SETTING A COURSE TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS RICK CHRISTENSEN DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY

Transcription

1 SETTING A COURSE TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS RICK CHRISTENSEN DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY

2 TOPICS TO DISCUSS NCAA DIVISIONS STARTING OUT RECRUITING PROCESS FACTS NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER PROCESS & INITIAL ELIGIBILITY

3 Estimated Probability of Competing in Athletics Beyond the High School Interscholastic Level

4 DIVISION I NCAA DIVISIONS 346 INSTITUTIONS (EXAMPLES: PITT, DUQUESNE, RMU, WVU) MUST SPONSOR AT LEAST 7 SPORTS FOR MEN & 7 SPORTS FOR WOMEN, OR 6 FOR MEN & 8 FOR WOMEN, WITH 2 TEAM SPORTS FOR EACH GENDER MUST SCHEDULE DIVISION I SCHOOLS TO COMPETE AGAINST TO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA MUST MEET MINIMUM FINANCIAL AID AWARDS FOR ATHLETIC PROGRAM ARGUABLY A MORE COMPETITIVE LEVEL OF INTERCOLLEGIATE COMPETITION DIVISION II 300 INSTITUTIONS (EXAMPLES: SLIPPERY ROCK, CAL PA, IUP, EDINBORO) MUST SPONSOR AT LEAST 4 SPORTS FOR MEN & 4 FOR WOMEN, 2 TEAM SPORTS FOR EACH GENDER ONLY SCHEDULING REQUIREMENT FOR FOOTBALL AND MEN S & WOMEN S BASKETBALL CAN OFFER ATHLETICALLY-RELATED FINANCIAL AID MORE REGIONAL COMPETITION BETWEEN SCHOOLS DIVISION III 450 INSTITUTIONS (EXAMPLES: CMU, LA ROCHE, WAYNESBURG, W&J) MUST SPONSOR AT LEAST 5 SPORTS FOR MEN & 5 FOR WOMEN, WITH 2 TEAM SPORTS FOR EACH GENDER NO ATHLETICALLY-RELATED FINANCIAL AID IS OFFERED TO ANY DIVISION III STUDENT-ATHLETE NAIA (EXAMPLES: CARLOW, POINT PARK) NJCAA (EXAMPLES: CCAC, BUTLER COUNTY C.C., WESTMORELAND COUNTY C.C.)

5 GETTING THE FACTS: UNDERSTANDING THE RECRUITING PROCESS PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE (I.E., RECRUIT OR PROSPECT) DEFINED AS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT HAS STARTED CLASSES IN THE 9 TH GRADE - - A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL. RECRUITED PROSPECTS ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CONTACTED BY COLLEGE COACHES (EITHER BY TELEPHONE OR IN-PERSON) AND/OR ARE PROVIDED WITH AN EXPENSE-PAID VISIT TO A COLLEGE CAMPUS, AND/OR A WRITTEN ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP OFFER. COLLEGE COACHES RECRUITING TIMELINE FRESHMAN & SOPHOMORE YEARS NOT MUCH DIRECT INTERACTION OUTSIDE OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION. JUNIOR & SENIOR YEARS SPECIFIC RECRUITING MATERIALS CAN BE SENT TO RECRUITS, TELEPHONE CALLS CAN BE INITIATED AND EXPENSE PAID CAMPUS VISITS CAN BE PROVIDED. UNOFFICIAL vs. OFFICIAL CAMPUS VISITS RECRUITING DEAD PERIODS SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS VERBAL vs. WRITTEN

6 INITIAL-ELIGIBILITY AND THE NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER PROCESS

7 THE BASICS In order for a student in their first year of collegiate enrollment to practice, compete and receive athletically related financial aid (i.e., athletic scholarship) at a Division I and/or II institution they must: Be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center Have Test Scores/Transcripts on file at NCAA Eligibility Center Receive a Final Qualifier Certification Status for Academic and Amateurism purposes.

8 Registering with the NCAA Eligibility Center Any student who will attend a NCAA Division I or II institution and wishes to participate in intercollegiate athletics must register at Application fee: $75. (Fee waivers accepted from Guidance Counselors). Online Registration Only.

9 WHAT IS A FINAL QUALIFIER? A final qualifier is an incoming student-athlete for whom the NCAA Eligibility Center has certified as meeting all Division I or II initial-eligibility requirements. A final qualifier is eligible for financial aid, practice and four seasons of competition. A final qualifier: Has passed the required amount of core courses in the required areas (each school has their own list of approved core courses). Meets Division I or II Sliding Scale. Has graduated from high school. Is certified as an amateur athlete.

