Prospective Student-Athletes Information

WHAT IS A PROSPECT?

A prospect is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not yet started ninth grade classes becomes a prospect if the institution provides any benefit not available to general prospective students.

WHAT CONSTITUTES BEING RECRUITED?

Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospect, prospect's relatives or legal guardians by an institutional staff member or by a representative of athletic interests for the purpose of securing the prospect's enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution's intercollegiate athletics program.

Actions by staff members or athletics representatives that cause a prospective student athlete to become a recruited prospective student-athlete at Southern Wesleyan University are:

-- Providing the prospect with an official visit

-- Having an arranged, in-person, off-campus encounter with the prospect or the prospect's relatives or legal guardians

-- Initiating or arranging a telephone call with the prospect, the prospect's relatives or legal guardian(s) on more than one occasion for the purpose of recruitment; or

-- Issuing a National Letter of Intent or the institution's financial aid written offer of athletic related financial aid to the prospect

NCAA INITIAL-ELIGIBILITY CENTER

All incoming freshmen are required to have his/her initial eligibility and amateurism status certified through the NCAA Eligibility Center. You may obtain more information and initiate registration with the NCAA Eligibility Center by completing a NCAA student release form during your junior year. See your guidance counselor for forms and evaluation of your eligibility status.

INCOMING FRESHMAN ELIGIBILITY

Refer to the Guide for the NCAA College Bound Student-Athlete for specific academic requirements.

TRANSFER STUDENT ELIGIBILITY

Prospective student-athletes who wish to transfer to Southern Wesleyan University are subject to Division II transfer eligibility rules. The rules are different depending on whether you are transferring from a 2-year junior college or a 4-year institution. For an overview of two-year transfer eligibility rules, please reference the NCAA's Two-Year Transfer Guide. For an overview of four-year transfer eligibility rules, please reference the NCAA's Four-Year Transfer Guide.

If you are a student currently at another 4-year NCAA or NAIA school, OR if you have been enrolled at another 4-year institution in the last year, Southern Wesleyan University coaches and administrators are not allowed to have any contact with you unless you have a release (also known as permission to contact) from your 4-year institution. To obtain a release, you will need to contact the athletics department at your current or former 4-year institution. Once you have your release, please email (mgillespie@swu.edu) to Mike Gillespie, Director for Compliance Services. Once we have received your release, Southern Wesleyan University coaches and administrators may have contact with you.

2-year or 4-year transfers will also be required to have their amateurism status verified by the NCAA Eligibility Center before being eligible to compete.

RECRUITING GUIDELINES

The NCAA strictly regulates when and how athletic department staff members can contact prospective student-athletes. As mentioned earlier, once you start classes for the ninth grade, you become a recruitable prospect and Southern Wesleyan University coaches are restricted by NCAA rules as to when, where and how they may contact you. There may be some circumstances that prohibit them from speaking to you, responding to you or coming to watch you play. It is important that if you make initial contact with a Southern Wesleyan University coach or staff member that you identify not only your name, but your age/grade level as well. This will allow the coach to determine when and in what manner he/she can respond to you.

CORRESPONDENCE

-- Athletic related letters/printed material are permitted from coaches (or others at the college) beginning June 15 before the beginning of your junior year.

-- E-mail and fax are considered correspondence.

-- Questionnaires, camp brochures and non-athletically related materials may be sent any time

PHONE CALLS

-- May begin June 15 before the beginning of your junior year.

-- After this date a coach may make an unlimited number of calls. No weekly restrictions.

-- Representatives of athletics interest may NOT make recruiting phone calls

-- Prospect or parent(s) may phone a coach as often as they wish.

-- Enrolled collegiate student-athletes may not make recruiting calls.

-- You may telephone enrolled collegiate student-athletes at your own expense.

CONTACTS

-- Definition - Any face-to-face, off campus encounter during which dialogue occurs in excess of a greeting.

-- A college coach may contact a prospect or parent(s) off their campus beginning June 15 before the beginning of your junior year.

-- A coach may not contact a prospect during competition.

-- A coach may contact parents during competition.

EVALUATIONS

-- Definition - Any off-campus activity designed to assess athletics and/or academic status

-- There is no limit to the number of evaluations an institution may conduct in Div. II.

TRYOUTS

-- May not occur before June 15 before the beginning of the prospect's junior year of high school

-- Division II institutions may conduct one tryout per prospect per sport on its campus, not to exceed two hours in length.

-- May be conducted for high school prospects who

* are enrolled in a term other than the term(s) in which the PSA's high school's championship season in the sport occurs
* have completed his/her championship season in the sport
* 2-year transfers may tryout at the conclusion of the sport or anytime his/her eligibility is exhausted in the sport
* 4-year transfers may tryout at the conclusion of the sports season ONLY IF written permission to contact has been granted by the institution the PSA currently attends.

-- Prior to participation in a tryout, a potential student-athlete is required to undergo a medical examination or evaluation administered or supervised by a physician (e.g.; family physician, team physician). This examination must be completed within six months of the tryout.

-- High school potential student-athletes may use a physical that was within six months of participation in practice, competition or out-of-season conditioning activities during their senior year of high school as long as it was accepted by their high school for their participation in athletics during that senior year.

-- Prospect's strength, speed, agility and sport skills may be tested; Football, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer and wrestling tryouts may not include competition.

-- During the academic year, competition is permissible against the member institution's team in a tryout.

UNOFFICIAL VISITS

-- A visit made to the institution at the prospect's own expense.

-- May make unofficial visits an unlimited number of times.

-- May be made before your senior year in high school.

OFFICIAL VISITS

-- A visit made to the institution's campus at the expense of that institution.

-- Each institution may pay for only one official visit per prospect

-- May not come for an official visit before June 15 before the prospect's junior year

-- 48-hour limit.

-- Requirements for an official visit:
* You must provide the college with an academic transcript and an ACT or SAT test score prior to the visit.
* You must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center
* You must be placed on Southern Wesleyan University's Institutional Request List (IRL) with the eligibility center.

-- Entertainment money may not be used to buy souvenirs for yourself.

-- Only a Prospect may receive transportation.

-- Prospect and parents may receive meals, lodging, and admission to campus events.

RULE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DIVISIONS

-- Boosters:
* Div. I - Boosters and alumni may not be involved in recruiting.
* Div. II - Boosters and alumni may write letters and send e-mail to you. They may not be involved in off-campus recruiting or place phone calls.
* Div. III - Alumni, boosters may contact you off campus.

-- Tryouts:
* Div. II - Allowed on any visit, with restrictions (release form).
* Div. I & III - Not allowed.

LINKS

NCAA Eligibility Center
NCAA College Bound Student-Athlete
NCAA Two-Year Transfer Guide
NCAA Four-Year Transfer Guide