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NCAA Rules Education
- Men's and Women's Basketball
Freshman Initial
Eligibility Standards
Division I
In order to compete in intercollegiate athletics
as a freshman at a Division I institution, a student-athlete must meet specific
academic initial-eligibility requirements:
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Graduate from high school; |
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Successfully complete a choice of 13 or 14 core courses (until
8/1/05) or 14 core courses (after 8/1/05); |
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Earn minimum required core grade-point average (not overall GPA);
and |
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Earn minimum required score on ACT (sum scores) or SAT. |
Division II
In order to compete in intercollegiate athletics
as a freshman at a Division II institution, a student-athlete must meet specific
academic initial-eligibility requirements:
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Graduate from high school; |
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Grade-point average of 2.0 in 13* core academic courses; and |
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Achieve a 68 (sum) on the ACT, or 820 on the SAT. |
* Effective August 1, 2005, students will be
required to present 14 core courses.
Divisions I
and II
If meet initial eligibility requirements
(Qualifier):
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Can practice, compete and receive an athletics scholarship during
first year. |
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May participate in four seasons of competition. |
If fail to meet qualifier requirements
but meet core course grade point average and SAT/ACT test score based on
the partial qualifier index (Partial Qualifier**):
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Can practice at home facility and receive athletics scholarship
during first year in residence. |
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May earn a fourth season if graduate by the beginning of fifth year. |
** PQ status available until 8/1/05 in
Division I if 13-core course option selected.
If fail to meet initial eligibility
requirements (Nonqualifier):
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Cannot practice, compete or receive athletics scholarship during
first year. |
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May participate in three seasons of competition. |
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May earn fourth season of competition if graduate by the beginning
of fifth year. |
(NOTE: Initial eligibility requirements
for Division III are determined based upon institutional policy and
conference requirements.)
Initial
Eligibility Clearinghouse – Divisions I and II
In order to compete in intercollegiate athletics
as a freshman at a Division I or II institution, a student-athlete must register
with and be certified by the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse.
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Register after your junior year. |
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Take standardized tests (ACT/SAT). |
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After high school graduation, a final transcript needs to be sent to
Clearinghouse. |
Questions: Call toll-free 877/262-1492; or visit
www.ncaaclearinghouse.net
Two-Year
College Transfer Eligibility
Division I
If the men’s or women’s basketball prospect was a
qualifier at the time of high school graduation, and wants to transfer to a
four-year institution from a two-year institution, he/she may compete
immediately at the four-year institution if at the time of transfer the prospect
has:
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Spent at least one full-time semester or one full-time quarter in
residence at the two-year college; |
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Earned a minimum grade-point average of 2.0; and |
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Satisfactorily completed an average of at least 12-semester or
quarter hours of transferable-degree credit for each full-time
academic term of attendance at the two-year college. |
If the men’s or women's basketball
prospect was a partial qualifier or nonqualifier at the time of high
school graduation, and wants to transfer to a four-year institution from
a two-year institution, the men’s prospect may not compete during first
year at the four-year institution.
However, the men’s basketball partial or
nonqualifier shall be eligible for athletics aid and practice, and a
women’s basketball partial or nonqualifier shall be eligible for
competition, athletics aid and practice, if at the time of transfer, the
prospect has:
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Graduated from the two-year college; |
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Satisfactorily completed a minimum of 48-semester or 72-quarter
hours of transferable degree credit (with not more than 18-semester
or 27-quarter hours earned during the summer and not more than
9-semester or 13.5 quarter hours earned during the summer
immediately before the transfer); |
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Earned a minimum grade-point average of 2.0; and |
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Attended the two-year college as a full-time student for at least
three semesters or four quarters (excluding summer terms). |
(NOTE: There are also initial eligibility
requirements for transfers from a two-year college to a Division II or
III institution. Please call toll-free (800) 638-3731 to receive a copy
of the NCAA Transfer Guide.)
Eligibility
Clock
Division I
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Must complete all seasons of competition within five (5) calendar
years of initial full-time enrollment. |
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Clock runs regardless of participation and does not stop except for
active military duty or official church missions. |
Division II
and III
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Must complete all seasons of competition within the first 10
semesters or 15 quarters of full-time enrollment. |
Athletics
Scholarships
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Awarded only on a year-to-year basis. |
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No
such thing as a four-year athletic scholarship. |
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A
scholarship can be reduced or cancelled after the one-year period
for any reason. |
National
Letter of Intent (NLI)
The National Letter of Intent is an agreement by
a participating institution to provide athletics aid to an eligible prospective
student-athlete in exchange for a commitment to enroll at the institution for
one academic year.
