NCAA Eligibility Blunders

If you are a potential NCAA DI or DII recruit, one of the most important things you need to be aware of is your NCAA eligibility status.

The NCAA uses a sliding scale that says, in order to be eligible to compete at the DI level, you need to have at least a 2.0 GPA and a cumulative 1010 SAT/86 ACT score (or a 2.3 GPA and a cumulative 900 SAT/ 75 ACT if you are a 2016 grad or younger). The DII level is a minimum 2.0 GPA and a cumulative 820 SAT/68 ACT for all grad classes.

But knowing your grades and test scores is the easy part…

Where most families run into trouble is with the core course requirements. Along with your minimum GPA and test scores, you are required to complete 16 NCAA approved core courses in your first 8 semesters of high school. Any class deemed ‘non-traditional’ by the NCAA because it fails to meet a specific set criteria will not count and can threaten your eligibility.

I’ve seen top talent student-athletes who were ineligible just because of a simple miscommunication.  Most recently, a men’s basketball player who was a senior in high school. He was registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, had grades and test scores well above the minimum requirements and he had a scholarship offer to a DII program. He completed the core courses his high school offered like he was supposed to, but was unaware that some courses weren’t approved by the NCAA. Being a senior, he had no time left to make up any classes and was’t deemed an NCAA qualifier, so he had to turn down his offer to that DII program and start looking for an alternate program as a high school graduate.

When you register with the NCAA, your eligibility status will be ‘Pending’ until they receive your final transcripts and test scores after your senior year. Which brings me back to my original point, if you’re a potential DI or DII recruit, make sure you know your eligibility status. Even though your official eligibility status won’t be determined till after your senior year, there are some things you can do so you don’t get caught off guard.

Meet regularly with your high school guidance counselor even as an underclassman. Make sure your counselor knows your college goals so that he/she can make sure you’re where you need to be academically. When you register with the Eligibility Center your junior year, make sure you take advantage of all the resources they provide and contact them directly to go over your core courses. If for some reason there is a conflict, you want to give yourself time during your senior year to make up any core courses you’ll need to be eligible.

No matter which division level you’re looking to compete for, the recruiting process is full of surprises. Don’t get caught off guard!