TicketsAcademic Redshirt: A high school graduate who presented the same academic qualifications applicable to qualifiers (see Bylaw 14.3.1.1) except for the following: The required minimum core-curriculum grade-point average and minimum combined score on the SAT critical reading and math sections or a minimum sum score on the ACT as specified in Bylaw 14.3.1.2.1.
Actual and necessary expenses: Actual and necessary expenses are limited to meals; lodging; apparel, equipment and supplies; coaching and instruction; health/medical insurance; transportation (expenses to and from practice and competition, cost of transportation from home to training/practice site at the beginning of the season/preparation for an event and from training/practice/event site to home at the end of season/event); medical treatment and physical therapy; facility usage; entry fees; and other reasonable expenses.
Agent: An agent is any individual who, directly or indirectly represents or attempts to represent an individual for the purpose of marketing their athletics ability or reputation for financial gain; or seeks to obtain any type of financial gain or benefit from securing a prospective student-athlete's enrollment at an educational institution or from a student-athlete's potential earnings as a professional athlete.
Athletically Related Financial Aid: Athletically related financial aid is financial aid that is awarded on any basis that is related to athletics ability, participation or achievement. If an application process specifically requests athletics participation or achievements as criteria for consideration in determining whether an applicant receives financial aid, aid received pursuant to such a process is athletically related financial aid.
Calculation of Actual and Necessary Expenses—Individual Sports: In individual sports, the calculation of an individual's actual and necessary expenses shall be based on expenses incurred during each calendar year (January -- December), rather than on an event-by-event basis.
Coach, Graduate Assistant—Bowl Subdivision Football (FBS): In bowl subdivision football, a graduate assistant coach is any coach who has received a baccalaureate degree and has either received their first baccalaureate degree or has exhausted athletics eligibility (whichever occurs later) within the previous seven years and qualifies for appointment as a graduate assistant under the policies of the institution. The individual is not required to be enrolled in a specific graduate degree program unless required by institutional policy. The following provisions shall apply: The individual shall be enrolled in at least 50% of the institution’s minimum regular graduate program of studies, except that during their final semester or quarter of the degree program, they may be enrolled in less than 50% of the institution’s minimum regular program, provided they are carrying (for credit) the courses necessary to complete the degree requirements. If the individual fails to complete all degree requirements during the term in which they are enrolled in less than 50% of the institution’s minimum regular program, the result shall be an institutional violation per Constitution 2.8.1 in the NCAA Division I manual. An institution may appoint a midyear replacement graduate assistant coach who is enrolled in less than 50% of the institution’s minimum regular graduate program of studies (or is not yet enrolled), provided the graduate assistant coach has been accepted for enrollment in a graduate program beginning with the next regular academic term; the individual may not receive compensation or remuneration in excess of the value of a full grant-in-aid for a full-time student, based on the resident status of that individual, and the receipt of four complimentary tickets to the institution’s intercollegiate football and basketball games; graduate and postgraduate financial assistance administered outside the institution (e.g., NCAA postgraduate scholarship) shall be excluded from the individual’s limit on remuneration, provided such assistance is awarded through an established and continuing program to aid graduate students and the donor of the assistance does not restrict the recipient’s choice of institutions; the individual may not serve as a graduate assistant coach for a period of more than two years except that if the individual successfully completes 24-semester or 36-quarter hours during the initial two-year period, the individual may serve as a graduate assistant coach for a third year; compensation for employment from a source outside the institution during the academic year shall be excluded from the individual’s limit on remuneration, provided the institution does not arrange such employment and the compensation is for work actually performed. The member institution may not arrange on- or off-campus employment opportunities except for summer employment, which is permissible regardless of whether the student remains enrolled in the graduate program during the summer; a graduate student coach may accept employment benefits available to all institutional employees (e.g., life insurance, health insurance, disability insurance), as well as expenses to attend the convention of the national coaches association in the coach’s sport, without the value of those benefits being included; the individual may receive cash to cover unitemized incidental expenses during travel and practice for NCAA championship events or postseason bowl contests in accordance with the parameters by which student-athletes may receive such expenses pursuant to Bylaw 16.8.1.1; the institution may provide actual and necessary expenses for the individual’s spouse and children to attend a postseason football bowl game or an NCAA championship; and the individual may not evaluate or contact prospective student-athletes off campus, regardless of whether compensation is received for such activities. The individual may not perform recruiting coordination functions (see Bylaw 11.7.2); however, it is permissible for a graduate assistant coach to make telephone calls to prospective student-athletes, provided the coach has successfully completed the coaches’ certification examination per Bylaw 11.5.1.1.