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Administered by Collegiate Commissioners Association (not the NCAA). |
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Some conferences do not subscribe to NLI. |
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Not required to sign an NLI in order to receive athletics aid. |
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If
sign an NLI, there is a 2 year/2 season penalty for failure to
attend institution for one full academic year. |
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NLI cannot be hand-delivered by or signed in presence of
institutional staff member. |
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Certain circumstances will render NLI unenforceable (e.g., academic
ineligibility; recruiting violations). |
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Questions: Call 205/459-3000 or visit
www.national-letter.org. |
Telephone Contacts
Permissible Telephone
Calls (Men) –Division I (Initiated by the College)
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1
call during March of junior year. |
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Another call after June 21 following junior year. |
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3
calls in the month of July following junior year. EXCEPTION: No
calls from the start until the conclusion of participation in an
event. |
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1
call per week thereafter. |
Permissible
Telephone Calls (Women) – Division I (Initiated by the College)
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1
call on or after June 21 following junior year. |
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3
calls in the month of July following junior year. EXCEPTION: No
calls from the start until the conclusion of participation in an
event. |
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1
call per week thereafter. |
Permissible
Telephone Calls (Men and Women) –Division I (Initiated by the Prospect)
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Unlimited number permitted. |
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May occur at any time. |
Official/Unofficial Visits – Division I
An official visit is a visit financed in whole or
part by the college:
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One visit per college. |
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Maximum number of official visits is 5. |
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Must present high school transcript and valid PSAT/SAT/ACT test
score. |
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Visit cannot exceed 48 hours. |
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(Men) Visit can occur no earlier than January 1 of junior year. |
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(Women) Visit can occur no earlier than opening day of classes for
senior year. |
An unofficial visit is a visit made at
prospect’s own expense:
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Unlimited number permitted and may be taken at any time. EXCEPTION:
(Men) No unofficial visits during the July evaluation period. |
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College may provide no more than 3 complimentary admissions to an
on-campus athletics event. |
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Prospect must pay all expenses (e.g., lodging, meals, etc.). |
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College may only provide transportation to view off-campus
practice/competition sites and other facilities located within 30
miles of main campus. |
Amateurism
Rules
Prospect will lose college eligibility if:
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Accept gifts/benefits based on prospect’s athletics ability
(includes gifts to friends and family). |
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Participates on a professional team. |
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Receives payment for more than actual or necessary expenses from a
professional team. |
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Receives payment for educational expenses from an agent,
professional sports team/organization or booster. |
Agents
Prospect will lose college eligibility if:
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Enters into oral/written agreement with an agent or individual who
“represents” the prospect based on athletics abilities. |
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Accepts gifts/benefits based on prospect’s athletics ability
(includes gifts to friends and family). |
Gambling
Prospect will lose college eligibility if:
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Bets on college or professional sports. |
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Involved with internet/bookie gambling. |
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Participates in sports “pools” or “fantasy leagues” where there is
an entry fee and prize awarded. |
Drug Use
NCAA rules prohibit student-athletes from
using banned drugs:
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The use of banned substances, including certain nutritional
supplements, can result in a loss of one or more seasons of
competition. |
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Over-the-counter nutritional supplements can contain NCAA banned
substances, such as andro and ephedrine. |
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Check with your athletic trainer before using any over-the-counter
supplements. |
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Ignorance does not excuse violations of the NCAA drug policy. |
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Improved performance comes from healthy eating and good conditioning
practices, not from pills or powders. |
Notice of
Banning Approvals for individuals who fail to cooperate OR participate
in an NCAA
violation
The NCAA has recently adopted a policy whereby
individuals issued an NCAA participant approval number could be adversely
affected if the individual fails to cooperate with the NCAA staff and
Eligibility Center staff in an inquiry relating to possible NCAA rules
violations beyond the basketball certification rules and policies. Additionally,
individuals who violate NCAA legislation could also be affected.
As with the other approval guidelines, if an
individual fails to cooperate with the NCAA staff in an inquiry or is an
involved participant in a violation of NCAA legislation, his or her approval
status could be revoked or denied for up to a five-year period, and there would
be no appeal rights for such an action.
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