Our partner Matt Hunt from College Hunt helps students successfully navigate the college selection process. In his latest blog post he explains the new NCAA academic requirements for Division 1, 2, and 3.
Planning on, or dreaming to one day participate in NCAA Athletics? Before you step onto the field or court you must first complete the required academics to be eligible for participation. Beginning in August 2016 the NCAA is increasing the minimum academic requirements student-athletes must meet to participate in Division 1 and 2 athletics. While these changes may seem minor, it’s important to remember all students planning on playing Division 1 or 2 athletics must meet these requirements or they will be academically ineligible.
Before we dive into the specific academic requirements we should first understand the purpose of the NCAA Eligibility Center. Think of them as the checks and balances for coaches as well as colleges/universities on whether or not the student has met the established requirements. Keep in mind, they are separate from admissions; a student still applies to individual schools during senior year. A common misconception from students is they believe if they’ve met the NCAA Eligibility requirements they are good to go, but in reality, they have only met the standard to play.
What is a Core Course? The NCAA Eligibility Center requires students earn a specific number of Core Courses by a certain point in high school as part of meeting eligibility. Now, there are some differences in the amount and timeline per level (D1, 2, & 3), but the definition of a Core Course remains the same. A Core Course is one that counts towards graduation in the core curriculum: English, Math, Natural or Physical Science, Social Science and World Language or Comparative Religion. Students must earn at least a D or higher in these courses. I know what you’re thinking, the NCAA allows D’s? Correct, but remember four-year colleges and universities do not.
The NCAA Eligibility Center has clearly defined specific academic requirements for Division 1, 2, and 3. Here is a breakdown of those requirements for each Division….
Division 1: minimum 2.3 GPA, increase on the SAT & ACT sliding scale, 10 of the 16 core courses must be met before the start of senior year.
Division 2: minimum 2.0 GPA, combined 820 on SAT or sum 68 on ACT, & 16 core courses completed.
Division 3: the college or university, not NCAA Eligibility Center, determines eligibility for admission, financial aid, practice and competition.
What happens if a student fails to meet the academic eligibility requirements? It will first depend on which division they’re being recruited by and how they’ve missed the requirement. The results may range from delayed opportunity to play, having to sit for an extended time or worse- being ruled academically ineligible.
Remember, the number one focus should be earning successful grades throughout high school to meet the requirements to play and more importantly too give yourself the opportunity to earn admissions into the college or university you’re desiring to attend.
For more information about the college selection process check out his blog!
We would like to congratulate Marcus Yandall on his commitment to Elmhurst College! Here are Marcus’ recruiting story and interview after his commitment. Good luck as a Bluejay!
1. Please share your recruiting story and status.
The process was very long but was very exciting at the same time. Towards the beginning of high school I was so set on playing at a division 1 school, until I realized all of the advantages of attending a smaller school at the division 3 level. On August 25, I verbally committed to Elmhurst College.
2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them?
I committed to Elmhurst College because I felt like it was the best all-around fit for me. I fell in love with the city of Chicago, the opportunity to be a part of the honors program and be involved in the biology program to prepare me for medical school, and the environment that coach Morrell and his staff are creating at the school was very intriguing.
3. How did SportsForce help in the process?
SportsForce definitely played a huge role in my recruiting process. It opened up opportunities with the schools that ended up being in my top 10 and allowed me to get in touch with coaches in a simple way. Also, the player profile that SportsForce sets up on their website for you helps a lot and makes it easy for the coaches to see everything they need from you in one setting.
4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process?
I would definitely recommend starting early and not being afraid of reaching out to college coaches. With kids as young as 8th grade committing, getting a highlight video out to coaches as early as possible is definitely a good start. Also, getting in contact with coaches of schools that you think you want to pursue is key; if they don’t know you, you have no chance of playing at that school.
5. How excited are you for your future in college?
I am extremely excited to be attending Elmhurst College next year. Living in Chicago is going to be a lot of fun and getting a great education at a high-achieving school and playing lacrosse for a program that is headed in the right direction are just a few of the exciting factors.
6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses because of you being recruited?
I anticipate my family saving a total of around $80,000 over the course of my 4 years in college.
7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why?
I would recommend SportsForce to any athlete looking to play a college sport because of all of the help their service provides. SportsForce really makes sure you end up at the best-fitting school and provides you the tools and resources you need to easily make contact with the coaches of your choosing.
Over the last five years, SportsForce has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.
With this year’s summer club seasons complete and fall tryouts proceeding through late August and September, we thought this was the perfect time to take a look at NCAA DI recruiting schedules for college lacrosse and see where they fit in our fall recruiting plan. Additionally, we’ve provided the NCAA definitions of each recruiting period on the calendar. You can find all the information below, straight from the NCAA, at the following links:
NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Recruiting Calendar:
https://www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/June2016_DIMensLacrosseCalendar_20160613.pdf
NCAA Recruiting Calendar FAQs:
http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/resources/recruiting-calendars?division=d1
Contact Periods
A contact period is a period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics department staff members to make in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations.