Coach, Head or Assistant: A head or assistant coach is any coach who is designated by the institution's athletics department to perform coaching duties and who serves in that capacity on a volunteer or paid basis
Coach, Student Assistant: A student assistant coach is any coach who is a student-athlete who has exhausted their eligibility in the sport or has become injured to the point that they are unable to practice or compete ever again, and who is enrolled at the institution at they most recently participated in intercollegiate athletics; is enrolled as a full-time graduate student within their five-year period of eligibility or is enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student in their first baccalaureate degree program, except that during their final semester or quarter of the degree program, they may be enrolled in less than a full-time degree program of studies, provided they are carrying (for credit) the courses necessary to complete the degree requirements; is receiving no compensation or remuneration for coaching duties from the institution other than the financial aid that could be received as a student-athlete and expenses incurred on road trips that are received by individual team members; and is not involved in contacting and evaluating prospective student-athletes off campus or scouting opponents off campus and does not perform recruiting coordination functions (see Bylaw 11.7.2).
Coach, Volunteer: In sports other than football and basketball, a volunteer coach is any coach who does not receive compensation or remuneration from the institution's athletics department or any organization funded in whole or in part by the athletics department or that is involved primarily in the promotion of the institution's athletics program (e.g., booster club, athletics foundation association). The following provisions shall apply: the individual is prohibited from contacting and evaluating prospective student-athletes off campus or from scouting opponents off campus and may not perform recruiting coordination functions (see Bylaw 11.7.2); the individual may receive a maximum of two complimentary tickets to home athletics contests in the coach's sport; and the individual may receive complimentary meals incidental to organized team activities (e.g., pre- or postgame meals, occasional meals, but not training table meals) or meals provided during a prospective student-athlete's official visit, provided the individual dines with the prospective student-athlete.
Competition Site: The "competition site" is the facility in which athletics competition is actually conducted, including any dressing room or meeting facility used in conjunction with the competition.
Contact Period: During a contact period a college coach may have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, watch student-athletes compete and visit their high schools, and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents.
Contact: A contact is any face-to-face encounter between a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's parents, relatives or legal guardians and an institutional staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting. Any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged (e.g., staff member positions himself or herself in a location where contact is possible) or that takes place on the grounds of the prospective student-athlete's educational institution or at the site of organized competition or practice involving the prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's high school, preparatory school, two-year college or all-star team shall be considered a contact, regardless of whether any conversation occurs. However, an institutional staff member or athletics representative who is approached by a prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's parents, relatives or legal guardians at any location shall not use a contact, provided the encounter was not prearranged and the staff member or athletics representative does not engage in any dialogue in excess of a greeting and takes appropriate steps to immediately terminate the encounter.
Contact: Any face-to-face encounter between a prospect, the prospect's parents, or legal guardian and an institutional staff representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting. Any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged or that takes place on the grounds of the prospect's educational institution or at any site of an organized practice or competition involving the prospect or prospect's educational institution shall be considered a contact, regardless of the conversation that occurs. A contact occurs any time a college coach says more than hello during a face-to-face contact with a college-bound student-athlete or his or her parents off the college’s campus.
Contest: A contest is any game, match, exhibition, scrimmage or joint practice session with another institution's team, regardless of its formality, in which competition in a sport occurs between an intercollegiate athletics team or individual representing a member institution and any other team or individual not representing the intercollegiate athletics program of the same member institution.
