NCAA adjusts recruiting dead period regulations

With the idea of live collegiate sporting events remaining far from reality, the NCAA recruiting dead period may continue for at least another month as well.

The NCAA Division I Council Coordination Committee met virtually Wednesday to approve a handful of blanket waivers and adjust recruiting processes and flexibility within its current dead period.

With a handful of schools across the country heading into the summer break within the upcoming weeks, the committee stated it will make a final decision about extending the recruiting dead period to June 30 at its next meeting on May 13. The dead period is currently scheduled to end May 31. In order to protect the safety of student-athletes and coaches during the coronavirus pandemic, the NCAA initiated the recruiting dead period in March.

Additional adjustments to current recruiting approved by the committee Wednesday:

• Any school staff member can now participate in recruiting calls between a coach and a recruit.

• There is no longer a restriction on the number of uncommitted prospective student-athletes (or their family members) who can participate on a recruiting call.

• Current student-athletes can now participate on recruiting calls between a coach and a prospective student-athlete. The time on the call will count toward the eight hours of countable athletics-related activity permitted per student-athlete.

• Committed prospective student-athletes can participate in virtual team activities after they have completed their academic requirements for high school graduation or transfer policies.

These adjustments will take effect starting Monday and will last until the recruiting dead period ends.

The committee voted to allow coaches to participate in virtual camps and clinics as long as prospective student-athletes are not in attendance.

Also Wednesday, the committee approved to grant three blanket waivers for all Division I members after requests were made in April by several Division I conferences.

The following waivers will be in place for one year:

• Basketball and football student-athletes are allowed to participate in defined summer athletic activities without being enrolled in summer academic courses.

• Schools will provide less than the currently legislated minimum financial aid requirements to maintain Division I membership. This will not provide relief from other financial aid requirements.

• Schools will count as Division I opponents in the first year of their reclassification process despite whether or not the school meets the Division I scheduling requirements.