1. Athletic Eligibility: Seasons of Competition
Welcome to NAIA 101: Athletic Eligibility as it pertains to seasons of competition

2. Athletic Eligibility: Seasons of Competition
Article V, Section B, Item 18
Athletic Eligibility:
Seasons of Competition
A student may compete in 4 SOC that include a combination of:
Intercollegiate competition
Varsity and subvarsity (JV and/or freshman)
Transfer students’ previous SOC are determined by previous athletic association
Non-intercollegiate competition (elite-level)
Participation in leagues or experiences that meet the evaluative criteria for determining a chargeable league
PSAY – 12 month “grace period” after high school
Students in the NAIA have an opportunity to play in 4 seasons of competition. These 4 seasons can be intercollegiate competition alone, or can be a combination of intercollegiate and non-intercollegiate competition.
The intercollegiate competition can be Varsity level or participation on a JV or Freshman team.
Students who are transferring to the NAIA from another athletic association such as the NCAA or NJCAA will have their pervious seasons of competition determined by the pervious athletic association and those seasons will be taken at face value from the previous association.
Participation in leagues or other elite-level experiences that meet the NAIA evaluative criteria for determining a chargeable league will result in charged seasons of competition.
For students who have graduated from high school and do not immediately enroll full-time at the college level will have until the start of the 13th month post high school graduation as a “grace period” otherwise known as a PSAY or Post secondary amateur year. In this year the student will not be charged a season of competition for elite-level competition. It is important to keep in mind that all amateurism rules will still apply during the PSAY.

3. Athletic Eligibility: Intercollegiate SOC
Article V, Section B, Item 18
Article V, Section M
Athletic Eligibility:
Intercollegiate SOC
A student is charged one season of competition for any participation in an exhibition or intercollegiate contest.
One pitch, one play, one second
Medical Hardships
Season-ending injury verified by the treating physician
Student must not have exceeded competition limits
Injury cannot occur in last regular season or postseason contest
Only restores intercollege SOC. Does not restore TOA.
A student is charged a season of competition for any participation in an exhibition or intercollegiate contest. Stepping on the playing surface to compete will automatically count as a season of competition. Regardless of how long the student was in the game or competition for. One pitch, one play, one second = one season of competition
For students who unfortunately become injured during the season and cannot return to competition due to that injury may apply for a medical hardship. A medical hardship must meet certain criteria in order to be considered and for a student to have a season of competition returned to them.
The injury was season ending and verified by the treating physician
The student must be within the competition limits detailed in the NAIA handbook in Article V, Section M, Item 2b
The injury cannot occur in the last regular season or postseason contest
The medical hardship only returns a season of competition. This will not restore terms of attendance.

4. Athletic Eligibility: Intercollegiate SOC
Article V, Section B, Item 18
Article V, Section M
Athletic Eligibility:
Intercollegiate SOC
Rely on Determination of Previous Athletic Association
NCAA Division I and II: “% of Season” redshirt rules
NCAA Division III: practice after start of scheduled games
NJCAA: championship season vs. non-championship season
Unattached Exception
Enrolled full-time at NAIA institution
Must meet all 7 criteria: school does not provide travel, meals, lodging or enter student in event; no uniform; student informed not covered by school insurance; maintains amateur standing
If not, exception is not met = student represented institution = SOC
For students with intercollegiate competitive experience, the NAIA will rely on the determination of seasons of competition as charged by the previous athletic association.
Basic guidelines can be seen here as to how some other associations will charge a season of competition.
Students who are at an NAIA school and are enrolled full-time may compete unattached from the team and university and not be charged a seasons of competition as long as ALL 7 criteria are followed.
School does not provide travel to the competition
The school does not provide meals to the unattached student while at a competition
School does not provide lodging to the student
The student enters there self into the event
They do not represent the institution by wearing a school uniform
The student is informed by a member of the staff that they are not covered by school insurance
The student maintains their amateur standing according to NAIA amateur bylaws
If just one of these criteria is not met, the student will be considered to have represented the institution and be charged a season of competition

5. Athletic Eligibility: Non-Collegiate Competition
Article V, Section B, Item 18(b)
Athletic Eligibility:
Non-Collegiate Competition
12-Month Window
In general, a student cannot be charged two seasons of competition in a single 12-month period
Exception: Mid-year transfer
In-progress Season: participation after May 15th
Non-collegiate participation after May 15th (summer or fall) will be charged with participation occurring in the subsequent academic year
Generally speaking, a student will not be charged two seasons of competition in one 12-month period. The exception to this is if a student transfers in the middle of an academic year where they have already begun a season and continue said season at a second institution, that student will be charged with a second season of competition.
For students who choose to play in outside chargeable competition between May 15 and Aug 1, those students will be charged a season of competition. That season will be charged as an in-progress season and encompass all chargeable activity for the subsequent academic year. If the student does not participate in intercollegiate play in the subsequent year, the season of competition is still charged for the play between may 15 and aug 1.

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