Cost of Attendance: The "cost of attendance" is an amount calculated by an institutional financial aid office, using federal regulations, that includes the total cost of tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and other expenses related to attendance at the institution.
Countable Athletically Related Activities: Countable athletically related activities include any required activity with an athletics purpose involving student-athletes and at the direction of, or supervised by, one or more of an institution's coaching staff (including strength and conditioning coaches) and must be counted within the weekly and daily limitations under Bylaws 17.1.7.1 and 17.1.7.2. Administrative activities (e.g., academic meetings, compliance meetings) shall not be considered as countable athletically related activities.
Counter: A "counter" is an individual who is receiving institutional financial aid that is countable against the aid limitations in a sport.
Dead Period: During a dead period a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools. Coaches may write and telephone student-athletes or their parents during a dead period.
Diversified Sports Camp: A diversified sports camp is a camp that offers a balanced camping experience, including participation in seasonal summer sports and recreational activities, without emphasis on instruction, practice or competition in any particular sport
Enrolled Student-Athlete: An enrolled student-athlete is an individual whose enrollment was solicited by a member of the athletics staff or other representative of athletics interests with a view toward the student’s ultimate participation in the intercollegiate athletics program. Any other student becomes a student-athlete only when the student reports for an intercollegiate squad that is under the jurisdiction of the athletics department.
Evaluation Period: During an evaluation period a college coach may watch college-bound student-athletes compete, visit their high schools, and write or telephone student-athletes or their parents. However, a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents off the college’s campus during an evaluation period.
Evaluation: Evaluation is any off-campus activity designed to assess the academic qualifications or athletics ability of a prospective student-athlete, including any visit to a prospective student-athlete's educational institution (during which no contact occurs) or the observation of a prospective student-athlete participating in any practice or competition at any site.
Extra Benefit: An extra benefit is any special arrangement by an institutional employee or representative of the institution's athletics interests to provide a student-athlete or the student-athlete family member or friend a benefit not expressly authorized by NCAA legislation. Receipt of a benefit by student-athletes or their family members or friends is not a violation of NCAA legislation if it is demonstrated that the same benefit is generally available to the institution's students or their family members or friends or to a particular segment of the student body (e.g., international students, minority students) determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability
Family Member: For purposes of Bylaw 13.6, a family member is an individual with any of the following relationships to the prospective student-athlete: spouse, parent or legal guardian, child, sibling, grandparent, domestic partner or any individual whose close association with the prospective student-athlete is the practical equivalent of a family relationship
Full Grant-in-Aid: full grant-in-aid is financial aid that consists of tuition and fees, room and board, books and other expenses related to attendance at the institution up to the cost of attendance established pursuant to Bylaws 15.02.2 and 15.02.2.1.
Home: In general, a prospective student-athlete's "home" is the prospective student-athlete's legal residence, or the community of the educational institution in which the prospective student-athlete is enrolled while residing there.
Individual Sports: Cross Country, Fencing, Golf, Gymnastics, Rifle, Skiing, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field (Indoor and Outdoor), Women’s Bowling, Women’s Equestrian, Women’s Triathlon, and Wrestling.
Individual: An individual, for purposes of this bylaw, is any person of any age without reference to enrollment in an educational institution or status as a student-athlete.
Initial Counter: An "initial counter" is a counter who is receiving countable financial aid in a sport for the first time. (See Bylaw 15.5.6.3 in football for instances in which the institution is permitted to defer the counting of such financial aid until the following academic year.)
Institutional Control: Institutional control of athletics is a fundamental requirement of NCAA legislation. Specifically, the NCAA constitution provides that each institution shall be responsible for controlling its intercollegiate athletics program in compliance with the rules and regulations of the NCAA; monitoring its program to ensure compliance, identifying and reporting to the NCAA instances in which compliance has not been achieved and taking appropriate corrective actions; and ensuring that members of the institution's staff, student-athletes and other individuals or groups representing the institution's athletics interests comply with NCAA regulations.