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.
Contact Defined: A contact is any face-to-face encounter between a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete’s relatives, guardian(s) or individual of a comparable relationship and an institutional athletics department staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting. Any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged (e.g., positions himself/herself in a location where contact is possible) or that takes place on the grounds of the prospective student-athlete’s educational institution or at the site of organized competition or practice involving the prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete’s high school, preparatory school, two-year college or all-star team shall be considered a contact, regardless of the conversation that occurs. Any communication (e.g., face-to-face, telephone call or electronic transmission) with a prospective student-athlete at the site of organized competition involving the prospective student-athlete by athletics personnel who are attending the competition or who are aware of the competition also shall be considered a contact.
Evaluation Periods
An evaluation period is a period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics department staff members to be involved in off-campus activities designed to assess the academic qualifications and playing ability of prospective student-athletes. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall be made with the prospective student-athlete during 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.
Evaluation Defined: An evaluation is any off-campus activity designed to assess the academic qualifications or athletics ability of a prospective student-athlete, including any visit to a prospective student-athlete’s educational institution (during which no contact occurs) or the observation of a prospective student-athlete participating in any practice or competition at any site.
Quiet Periods
A quiet period is a period of time when it is permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on the institution’s campus. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts or evaluations may be made during the quiet period.
During a quiet period, a college coach may only have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents on the college’s campus. A coach may not watch student-athletes compete (unless a competition occurs on the college’s campus) or visit their high schools. Coaches may write or telephone college-bound student-athletes or their parents during this time.
Dead Periods
A dead period is a period of time when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off the institution’s campus or to permit official or unofficial visits by prospective student-athletes to the institution’s campus. It remains permissible, however, for an institutional staff member to write or telephone a prospective student-athlete during a dead period.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE
Institutional staff members may receive telephone calls placed by a prospective student-athlete at the prospective student-athlete’s own expense at any time, including before July 1 following the prospective student-athlete’s junior year in high school.
So please use this information to plan your fall/winter recruiting cycle. Form your plan early, then just play hard, have fun, and good luck!
We would like to congratulate Jack Pharies on his commitment to Centre College! Here are Jack’s recruiting story and interview after his commitment. Good luck as a Colonel!
1. Please share your recruiting story and status
I was actively recruited by over 20 colleges to play lacrosse. I narrowed down my choices to 3 colleges by the beginning of the summer before my senior year, and I committed to a college in July before my senior year.
2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them?
I chose Centre College, which competes at the NCAA Division III level in the Southern Athletic Association. Centre is a national liberal arts college located in Danville, Kentucky. It was founded in 1819, has a national reputation for the quality of its academics, and is the number 1 school in the nation of any size for its travel abroad programs. I realized from the beginning that I would not make a living playing lacrosse, so my main focus has been choosing a college I would want to attend even if I did not play lacrosse. I have been interested in Centre from the beginning because of its size, the relationship between the faculty and students, and its travel abroad opportunities. Centre is among many schools that do not actively recruit in California. I contacted Centre through Sportsforce, and luckily the coach liked my video and asked me to campus. I already had offers from other colleges by the time I visited Centre, but I was just blown away by Coach Sharbaugh and Centre. Everything seemed to fit perfectly with what I wanted. The academics are great, the campus is beautiful, and the lacrosse coach is terrific and has a clear vision for the program and my role in realizing that vision.
4. How did SportsForce help in the process?
Sportsforce played a critical role in my recruiting journey. The best way to put it is that Sportsforce allowed me to control the recruiting process rather than the recruiting process controlling me. Without Sportsforce, I would have to rely on being seen at a showcase as my primary recruiting tool. While showcases are important, and I was recruited by coaches who saw me at showcases, it limits the universe of potential colleges to those that attend particular showcases. Sportsforce allowed me to introduce myself to the colleges I wanted to attend, not just the ones that happened to be at this weekend’s showcase. I could target a school, use Sportsforce as a way to get noticed by the coach, and then drive the recruiting process from there. It also allowed me to get ahead of the recruiting cycle so that, at each school that gave me an offer, I was one of the first offers they gave to players in my class. This proved to be an unexpected benefit because nothing makes a coach want a player more than knowing that a competing school wants that same player. This gave me a big advantage in recruiting because it put me in the driver’s seat. Not only did Sportsforce give me the tools to control my own destiny, it guided me every step of the way. From producing my initial video to the first e-mail campaign, to campus visits, and ultimately to making my commitment, Coach Hadlock and Sportsforce have advised me, supported me, and encouraged me.
4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process?
First, recruiting begins with grades. One of the first question every college coach asked me was my GPA and test scores. To keep your options open, you need to keep the grades up and do well on standardized tests.