10 High School Transcripts and Standardized Test Scores Core Course GPA will be determined using the official transcript sent by the High School directly to the NCAA Eligibility Center. No other type of transcript is accepted. SAT score is highest combination of Critical Reading and Math Sections. ACT score is highest combination of English, Math, Reading and Science subsections.

11 Important! Test Scores Submission Test Scores must be sent directly to the Eligibility Center via the Testing Agency. Code for NCAA for both SAT and ACT: May be requested upon registration or may be sent after results are posted via the appropriate website. Test scores submitted by the high school on an official transcript will not be accepted.

12 Recap Division I Final Qualifier in Division I: Has 16 core courses in designated areas Core Course GPA corresponds with minimum test score requirement on sliding scale Has graduated from High School Any student not meeting any of these requirements is a final Non-Qualifier. May not receive aid, practice and/or compete in first year. Has 3-4 seasons of competition. Some Division I athletic conferences do not permit non-qualifiers to participate. No Partial Qualifier.

13 Division II Initial Eligibility Requirements Qualifier: Graduates and earns a minimum of 2.0 GPA in 16 core courses as designated and 820 SAT (68 ACT). May practice, compete and receive athletics aid in freshman year. Partial Qualifier: Graduates and meets either the GPA requirement or the test score requirement. In freshman year, may receive athletics aid and practice only on campus, but may not compete; still has 4 seasons of eligibility. Non-qualifier: Any prospect who is neither a Qualifier nor a Partial Qualifier. No practice, competition or athletics aid in freshman year; still has 4 seasons of eligibility.

14 **NEW NCAA DIVISION I REQUIREMENTS FOR CLASS OF 2016** PSAs must earn 16 core courses. 10 of them must be completed prior to their 7 th (prior to senior year in HS). semester Those 10 courses are locked in and can t be retaken to improve the core course GPA. 7 of those 10 must be a combination of English, math or natural or physical science. If the student doesn t earn 10 courses before their 7 th semester, they are still eligible to practice and can receive a scholarship, but can t compete in 1 st year of college ( Academic Redshirt ).

15 **NEW NCAA DIVISION I REQUIREMENTS FOR CLASS OF 2016** Beginning August 1, 2016, students must earn at least a 2.30 GPA in NCAA core courses to be eligible to compete in their first year of college. To at least get a scholarship and practice during their first year, they must earn at least a 2.00 GPA in NCAA core courses. Only courses that appear on the high school s list of NCAA courses will be used to calculate a GPA for NCAA eligibility purposes. 2point3.ncaa.org

16 Amateurism Certification All prospective and enrolled student-athletes must meet the NCAA s definition of an amateur in order to participate in intercollegiate athletics A student-athlete is not be eligible for participation in an intercollegiate sport if the individual takes or has taken pay, has agent representation, and/or is in any way compensated for their athletic ability. Upon registration, prospects will be asked a series of questions certain answers may trigger requests for additional information.

17 Eight Semester Rule A prospective student-athlete must complete his or her core-curriculum requirements no later than the high school graduation date of the prospective studentathlete's class as determined by the first year of enrollment in high school (ninth grade).

18 Eight Semester Rule A Student must: Satisfy 16 core course requirement; Meet Sliding Scale (test may be retaken multiple times until initial enrollment in a collegiate institution); Not exceed the standard graduation date of their incoming class (i.e., 4 years). If the requirements are not met within this time frame, they will not be able to complete them during a fifth year of high school. *Exception*: A prospect who graduates on time may use up to one additional core course taken up to one year after graduation to satisfy NCAA initialeligibility requirements (e.g., core course GPA, number of core courses).

19 5 HELPFUL REMINDERS 1. Can send up to four SAT scores out for FREE - - NCAA s fourdigit code is Students must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center in order to take an official (recruiting) visit during your senior year of high school and to receive a written athletic scholarship offer in the form of a National Letter of Intent. 3. If the student attends multiple high school, they must have official transcripts sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center from each high school separately. Official transcripts can only be sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center directly from the high school. 4. Complete the Amateurism Certification process prior to the end of your Senior Year in high school. The NCAA Eligibility Center provides access to this on April 1 st of every year. 5. Consult with and seek the assistance of your guidance counselor throughout the process for updates on your eligibility status, core course planning, fee waivers, submission of information, etc.

20 NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER S WEBSITE

21 Questions?? RICK CHRISTENSEN DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY - CHRISTENSEN@DUQ.EDU