Institutional Financial Aid: The following sources of financial aid are considered to be institutional financial aid: All funds administered by the institution, which include but are not limited to scholarships; grants; tuition waivers; employees dependent tuition benefits, unless the parent or the legal guardian of a student-athlete has been employed as a full-time faculty/staff member for a minimum of five years; and loans; aid from government or private sources for which the institution is responsible for selecting the recipient or determining the amount of aid, or providing matching or supplementary funds for a previously determined recipient.
Institutional Staff Member: For purposes of Bylaw 14, an institutional staff member is any individual, excluding a student employee, who performs work for the institution or the athletics department, regardless of whether he or she receives compensation for such work.
Intercollegiate Competition: Intercollegiate competition is considered to have occurred when a student-athlete in either a two-year or a four-year collegiate institution does any of the following: Represents the institution in any contest against outside competition, regardless of how the competition is classified (e.g., scrimmage, exhibition or joint practice session with another institution's team) or whether the student is enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies; competes in the uniform of the institution, or, during the academic year, uses any apparel (excluding apparel no longer used by the institution) received from the institution that includes institutional indentification; or competes and receives expenses (e.g., transportation, meals, room or entry fees) from the institution for the competition.
Manager: A manager is an individual who performs traditional managerial duties (e.g., equipment, laundry, hydration) and meets the following additional criteria: the individual shall be a full-time undergraduate or graduate student (see Bylaws 14.2.2 and 14.2.2.1.4), except that during their final semester or quarter of a degree program, they may be enrolled in less than a full-time program of studies, provided they are carrying (for credit) the courses necessary to complete the degree requirements; the individual may participate in limited on-court or on-field activities during practice (e.g., assist with drills, throw batting practice) or competition (e.g., assist with warm-up activities) involving student-athletes on a regular basis; the individual shall not provide instruction to student-athletes; the individual shall not participate in countable athletically related activities (e.g., practice player) except as permitted in Bylaw 11.01.7-(b); and in baseball, the individual shall forfeit any remaining eligibility in the sport at the institution at which the individual serves as a manager.
National Letter of Intent: The National Letter of Intent referred to in this bylaw is the official document administered by the Collegiate Commissioners Association and used by subscribing member institutions to establish the commitment of a prospective student-athlete to attend a particular institution.
Nonqualifier: A nonqualifier is a student who has not graduated from high school or who, at the time specified in the regulation (see Bylaw 14.3), has not successfully completed the required core curriculum or has not presented the required minimum core-curriculum grade-point average and/or the corresponding SAT/ACT score required for a qualifier or academic redshirt.
Official Visit: An official visit to a member institution by a prospective student-athlete is a visit financed in whole or in part by the member institution.
Organized Competition: Athletics competition shall be considered organized if any of the following conditions exists: Competition is scheduled and publicized in advance; official score is kept; individual or team standings are maintained; official timer or game officials are used; admission is charged; teams are regularly formed or team rosters are predetermined; team uniforms are used; a team is privately or commercially sponsored; or the competition is either directly or indirectly sponsored, promoted or administered by an individual, an organization or any other agency.
Pay: Pay is the receipt of funds, awards or benefits not permitted by the governing legislation of the Association for participation in athletics.
Periods of Recruiting Activities
Playing Season: The playing (practice and competition) season for a particular sport is the period of time between the date of an institution's first officially recognized practice session and the date of the institution's last practice session or date of competition, whichever occurs later. An institution is permitted to conduct officially recognized practice and competition each academic year only during the playing season as regulated for each sport in accordance with the provisions of this bylaw. The institution must conduct the same playing season for varsity and subvarsity teams in the same sport.
Professional Athlete: A professional athlete is one who receives any kind of payment, directly or indirectly, for athletics participation except as permitted by the governing legislation of the Association.
