAA Bylaw 14.3.1.4.3)

Use of up to three core courses completed after high school graduation (NCAA Bylaw 14.3.1.3.1.2)

Use of courses designed specifically for students with disabilities (NCAA Bylaw 14.3.1.3.5)

Freshman Year◦ Carefully (and strategically!) choose courses◦ Approved course lists can be found at NCAA

Eligibility Center – www.eligibilitycenter.org - under the Resources tab

Sophomore Year◦ Carefully (and strategically!) choose courses◦ Register with the Eligibility Center at

eligibilitycenter.org ($80)

Junior Year◦ Carefully (and strategically!) choose courses◦ Take ACT/SAT and report score to the Eligibility Center (Code:

9999)◦ All ACT/SAT must be sent directly to the Eligibility Center from

the testing agency (NCAA Bylaw 14.3.1.3.4)◦ Register with the Eligibility Center at eligibilitycenter.org ($70)◦ Submit an official 6th semester transcript to the Eligibility Center

Senior Year◦ Course selection is critical!!◦ Retake ACT/SAT, if necessary, and submit score to the Eligibility

Center

After Senior Year◦ Submit final official transcript with proof of graduation to the

Eligibility Center

Once the Eligibility Center has received an official transcript, a revised transcript will not be immediately accepted

The Eligibility Center may require additional supporting documentation before accepting transcript changes

An initial-eligibility waiver may be required in instances of an altered final transcript

Make sure each high school in attendance has:◦ Submitted contact information to the

Eligibility Center; and◦ An updated core course list on the

Eligibility Center web site.

Make sure each core course taken is on the high school core course list.

www.eligibilitycenter.org Eligibility Center High School Portal Update Core-Course List, Change Course

Titles, Submit Course Descriptions, etc. Submit High School Transcripts

Submit IEP/504 Plan Documentation Submit Eligibility Center Fee Waiver for High

School Student Update High School Eligibility Center Contact And much more…

Make sure your school’s List of NCAA Courses is accurate and up to date.

Encourage your college-bound student-athletes to complete the registration process, at www.eligibilitycenter.org, at the beginning of their sophomore year.

Send official transcripts at the end of the student’s sixth semester (junior year) and eighth semester (graduation from high school).

Submit fee waivers online for student registration when applicable.

Update core-courses on an annual basis

Know the initial-eligibility requirements. Use NCAA Eligibility Center informational

resources to map out the academic track. Know how to calculate a student’s core-

course GPA. Know that special considerations are given to

students with documented education-impacting disabilities.

Help students identify colleges that fit their criteria (e.g., academics, size, location).

Apply the “broken-leg test” by asking if the student would be happy at a college or university if athletics were not factored into the equation.

Emphasize the importance of academic performance at every step of the student’s high school career – grade nine counts!!!

Call with any questions! 877/622-2321 (877/NCAA-EC1)

Click here to

enter the portal

High school submits electronically. Courses reviewed by high school review staff

within 24-48 hours and notification is sent via email. ◦ Make sure your email addresses for primary and

secondary contacts are correct. Four possible outcomes: ◦ Approve; ◦ Deny; ◦ Ignore; or ◦ Ask for more information

The context of the school’s current List of NCAA Courses.

Curriculum trends nationally. Curriculum trends by state. Online information (e.g., a school’s course

catalog). 80+ years of combined experience in the

secondary school community and in corecourse review.

Staff gives benefit of the doubt to the school.

NCAA Working Group on Initial-Eligibility Trends

Does it include the pre-collegiate environment?

◦ The NCAA has the right to establish initial eligibility standards, verify core courses and validate the institutions they attend.

◦ In June 2006, 15 schools were invalidated. In March 2007, four more schools were invalidated and 200 more schools were placed under review. The NCAA continues to review and invalidate schools as needed.

◦ Even if a school is not invalidated, individual student-athlete’s academic record could be invalidated based on an individual review.

