1. Cross Country/Track and Field
NCAA Division I
Cross Country/Track and Field
Recruiting Calendar

2. Recruiting Calendar Working Group
Group Chair: Dan Waters – University of Alabama
Members: Brett Halter – Missouri
Ricardo Santos – Iona (Cross Country Committee Representative)
Jesse Parker – Sam Houston State
Jeff Bovee – Illinois State
Amy Horst – Loyola (Cross Country Committee Representative)

3. Concerns Addressed by the Committee
Pressure of summer recruiting
Dead period in August
Signing period
Start of summer contact period
Phone calls to Junior PSA’s

4. Improvements Simplification – one signing date
Captures all event areas
Gives cross country runners the freedom to finish their season without added pressures
Coach’s off time is protected by longer dead period in December

5. Improvements Open signing period
Eliminating the April signing period, and leaving it open, allows athletes to sign early. This way they can start the process of getting their admission forms/paperwork compiled.
Can sign anyone you want at anytime (after November X)
Alleviates stress for PSA, coaches, and administration
Changing the dead period in August to an evaluation period
Allows coaches to still coach their athletes in August as well as evaluate high school talent during this period
Creates a more relaxed recruiting period protecting vacation time
Extended by a week

6. Limitations Consistencies
Dead period – Athletes that compete in football as well as track and field.
If they come to visit for football in December, track would not be able to talk to them.
Still not restricted enough.
Concerned that with open signing period, athletes will become even more indecisive.
Why are we constantly changing?
Dead period maintained around National Championships

7. Additional Thoughts
Perfect time to change since we can now call juniors
Calling juniors in the spring could help in deciding who you may or may not want to recruit
Summer should be more relaxed
Best of both worlds (Nov/April vs Feb) with open signing date
What other sports would be interested in open signing dates? Soccer

8. Cross Country/Track and Field
NCAA Division I
Cross Country/Track and Field
Recruiting Calendar
August 1, 2016 – July 31, 2017

22. Start date will always remain August 1
(See NCAA Division I Bylaw for Cross Country/Track and Field Calendar Formula)
(a.) August 1 – 21, 2016:
Start date will always remain August 1
Duration will be the first 21 days of August
Contact period will begin different week
2016: Monday
2017: Tuesday
2018: Wednesday
2019: Thursady
Evaluation Period ( ) – An evaluation period is a period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics department staff to be involved in off- campus activities designed to assess the academic qualifications and playing ability of prospective student-athletes. No in-person, off campus recruiting contacts shall be made with the prospective student-athlete during an evaluation period.

23. (b.) August 22, 2016 – July 31, 2017:
[except (1) – (5) below]
November 7 – 10, 2016:
Contact Period ( ) – A contact period is a period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics department staff members to make in-person, off-campus, recruiting contacts and evaluations
Dead Period ( ) – A dead period is a period of time when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off the institution’s campus or to permit official or unofficial visits by prospective student-athletes to the institution’s campus. It remains permissible, however, for an institutional staff member to write or telephone a prospective student-athlete during a dead period.

24. (b.) Continued
December 12, 2016 – January 1, 2016:
-Future years begin on the second Monday of December and end the first Sunday of January
(4) March 10 – 11, 2017:
NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships
- Per competition schedule
(5) May 25 – 27, 2017:
NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Regionals
(6) June 7 – 10, 2017:
NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Dead Period ( )

25. (c.) September 1, 2016:
- In future years this date remains
the same
(d.) November 9, 2016 – July 31, 2017:
- Future dates per NLI guidelines
Can begin calling, texting, and ing juniors.
National Letter of Intent signing Period ( ) - The National Letter of Intent referred to in this bylaw is the official document administered by the Collegiate Commissioners Association and used by the subscribing member institution to establish the commitment of a prospective student-athlete to attend a particular institution.

26. THANK YOU!