Recruited Prospective Student-Athlete Definition
Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospect by an institutional staff member or by a representative of the institution's athletics interest for the purpose of securing the prospect's enrollment and 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 are:
- providing the prospect with an official visit; or
- having an arranged, in-person, off-campus encounter with the prospect or the prospect's parents; or
- initiating a telephone contact with the prospect or prospect's parents on more than one occasion for the purpose of recruitment.
Official and Unofficial Visits
Division 1 – Official Visits
A member institution may finance only one visit to its campus for a prospect.
In sports other than baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse and softball, a prospective student-athlete may not be provided an expense-paid visit earlier than August 1 of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school.
Requirements for Official Visit. The following requirements must be met before an institution may provide an official visit to a prospective student-athlete:
(a) A prospective student-athlete must present the institution with a high school (or college) academic transcript
(b) A high school or preparatory school prospective student-athlete must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center &
(c) A high school or preparatory school prospective student-athlete must be placed on the institution's institutional request list (IRL) with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
Division 1 – Unofficial Visits
A prospect may visit a member institution's campus at his or her own expense an unlimited number of times. During an unofficial visit, the institution may not pay any expenses or provide any entertainment except a maximum of three complimentary admissions to a home athletics event at any facility.
In sports other than baseball, basketball, football, men's ice hockey, lacrosse and softball, an unofficial visit with athletics department involvement shall not occur with an individual (or the individual's family members) before August 1 at the beginning of the individual's junior year in high school.
In men's ice hockey, an unofficial visit with athletics department involvement (e.g., contact with athletics department staff, athletics-specific tour, complimentary admission) shall not occur with an individual (or the individual's family members) before January 1 of the individual's sophomore year in high school.
Division 3 – Official Visits
A member institution may finance only one visit to its campus for a prospect. A prospect may not be provided an official visit earlier than January 1 of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school.
Division 3 – Unofficial Visits
A prospect may visit a member institution's campus at his or her own expense an unlimited number of times. A prospective student-athlete may make unofficial visits before January of their junior year in high school
During an unofficial visit, the institution may not pay any expenses or provide any entertainment except a complimentary admissions for the prospective student-athlete and those persons accompanying the prospective student-athlete to the to a home athletics event at any facility.
An institution may provide a prospect with a meal in the institution's on-campus dining facility during an unofficial visit.
Official and Unofficial Recruiting Visit Policy for Prospective Student-Athlete
A recruiting visit provides an important experience in the decision making process. The Union College Department of Athletics abides by NCAA recruiting rules and has college policies regarding conduct during recruiting visits.
All prospective student-athletes must abide by the following:
- Prospective must let their Student Host know their whereabouts at all times during their visit.
- Prospective will go over the academic and recreational activities for visit with the Head Coach and Student-Host upon arrival.
- New York's drinking age is 21, the prospective is aware that it is illegal to drink alcohol while on a recruiting visit if they are under 21.
- Prospective understands that they are only allowed to attend sanctioned college events.
- Drugs are illegal, if a prospective goes to a place where there are drugs, they should leave immediately.
- Prospective will also abide by the Union College Student Conduct Code while visiting campus.
- A Prospective student-athlete who violates NCAA or Union College recruiting policies may no longer be considered for recruitment.
Students of Union College are expected to uphold and promote the educational aims and purposes of the college through individual personal integrity and responsibility The Department of Athletics expects you to adhere to these guidelines, to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. The following activities below examples of violations of the Student Conduct Code:
- Behavior which threatens or endangers the well-being or safety of others, or results in personal injury to others, including hazing.
- Abusive or offensive behavior, which includes, but is not limited to, malicious harassment and/or persecution based on ethnicity, religion, race, sex, or sexual orientation.
- Theft of personal or College property.
- Vandalism of personal or College property.
- Attempting to enter, actually entering, or using College facilities or property without proper authorization.
- Interference with or obstruction of any College-sponsored or approved function or activity by engaging in disorderly conduct.
- Failure to comply with the proper requests of College officials, including members of the Campus Safety Department
- Possession or use of any type of firearms, fireworks, or any other potentially dangerous weapons.
- Violation of local, state, or federal laws and ordinances.
- Aiding or abetting, defined as assisting or encouraging another to engage in conduct constituting a Code violation.