Second, choose a college that you would want to attend even if you couldn’t play lacrosse. After all, every player is only one injury away from becoming a spectator.
Third, get to know the coach and the lacrosse program well and make sure you share the same goals. Find out how the coach recruits – is he selective in who he recruits or does he recruit huge classes and let the Freshman fight it out when fall ball starts. What is the lacrosse team’s reputation on campus – both among other athletes and the student body at large? Do the coach and the athletic department support your academic goals? Does the team have an academic adviser who travels with the team? Will the coach support your academic goals even if they require an absence from some training (such as for study abroad if that’s important to you).
Fourth, do an overnight visit. It is important to meet the team, see what it’s really like on campus, and understand the issues the current players face.
5. How excited are you on your future in college?
It is the perfect school and team for me. The academic environment, with small class sizes and an exclusive focus on undergraduate education, will challenge me and allow me to reach my goal of going to law school. The lacrosse team is always competitive in its conference and I’m going to travel throughout the South during conference play. I can’t wait to experience a different part of the country. In short, I am very excited. Go, Colonels!!
6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses?
My school is NCAA Division III, so there are no athletic scholarships. However, I have been told that I will receive nearly $20,000 per year in academic scholarships.
7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes? Why?
I strongly recommend Sportsforce. It provides the tools to allow the player to control the recruiting process. Most players and parents go into the recruiting process with no idea of what it entails or what to expect. All of the coaches, however, do this every year and know exactly what they are doing. This necessarily puts players at a disadvantage. Sportsforce helps to not only level the playing field with their knowledge and guidance, but they help put the player in control of that process by giving the player the tools to target schools, get noticed by the coaches, and to get ahead of the recruiting cycle.
Over the last five years, SportsForce has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.
We would like to congratulate Delanie Sheehan on her commitment to UCLA! Here are Delanie’s recruiting story and interview after her commitment. Good luck as a Bruin!
1. Share your recruiting story and status
The process of getting recruited was really stressful and overwhelming for me. I felt lost, especially at first when I didn’t have professionals helping me. However, into my junior year, my options started opening up and I became more excited than stressed! It was fun to learn about all the different programs and hear their philosophies and learn about the schools. I ended up signing May of my junior year.
2. What school are you going to, and why did you choose them?
I will be attending UCLA in the fall of 2017. UCLA has been my dream school for as long as I can remember, so when they contacted me back it was like a dream come true and I was determined to play there, no matter what! I wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip away from me. Their amazing soccer program, along with the academics, has always been what I dreamed of when considering what college I wanted to attend. I want to be pushed in every aspect of my life and this is the perfect fit for it. I feel UCLA will not only help me academically and athletically, but it will help me grow as a person as well. The school’s standards and beliefs are inspiring to me.
3. How did SportsForce help in the process?
SportsForce was a huge help in this process. Schools get hundreds of emails every week and sometimes don’t even open them. SportsForce helps you stand out from the rest and give you a professional look. It allowed me to focus more on choosing a school, rather than getting in contact with the school. I would tell them which schools I was interested in and they would find a way to make it happen. I wouldn’t have had the opportunities I had without it.
4. What advice would you give to other players and parents with the recruiting process?
I would say it’s never too early to start. I started really focusing on the recruiting process at the beginning of my junior year, and even this was late. Top programs are ahead of the game and you must be aware of that. Also, highlight videos are important. I caught UCLA’s attention with my highlight video and then they came out to watch me play. When contacting coaches you need something to separate yourself from the rest and a video usually does the trick. My last piece of advice would be not to be scared to contact the coaches. I struggled with this and was always nervous to call, but all the coaches I met were awesome and always willing to give me the time of day.
5. How excited are you for your future in college?
I am so excited to attend UCLA; it feels unreal to me sometimes! I’m proud to say I accomplished my goal of attending my dream school and can’t wait to be repping the Bruins on and off the field!!
6. How much money do you anticipate your family saving in college expenses because of you being recruited?
I anticipate my family saving about half the cost of college because of me being recruited.
7. Would you recommend SportsForce to any other student-athletes?
Yes, I would recommend SportsForce to other student-athletes because for most families the recruiting process is new and confusing. It is important to have professionals who know what they are doing on your side. You may miss out on opportunities that you could’ve had. SportsForce gives you an organized plan of action and is willing to help you reach your goals.
Over the last five years, SportsForce has helped over 1,000 student-athletes and families successfully navigate the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process while saving families on average $50,000 in college expenses.
Congratulations to SportsForce client Saben Lee. Saben is a 2017 Point Guard from Phoenix, AZ. We began introducing Saben to college basketball coaches in his sophomore year of high school. Within about the first year of our working together, Saben received more than 20 Division I offers, including Stanford, Nebraska, Louisville, Utah, Pepperdine, Boise State and many others. His final commitment was made to Coach Bryce Drew at Vanderbilt University of the SEC.
Regardless of your sport, the 5 Critical Elements to Securing Multiple Offers include:
