Following are some frequently asked questions that many prospective student-athletes have.
1. Who Is Considered A Prospective Student-Athlete?
You become a prospective student-athlete when:
• You begin ninth-grade classes; or
• Before your ninth-grade year, a college gives you, your parents or friends any financial aid or other benefits that the college does not provide generally.
2. What Is Considered an Official Visit?
Any visit to a college campus by you and your parents paid for by the college. The college may pay the following expenses:
• Your transportation to and from the college;
• Room and meals (three per day) while you visit the college; and
• Reasonable entertainment expenses, including three complimentary admissions into a home athletics contest.
• Before a college may invite you for an official visit, you must provide the college with a copy of your high-school transcript (Division I only) and SAT, ACT or PLAN scores.
3. What Is Considered an Unofficial Visit?
Any visit to a college not paid for by the college.
4. What Is Considered a Recruiting Contact?
A recruiting contact occurs any time a coach has face-to-face contact with you or your parents off the college campus and says more than hello. A contact also occurs if a coach has any contact with you or your parents at your high school or any location where you are competing or practicing.
5. What Is Considered a Recruiting Evaluation?
An evaluation is an activity by which a coach measures your academic or athletic ability. This would include visiting your high school or watching you practice or compete.
6. When is the first opportunity a NSU coach may communicate with a prospective student-athlete?
General Correspondence (including emails and instant messages)
In sports other than men’s basketball, a NCAA member institution may not provide recruiting materials to a prospective student-athlete (including general correspondence related to athletics) until September 1 at the beginning of the prospective student-athlete’s junior year in high school. In men’s basketball, an institution may not provide recruiting materials to a prospective student-athlete (including general correspondence related to athletics) until June 15 at the conclusion of the prospective student-athlete’s sophomore year in high school.
Telephone Calls
In sports other than football and basketball, telephone calls to a prospective student-athlete [or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardian(s)] may not be made before July 1 following the completion of the prospective student-athlete’s junior year in high school (subject to the exceptions below); thereafter, staff members shall not make such telephone calls more than once per week.
In Football, one telephone call to a prospect [or a prospect's relatives or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the month of May of the prospect’s junior year in high school. Additional telephone calls to a prospect [or a prospect's relatives or legal guardian(s)] may not be made before September 1 of the beginning of the prospect’s senior year in high school; thereafter, such telephone contact is limited to once per week outside of a contact period. During a contact period, such telephone contact may be made at the institution’s discretion.
In men’s basketball, an institution is permitted to make one telephone call per month to a prospective student-athlete [or the prospective student-athlete's parents or legal guardian(s)] on or after June 15 of the prospective student-athlete’s sophomore year in high school through July 31 of the prospective student-athlete’s junior year in high school. An institution is permitted to make two telephone calls per week to a prospective student-athlete [or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardian(s)] beginning August 1 prior to the prospective student-athlete’s senior year in high school. An institution is permitted to make one telephone call per week to a two-year or four-year college prospective student-athlete [or the prospective student-athlete's parents or legal guardian(s)].
In women’s basketball, one telephone call to a prospective student-athlete [or the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardian(s)] may be made during each of the months of April and May of the prospective student-athlete’s junior year in high school. One call may be made on or after June 1 through June 20 and one call may be made be made on or after June 21 through June 30 of the prospective student-athlete’s junior year in high school. In addition, only three telephone calls to a prospective student-athlete [or the prospective student-athlete's parents or legal guardian(s)] may be made during the month of July following the prospective student-athlete’s junior year in high school, with no more than one telephone call per week; thereafter, staff members shall not make such telephone calls more than once per week.
7. When may a prospective student-athlete or their parent call a NSU coach?
A prospective student-athlete or their parent may call and talk to NSU coach at any time. If a prospective student-athlete leaves a message with an NSU coach, the coach may not be able to return the call. Please note the telephone call restrictions in question #6.
