NCAA Recruiting Rules: Contacts, Evaluations, and Correspondence with Coaches

College hockey programs are limited by NCAA recruiting rules in the type and frequency with which they are allowed to communicate with recruits. The rules are in place to protect the student-athlete and maintain a level playing field for all of the college hockey teams.

Division I teams are limited to 7 contacts and evaluations for every prospective student-athlete.

Contact:

Any face-to-face encounter between a prospective student-athlete or their legal guardians with a member of the coaching staff that is more than a simple greeting.

If a player or their parents approach the coach then it will not count as a contact.

The first allowable off-campus contact can take place starting June 15th following the player’s Grade 10 or Sophomore year in high school.

Examples: The coach talks to you after the game or an in-home visit.

Division III NCAA recruiting rules are less limiting. A Division III coaching staff have unlimited contacts and evaluations of recruits.

Evaluation:

Any off-campus activity designed to assess the academic or athletic ability.

Examples: The coach watches you play a game or practice.

Correspondence:

The NCAA has approved legislation that allows Division 1 coaches to send unlimited texts, emails and any other electronic correspondence to prospective student-athletes.. D3 coaches are free to send text messages to recruits. There are also rules pertaining to phone calls, and regular mail. Check out the chart below for more details.

Permissible Correspondence

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