11.7.4 Contact and Evaluation of Prospects Off-Campus
There is a limit on the number of coaching staff members who may contact or evaluate prospects off- campus at any one time.
Sport Number of Coaches
- Football: 7*
- *NOTE: 6 until December 1
- Baseball: 2
- Men’s Basketball: 3
- Women’s Basketball: 3
- Golf, Men’s Tennis: 1
- All Other Sports: 2
11.7.4.3.1 At Any One Time
It is permissible for a coach to leave campus to engage in off-campus contact or evaluation before another coach who is off-campus actually returns to campus, provided the total number of coaches recruiting on behalf of the institution at any time do not exceed the permissible number.
Interpretation: Application of the Limitation on the Number of Coaches Who May Engage in Off-Campus Recruiting at Any One Time. The committee confirmed that, pursuant to NCAA Proposal No. 2004-132-B, if the limitation on the number of coaches who are permitted to contact or evaluate prospects off campus at any one time is reached, another coach in that same sport may leave campus to engage in off-campus contacts or evaluations at any time, provided he or she does not begin any off-campus recruiting activity until the coach being replaced has completed his or her recruiting activities. Further, the replaced coach may not engage in additional recruiting activities until after he or she has returned to the institution’s campus. [References: NCAA Bylaws 11.7.4 (limitations on number — off-campus recruiting) and 11.7.4.3 (off-campus recruiting — at any one time) and Proposal No. 2004-132-B]
13.1.2 Permissible Recruiters
13.1.2.1 General Rule
All in-person, on- and off-campus recruiting contacts with a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or legal guardian(s) shall be made only by authorized institutional staff members. Such contact, as well as correspondence and telephone calls, by representatives of an institution’s athletics interests are prohibited except as otherwise permitted in this section.
13.1.2.3 General Restrictions – Staff Members and Governing Board
The following are additional restrictions that apply to an institution’s staff members and governing board. Violations of this bylaw shall be considered institutional violations per Constitution 2.8.1; however, such violations shall not affect the prospective student-athlete’s eligibility.
a) Institutional Staff Members – Off-Campus Contacts. In all sports, only those coaches permitted to recruit off-campus as specified in Bylaw 11.7 may contact prospects off-campus. Faculty members may contact prospects for recruiting purposes in all sports, but only on-campus. All institutional staff members (e.g., faculty members, athletic department staff members and administrators) may write prospects. (See Bylaws 11.7.2.3, 11.7.3.3 and 13.4.1 for additional restrictions in the sport of football.)
b) Board of Governors/Regents. – Recruiting contacts on- or off-campus between a member of the institution’s board of governors (or regents) and a prospect is not permissible.
13.1.2.4 Other Restrictions, Athletics Representatives (Boosters)
The following are additional restrictions that apply to athletics representatives:
a) Telephone Conversation. An athletics representative of a member institution may speak to a prospective student-athlete via the telephone only if the prospect initiates the telephone conversation and the call is not for recruiting purposes. Under such circumstances, the representative must refer questions about the institution’s athletics program to the athletics department staff;
b) Observing Prospect’s Contest. An athletics representative may view a prospect’s athletics contest on his or her own initiative, subject to the understanding that the athletics representative may not contact the prospect on such occasions;
c) Evaluation of Prospect. An athletics representative may not contact a prospect’s coach, principal or counselor in an attempt to evaluate the prospect; and
d) Visiting Prospect’s Institution. An athletics representative may not visit a prospect’s educational institution to pick up film/videotape or transcripts pertaining to the evaluation of the prospect’s academic eligibility or athletics ability.
13.6.6.6 Student Support Group Assisting in Recruiting [e.g., Georgia Girls, Hoop Girls]
An institution may not provide a free meal or entertainment to a member of an institutional student support group that assists in the recruitment of a prospect during an official visit unless the student is designated as the one student host for that prospect. Any additional arrangement between the institution and members of such a support group (e.g., compensation, providing a uniform) is left to the discretion of the institution.
13.10.4 Publicity of Prospect’s Visit
A member institution shall not publicize (or arrange for publicity of) a prospect’s visit to the institution’s campus.
Clerical Staff/Administrative Assistant Recruiting Duties
Duty Restriction
- Write to prospects: Yes (except football)
- Telephone prospects: Yes, as the one call per week
- E-mail prospects: Yes
- Recruit on-campus: Yes
- Evaluate off-campus: No
- Recruit off-campus: No (unless during the official visit within 30 miles of campus)