Professional Athletics Team: A professional team is any organized team that: Provides any of its players more than actual and necessary expenses for participation on the team, except as otherwise permitted by NCAA legislation. Actual and necessary expenses are limited to the items listed in Bylaw 12.02.2, provided the value of these items is commensurate with the fair market value in the locality of the player(s) and is not excessive in nature; or declares itself to be professional.
Prospective Student-Athlete: A "prospective student-athlete", known as a PSA, is any student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, any younger student becomes a prospect if the institution provides such an individual (or his/her relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally. A prospective student-athlete remains a prospect even after they have signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Cincinnati. Those enrolled at a preparatory school or two-year college are also considered prospects. The prospect remains a prospect until enrollment at the institution.
Prospective Student-Athlete: A prospective student-athlete is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospective student-athlete if the institution provides such an individual (or the individual's relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally. An individual remains a prospective student-athlete until one of the following occurs (whichever is earlier): the individual officially registers and enrolls in a minimum full-time program of studies and attends classes in any term of a four-year collegiate institution's regular academic year (excluding summer); the individual participates in a regular squad practice or competition at a four-year collegiate institution that occurs before the beginning of any term; the individual officially registers, enrolls and attends classes during the certifying institution's summer term prior to his or her initial full-time enrollment at the certifying institution; or the individual reports to an institutional orientation session that is open to all incoming students within 14 calendar days prior to the opening day of classes of a regular academic year term.
Qualifier: A qualifier is a student who, for purposes of determining eligibility for financial aid, practice and competition, has met all of the following requirements (see Bylaw 14.3): Graduation from high school; successful completion of a required core curriculum consisting of a minimum number of courses in specified subjects; specified minimum grade-point average in the core curriculum; and specified minimum SAT or ACT score.
Quiet Period: During a quiet period, a college coach may only have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents on the college’s campus. A coach may not watch student-athletes compete (unless a competition occurs on the college’s campus) or visit their high schools. Coaches may write or telephone college-bound student-athletes or their parents during this time.
Recruited Prospective Student-Athlete: Actions by staff members or athletics representatives that cause a prospective student-athlete to become a recruited prospective student-athlete at that institution are: Providing the prospective student-athlete with an official visit; having an arranged, in-person, off-campus encounter with the prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's parents, relatives or legal guardians; initiating or arranging a telephone contact with the prospective student-athlete, the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians on more than one occasion for the purpose of recruitment; or issuing a National Letter of Intent or the institution's written offer of athletically related financial aid to the prospective student-athlete. Issuing a written offer of athletically related financial aid to a prospective student-athlete to attend a summer session prior to full-time enrollment does not cause the prospective student-athlete to become recruited.
Recruiting: Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospective student-athlete or a prospective student-athlete's relatives (or legal guardians) by an institutional staff member or by a representative of the institution's athletics interests for the purpose of securing the prospective student-athlete's enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution's intercollegiate athletics program.
Representative of Athletics Interest: A "representative of the institution's athletics interests" is an individual, independent agency, corporate entity (e.g., apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization who is known (or who should have been known) by a member of the institution's executive or athletics administration to: Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization promoting the institution's intercollegiate athletics program; have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of that institution; be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes; be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or have been involved otherwise in promoting the institution's athletics program.
Specialized Sports Camp: A specialized sports camp is a camp that places special emphasis on a particular sport or sports and provides specialized instruction
Sports wagering: Sports wagering includes placing, accepting or soliciting a wager (on a staff member's or student-athlete's own behalf or on the behalf of others) of any type with any individual or organization on any intercollegiate, amateur or professional team or contest. Examples of sports wagering include, but are not limited to, the use of a bookmaker or parlay card; Internet sports wagering; auctions in which bids are placed on teams, individuals or contests; and pools or fantasy leagues in which an entry fee is required and there is an opportunity to win a prize.
