Understanding NCAA Eligibility Joann Graham and Scott Brewer Counselors for Student Athletes Santa Barbara City College (805)

Steps You Must Take to Participate in NCAA Division I or II Athletics your 1 st year of college 2

W HAT IS THE NCAA AND NCAA E LIGIBILITY Center? Organization that determines student’s initial eligibility for athletic participation Students considering participation in college sports at D1 or D2 university must register with eligibility center Need to take SAT/ACT even if going to community college

NCAA D IVISION I NCAA Division I - 5 years to play 4 years Full-time enrollment at any college triggers "5- year clock" Exceptions: military service, 1-time pregnancy exception, religious mission Any exceptions must be petitioned by the 4-year college

NCAA D IVISION II 10 semester/15 quarter- full-time enrollment Any full-time collegiate enrollment uses one semester / quarter of eligibility Clock stops if not enrolled or enrolled part-time

HIGH SCHOOL Freshmen and Sophomores Must: Start planning now Need 16 core courses Work hard to get the best grades possible Take classes matching your high school’s NCAA List of Approved Core Courses o NCAA Eligibility Center will only use approved core courses to certify your initial eligibility Access and print your high school’s NCAA List of Approved Core Courses at click “Resources” at top of the screen

JUNIORS Must: Beginning of junior year, register with Eligibility Center Take ACT, SAT or both and use Eligibility Center code “9999” as a score recipient Make sure that you are taking courses that match your high school’s NCAA List of Approved Core Courses. After completing your Junior year, SEND official transcript to the Eligibility Center. (The Eligibility Center DOES NOT accept faxed transcripts.) Prior to Senior year, check with your counselor (and Eligibility Center) to determine the number of core courses that need to be completed your senior year

Seniors Must: 1. Take SAT and/or ACT as often as necessary. Eligibility Center will use best scores from each section to determine best cumulative score 2. Continue taking Core Courses 3. Take courses matching your high school’s NCAA List of Approved Core Courses 4. Earn best grades possible 5. Graduate on time (in 8 academic semesters) 6. After graduation, send final OFFICIAL transcript to Eligibility Center with proof of graduation

From the time you enter the ninth grade, you have 4 years (or 8 semesters) to complete the 16 core-course requirement “On time" also means that graduation takes place June 1, must graduate June 1 Core-Course Completion “On Time”

D IVISION I :16 C ORE C OURSES 4 years of English 3 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher) 2 years of natural/ physical science (1 year of lab if offered by high school) 1 year of additional English, mathematics or natural/physical science 2 years of social science 4 years of additional courses (from any area above, foreign language or nondoctrinal religion/philosophy) See handout for sliding scale (GPA/SAT-ACT, verbal and math sections only)

N EW SLIDING SCALE FOR DI Initial requirements are increasing for students who start 4-year college Aug (impacts HS freshmen Fall 2012) Must complete 10 core courses before senior year 7 of 10 must be Math, English, and Science. Sliding scale changed to min. GPA of 2.3

D IVISION II :14 C ORE C OURSES 3 years of English 2 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher) 2 years of natural/physical science (1 year of lab if offered by high school) 2 years of additional English, mathematics or natural/physical science 2 years of social science 3 years of additional courses (from any area above, foreign language or nondoctrinal religion/philosophy) No sliding scale, need a minimum of 820 (combined Verbal and Quantitative) on SAT or 68 on ACT

NEW Core-Course Requirements – Div II 16 Core Courses (Freshman Class of 2013) 3 years of English 2 years of math (Algebra I or higher) 2 years of natural/physical science 3 years of additional English, math, or natural/physical science 2 years of social science 4 years of additional courses from any area above, foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy No sliding scale, need a minimum of 820 (combined Verbal and Quantitative) on SAT or 68 on ACT

NCAA Division III Requirements Division III institutions do not require registration with the Eligibility Center Contact your Div III college or university for details on admission requirements, financial aid, practice and competition

Q UALIFIER Graduated High School Successfully completed core curriculum - 16 core courses Met specified GPA in core classes and met specified minimum SAT/ACT score Student may practice, play, and receive financial aid initially out of high school at a 4-year university

N ON -Q UALIFIER Not graduated from high school, or Not earned the GPA in core curriculum or SAT/ACT score required to qualify Cannot practice, play, or receive financial aid for one academic year after high school at a 4 year university

& password

Initial-Eligibility Overview: Amateurism Update athletics participation information often, especially if participating in events outside of the normal high school season (i.e. Club sports) Meet often with HS counselor, to ensure protecting amateurism AND meeting core-course requirements Stay college eligible – Always Ask Before You Act!

I MPORTANT T ERMS FOR C OLLEGE E LIGIBILITY Participation Student athlete plays one play or one second - counts as one season of participation Score is being kept officially. Scrimmages do not count! Officials/ refs during competition Game counts toward official record or post- season play Redshirt: student athlete enrolls full-time but does not play Medical Redshirt: injury before specific time period of season, out for rest of the season. Trainer and doctor must fill out the appropriate paperwork Greyshirt: student athlete enrolls part-time at a school and does not play first semester. Does not trigger the Division I eligibility clock

Q UALIFIERS VS. N ON -Q UALIFIERS AT THE C OMMUNITY C OLLEGE T RANSFERS QUALIFIER: Division I: You can be recruited after 1 full-time semester Must average 12 transferable credits per full-time term Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 New GPA as of Aug. 1 st No more than 2 PE activity units may be applied towards the transferable unit count and GPA Division II: You can be recruited after 1 full-time semester Earn an Associate of Arts degree, OR Average 12 transferable units per full-time term EX. 3 semesters = 36 units Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 D2 has a task force in place to look at changing requirements to look like D1 Division III: Must have been considered academically and athletically eligible if you stayed at your two-year school

Q UALIFIERS VS. N ON -Q UALIFIERS AT THE C OMMUNITY C OLLEGE T RANSFERS (C ONTINUED ) NON-QUALIFIER: Division I: Complete a minimum of 3 semesters (summer doesn't count) Earn an Associate of Arts degree Earn a minimum of 48 transferable units Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 NEW GPA 2.5, 6 units of transferable english, 3 units TR math, and 3 units of science. Division II: Complete 2 full-time semesters and Earn an Associate of Arts degree, OR Average 12 transferable units per full-time term Must have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 plus 6 units of English, 3 units of transferable math. Division III: Must have been considered academically and athletically eligible if you stayed at your two-year school

Q UALIFIERS /N ON -Q UALIFIERS T RANSFERS Division I: All transfers Obtain an Associate of Arts degree Complete 24 transferable units 2.00 GPA in the transferable units 1 calendar year must have elapsed after leaving four-year institution Exception: Return to original 4-year institution and determined eligible

Q UALIFIERS /N ON -Q UALIFIERS T RANSFERS Division II: Attended two-year institution for 1 full- time semester 2.00 GPA Earn an Associate of Arts degree OR average 12 transferable units per full-time term

A NY Q UESTIONS ?

Understanding NCAA Eligibility Joann Graham and Scott Brewer Counselors for Student Athletes Santa Barbara City College (805)