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College Recruitment Information and Timeline
Upon Entry Into High School
At the beginning of your ninth grade year, you become a prospective student-athlete. All rules regarding recruiting go into effect at this time. You may visit an institution at your own expense as often as you wish, and all contacts with a coach must be on the college campus. The athlete can call the coach, but the coach cannot return the phone call or e-mail (except Division III where the coach may call or write starting with the athlete's first year of high school).
- Upon entering into high school, prospective college softball players should begin contacting potential college destinations by email.
- Begin setting up unofficial visits and visit potential colleges as often as possible,
- Register with the Eligibility Center NCAA Eligibility Center @ www.eligibilitycenter.org/
- Attend individual camps at potential colleges
Junior Year of High School
· Take the ACT www.actstudent.org
and/or SAT https://www.collegeboard.org/
and request scores be sent to the Eligibility Center
· Begin your amateurism questionnaire.
· After completing your junior year, request your high school to send your transcript to the Eligibility Center.
NCAA Division 1 Softball Recruiting Rules
The D1 NCAA softball recruiting rules are the most restrictive recruiting rules, breaking down when athletes can receive specific forms of communication from coaches based on their year in high school:
September 3 junior year: Coaches can send athletes all forms of private electronic correspondence, including text messages, instant messages, direct messages and emails, as well as all recruiting materials. Coaches can also call athletes at this point. NO contact is permitted before this date between a college coach and the recruit, their parents, their current coaches or any other third party.
September 3 junior year: Athletes may begin taking unofficial visits and planning them with the school’s athletic department.
September 3 junior year: Athletes may begin taking official visits.
July 1 after junior year: Coaches can conduct off-campus contact with athletes at their home or school.
Senior year: College softball coaches can conduct off-campus communications with athletes and/or their parents no more than three times.
NCAA Division 2 Softball Recruiting Rules
The NCAA softball recruiting rules for Division 2 schools are slightly more relaxed than those for Division 1, with most contact starting summer of the athlete’s junior year:
Any time: Athletes can receive brochures for camps, questionnaires, NCAA materials and non-athletic recruiting publications at any time.
June 15 before junior year: Coaches may begin calling athletes. They can also conduct off-campus communications with athletes and/or their parents. At this time, athletes may start taking official visits.
July 15 before junior year: Coaches may send athletes printed recruiting materials.
NCAA Division 3 Softball Recruiting Rules
D3 softball colleges have the most relaxed NCAA recruiting rules of all the division levels:
Recruiting materials: Athletes can receive recruiting materials at any time.
Telephone calls: There is no limit on when college coaches can call athletes.
Off-campus contact: After the athlete’s sophomore year, college coaches may begin to conduct off-campus communications.
Official visits: Athletes can begin taking official visit after January 1 of their junior year.
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NAIA Softball Recruiting Rules
The NAIA has fewer recruiting rules than the NCAA. NAIA coaches can contact student athletes anytime during high school. NAIA recruiting tends to start a little later than NCAA DI or DII recruiting, as NAIA coaches see which athletes just missed the cut to compete at a DI school. They also spend more time making sure that their school is the right fit for athletes socially and academically, as well as athletically.
National Letter of Intent Signing:
Early Signing begins the second Wednesday in November of your senior year and is open until August 1 following your senior year.
Near or at the End of your Senior Year:
Complete NCAA amateurism questionnaire. Guidance counselor must send final transcript with proof of graduation to the NCAA Eligibility Center.