Student Employee: For purposes of Bylaw 14, a student employee is an institutional staff member if: They have institutional responsibilities to provide academic services to student-athletes; or they engage in academic misconduct or provides impermissible academic assistance at the direction of a nonstudent employee, an institutional staff member per 14.02.11.1-(a) or a representative of the institution's athletics interests.
Student-Athlete Discretionary Time: Student-athlete discretionary time is time during which a student-athlete may only participate in athletics activities at his or her discretion. There shall be no required workouts and institutions are not permitted to recommend that student-athletes engage in weight-training or conditioning activities; however, if the student-athlete opts to work out, the strength and conditioning coach may monitor the facility in use for health and safety purposes.
Student-Athlete: A "student-athlete", known as a SA, is student whose enrollment was solicited by a member of the athletics staff or other representative of athletics interest with a view toward the student's ultimate participation in the intercollegiate athletics program. Any other student becomes a student-athlete only when the student reports for an intercollegiate squad that is under the jurisdiction of the athletic department. A student is not deemed a student-athlete solely on the basis of prior high school athletic participation.
Student-Athlete: A student-athlete is a student whose enrollment was solicited by a member of the athletics staff or other representative of athletics interests with a view toward the student's ultimate participation in the intercollegiate athletics program. Any other student becomes a student-athlete only when the student reports for an intercollegiate squad that is under the jurisdiction of the athletics department, as specified in Constitution 3.2.4.5. A student is not deemed a student-athlete solely on the basis of prior high school athletics participation.
Team Sports: Baseball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Football, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Volleyball, Water Polo, Women’s Beach Volleyball, Women’s Rowing, and Women's Rugby.
Transfer Student: A transfer student, in the application of NCAA eligibility requirements, is a student who transfers from any collegiate institution after having met any one of the conditions set forth in Bylaw 14.5.2.
Unofficial Visit: An unofficial visit to a member institution by a prospective student-athlete is a visit made at the prospective student-athlete's own expense. The provision of any expenses or entertainment valued at more than $100 by the institution or representatives of its athletics interests shall require the visit to become an official visit, except as permitted in Bylaws 13.5 and 13.7.
Voluntary Athletically Related Activities: In order for any athletically related activity to be considered "voluntary," all of the following conditions must be met: The student-athlete must not be required to report back to a coach or other athletics department staff member (e.g., strength coach, trainer, manager) any information related to the activity. In addition, no athletics department staff member who observes the activity (e.g., trainer, manager) may report back to the student-athlete's coach any information related to the activity; the activity must be initiated and requested solely by the student-athlete. Neither the institution nor any athletics department staff member may require the student-athlete to participate in the activity at any time. However, it is permissible for an athletics department staff member to provide information to student-athletes related to available opportunities for participating in voluntary activities (e.g., times when the strength and conditioning coach will be on duty in the weight room or on the track). In addition, for students who have initiated a request to engage in voluntary activities, the institution or an athletics department staff member may assign specific times for student-athletes to use institutional facilities for such purposes and inform the student-athletes of the time in advance; the student-athlete's attendance and participation in the activity (or lack thereof) may not be recorded for the purposes of reporting such information to coaching staff members or other student-athletes; and the student-athlete may not be subjected to penalty if he or she elects not to participate in the activity. In addition, neither the institution nor any athletics department staff member may provide recognition or incentives (e.g., awards) to a student-athlete based on his or her attendance or performance in the activity. [Note: Coaching staff members may be present during permissible skill-related instruction pursuant to Bylaws 17.1.6.2.2 and 17.1.6.2.3]
Wager: A wager is any agreement in which an individual or entity agrees to give up an item of value (e.g., cash, shirt, dinner) in exchange for the possibility of gaining another item of value
Waiver: A waiver is an action exempting an individual or institution from the application of a specific regulation. A waiver requires formal approval (e.g., an NCAA committee or a conference, as specified in the legislation) based on evidence of compliance with the specified conditions or criteria under which the waiver is authorized or extenuating circumstances (see Bylaw 14.02.7).