Amateurism◦ Student-athletes shall be amateurs in an intercollegiate

sport, and their participation should be motivated primarily by education and by the physical, mental and social benefits to be derived. Student participation in intercollegiate athletics is an avocation, and student-athletes should be protected from exploitation by professional and commercial enterprises

NCAA Bylaw 2.9

Professional Athlete◦ An athlete who receives any kind of payment, directly or

indirectly, for athletics participation

NCAA Bylaw 12.02.10

All student-athletes entering a Division I or Division II institution must complete the amateurism certification process

Both domestic and international prospects must complete an amateurism questionnaire after registering with the Eligibility Center

◦ Amateurism status is determined by the responses provided by the prospect

Contracts with professional team

Salary for participating in athletics

Prize money above actual and necessary expenses

Play with professionals

Educational expenses from individual or entity other than a parent

Preferential treatment based on athletics participation or reputation

Tryouts, practice, or competition with a professional team

Benefits from an agent or prospective agent

Agreement to be represented by an agent

Organized competition rule

Students will complete an online questionnaire about their athletics history through the Eligibility Center

Sport-Specific

Included in the Eligibility Center registration fee

Elite athletes will be reviewed automatically by the NCAA staff

Must complete before a written offer of aid may be issued by a Division I institution

Contact: Any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or prospect’s relative or legal guardian and an institutional staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of greetings.NCAA Bylaw 13.02.4

Evaluation: Any off-campus activity designed to assess the academic qualifications or athletics ability of a prospect.NCAA Bylaw 13.02.7

Telephone calls: All electronically transmitted human voice exchange.NCAA Bylaw 13.02.16

Official Visit: An official visit to a member institution by a prospective student-athlete is a visit financed in whole or in part by the member institution.

NCAA Bylaw 13.02.17.1

Unofficial Visit: An unofficial visit to a member institution by a prospective student-athlete is a visit made at the prospective student-athlete’s own expense.

NCAA Bylaw 13.02.17.2

Binding one-year agreement

Prospect must attend that institution for one year

Institution must offer athletics aid to the prospect in conjunction with the NLI (financial aid agreement)

Athletics aid can be offered for one year and renewed on an annual basis –OR- can be offered on a multi-year basis for a maximum of five years.

If the NLI agreement is broken, the basic penalty is to sit out of competition for a year and lose a year of eligibility.

No limit on contacts or evaluations NCAA Bylaw 13.02.13.1

Official or unofficial visit permitted during dead period NCAA Bylaw 13.02.5.5.2

Coaches still may not visit the high school more than once per week in the sports of football, men’s and women’s basketball NCAA Bylaws 13.1.4.1 and 13.1.4.2

Unlimited telephone calls NCAA Bylaws 13.02.13.1 and 13.1.3.3.2

Unlimited text messages and other forms of electronic communication NCAA Bylaw 13.4.1

Practice/Competition site restrictions remain NCAA Bylaws 13.1.6

NCAA Eligibility Center◦ Toll Free: 877/262-1492◦ International Callers: 317/223-0700◦ Fax: 317/968-5100◦ http://eligibilitycenter.org

NCAA National Office◦ 317/917-6222◦ Hotline: 800/638-3731◦ Fax: 317/917-6888◦ www.ncaa.org

College Bound Student-Athlete Guide◦ http://www.ncaapublications.com/productdownloads/CBSA17.pdf

Additional Resource◦ http://2point3.ncaa.org/

6 semester (6 quarter) hours/semester◦ Football - 9 semester (8 quarter) hour rule

18 degree applicable semester (27 quarter) hours during the academic year

24 semester (36 quarter) hours prior to 3rd semester

40/60/80 rule for 5th, 7th, and 9th semesters

Term-by-term GPA requirements (1.8, 1.9, 2.0)

GOAL: to graduate in 4-5 years

Summer athletics aid to incoming student-athletes

Athletics aid is awarded on a year-by-year basis

Aid Limit: there is no limit on the number of years of aid, so long coursework toward a bachelor’s degree is in progress

“Equivalency” versus “Head Count” (i.e., “full-ride”)

All outside aid must be reported and reviewed but most can now be accepted due to new legislation

Institutional aid (i.e. academic-based) may necessitate a reduction in athletics aid

Practice Requirements (20/8)

Academic Support Services

Community Service

Life Skills Programming

Social Conduct

Year-Round Drug Testing