The NCAA has extended the recruiting dead period for Division I athletics through the end of August, continuing its moratorium on face-to-face recruiting activities even as student-athletes return to campuses across the country for voluntary conditioning workouts.
The council met virtually on Thursday afternoon to decide on extending the moratorium which has been in place since the global coronavirus pandemic began to catch attention in the United States in mid-March.
During a recruiting dead period, student-athletes are not allowed to make campus visits with coaches, and coaches are not allowed to visit athletes off-campus. Phone calls and electronic correspondence can continue to occur, and prospective student-athletes can still visit campuses on their own without making contact with coaches.
This comes on the heels of the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees decisions to begin allowing summer countable athletically related activities to begin on July 20. Notably, this may include up to 8 hours per week of weight training, conditioning, and skill instruction, with not more than 4 hours of skill instruction, under the guidance of a coach. To this point, all athletics activities in Division I have only allowed coaches present to monitor for safety and not to actually coach.
Council members also granted a waiver to modify the start date for preseason practice in sports other than football. Fall preseasons generally begin a specific number of days prior to the first scheduled regular season contest. The waiver allows teams to count back from the first day contests are allowed, instead of a team’s actual scheduled first contest.
The waiver allows some flexibility for additional acclimatization for fall sport student-athletes who missed out on spring participation opportunities and accounts for schedule changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The official recruiting period for the high school graduating class of 2022 began on June 15. So far, the only swimmers who have committed for that class are swimmers who were originally members of the class of 2021, but who are delaying their entrance to college until the fall of 2022. Over the last 2 recruiting cycles, most of the top high school swimmers have made verbal commitments to colleges in the fall of their junior years.
For the class of 2022, a vaccine is likely to be in place by the time they arrive at college, and therefore the pandemic shouldn’t provide much direct interference in their college careers. It could, however, dramatically impact their recruitment process: many athletes may have to choose between an early commitment and getting the opportunity to visit programs before making a choice.
I believe you can still do a campus visit – just not meet the coaches in person, correct? We’ve been offered opportunities to attend scheduled campus tours as part of Admissions (after we’ve already done all of the zoom tours and sessions) and were told it would be ok. We want to see the campus, classrooms, dorms, etc.
Defund the NCAA
Oh I’d love to hear your rational on this one. As much as this sucks, this might actually be one of the few things the NCAA has done right. The playing field is wildly unfair at the moment and allowing recruits from all over campus to visit universities while most universities don’t even believe it’s safe for students yet is impossible.
Let the conspiracy roll whenever you’re ready.
He probably means “defund” the NCAA completely and shut them down. I agree scam organization and has been for 50+ years
And you’ll kill our sport. Great solution there.
Speaking from the position of one, uncommitted athletes in the class of 2021 are in an extremely tough position. Not to mention the fact that many didn’t get to race in March, some will have to make decisions on schools sight unseen. Similarly, some teams are going to have to start making offers on recruits without potentially having even met them before. Challenging situation for all involved, and I hope for the sake of myself and others, that we find the right fit for each of us.
My daughter as well. Best wishes to you in finding your right fit.
As a club coach, I would suggest the class of 2022 to take their time. This goes both ways. I wouldn’t want to commit anywhere without visiting. I wouldn’t want to award scholarships without seeing recent results.
College is more than just swimming and academics. Everyone NEEDS to visit the school before making decision. With that being said, NCAA is in a tough position. How can you allowed student athletes to host some strangers from different places in the middle of pandemic? Are schools expected to house these recruits at a hotel nearby? How can you do that with all athletic budgets are being reduced for 2020 – 2021 season?
So many questions. My advice is for everyone… Read more »