NCAA Division 1 Softball Recruiting Rules
It is important for potential prospects to know the the NCAA Division 1 Softball Recruiting Rules. Athletes and coaches have certain restrictions when it comes to college basketball recruiting. Ensure your eligibility by following the NCAA recruiting rules.
As a Sophomore in high school
| Recruiting Tactic | As a Sophomore |
| Recruiting Material | You may receive brochures for camps and questionnaires. |
| Telephone Calls | You can call the coach at your own expense. Coach cannot call you. |
| Off-Campus Contact | Not Permitted |
| Official Visits | Not Permitted |
| Unofficial Visits | Unlimited |
As a Junior in high school
| Recruiting Tactic | As a Junior |
| Recruiting Material | You can begin to receive recruiting material and information from the coach on September 1st. |
| Telephone Calls | You can call the coach at your own expense. You can receive one per week starting July 1st after your Junior year Telephone calls are unlimited during contact periods. |
| Off-Campus Contact | Allowed July 1st after your Junior year. |
| Official Visits | Not Permitted |
| Unofficial Visits | Unlimited |
As a Senior in high school
| Recruiting Tactic | As a Senior |
| Recruiting Material | You can receive material and information from the coach |
| Telephone Calls | You can call the coach at your own expense. Coach can call you once per week starting July 1st. Telephone calls are unlimited during contact periods. |
| Off-Campus Contact | Allowed but no more than 3 times. |
| Official Visits | You can start official visits on the opening day of your classes. You get one per college and a maximum of 5 visits to D1 schools, and unlimited for D2, D3 and NAIA schools. |
| Unofficial visits | Unlimited |
Other important information
- College coaches have 50 days in which to evaluate you. They cannot exceed that number.
- College coaches can evaluate and/or contact you no more than 7 times during your senior year.
- During your senior year a college coach cannot contact you more than 3 times.
- In those states that play high school softball season in the fall, evaluations shall be permissible during those seasons, except during dead periods.
NCAA Division 2 Softball Recruiting Rules
It is important for potential prospects to know the the NCAA Division 2 Softball Recruiting Rules. Athletes and coaches have certain restrictions when it comes to college basketball recruiting. Ensure your eligibility by following the NCAA recruiting rules.
As a Sophomore in high school
| Recruiting Tactic | As a Sophomore |
| Recruiting Material | You may receive brochures for camps and questionnaires. |
| Telephone Calls | You can call the coach at your own expense. After June 15th coaches can call, text, and email you unlimited. |
| Off-Campus Contact | After June 15 of your Sophomore year, these contacts are unlimited. |
| Official Visits | Not Permitted |
| Unofficial Visits | Unlimited |
As a Junior in high school
| Recruiting Tactic | As a Junior |
| Recruiting Material | You can begin to receive recruiting material and information from the coach. |
| Telephone Calls | You can call the coach at your own expense. College coach can call, text, and email you unlimited. |
| Off-Campus Contact | Unlimited |
| Official Visits | Not Permitted |
| Unofficial Visits | Unlimited |
As a Senior in high school
| Recruiting Tactic | As a Senior |
| Recruiting Material | You can receive material and information from the coach |
| Telephone Calls | You can call the coach at your own expense. College coach can call, text, and email you unlimited. |
| Off-Campus Contact | Unlimited |
| Official Visits | You can start official visits on the opening day of your classes. You get one per college and a maximum of 5 visits to D1, and unlimited visits to D2, D3 and NAIA schools. |
| Unofficial visits | Unlimited |
Other important information
- Division 2 does not have any rules on the number of evaluations per student athletes.
- College coaches cannot contact you on competition or practice days until your event is finished, and you are dismissed by the proper authority (like your high school coach or athletic director).
- During a contact period college coaches can make only one visit per week to your high school.
NCAA Division 3 Recruiting Rules
As a Sophomore and Freshman in high school
| Recruiting Tactic | As a Sophomore and Freshman |
| Recruiting Material | You may receive brochures for camps and questionnaires. You can receive recruiting information and material from college coaches. |
| Telephone Calls | You can call the coach at your own expense. College coach can call you an unlimited number of times. |
| Off-Campus Contact | Not Permitted |
| Official Visits | Not Permitted |
| Unofficial Visits | Unlimited |
As a Junior in High School
| Recruiting Tactic | As a Junior |
| Recruiting Material | You can receive recruiting material and information from the coach. |
| Telephone Calls | You can call the coach at your own expense. College coach can call you an unlimited number of times. |
| Off-Campus Contact | Allowed after your Junior year. |
| Official Visits | Allowed beginning January 1st |
| Unofficial Visits | Unlimited |
As a Senior in high school
| Recruiting Tactic | As a Senior |
| Recruiting Material | You can receive material and information from the coach |
| Telephone Calls | You can call the coach at your own expense. College coaches can call you an unlimited number of times. |
| Off-Campus Contact | Allowed |
| Official Visits | You can start official visits on the opening day of your classes. You get one per college. |
| Unofficial visits | Unlimited |
Other important Division 3 Recruiting information
- Division III does not have any rules on the number of evaluations/contacts per student-athlete.
- College coaches cannot contact you on competition or practice days until your event is finished, and you are dismissed by the proper authority (like your high school coach or athletic director).
- During a contact period college coaches can make only one visit per week to your high school.
NAIA Recruiting Information
The NAIA recruiting information is less cumbersome, with few restrictions on the contact between a student-athlete and a college coach. This levels the playing field for NAIA institutions to compete against NCAA schools.
The NAIA has around 300 colleges and universities. The appeal that the NAIA has to offer is their smaller class sizes and tight knit campus communities, the ability to transfer and not lose any eligibility, there are fewer recruiting rules and restrictions, and you have the opportunity to compete for championships. Not everyone has the ability or the academics to play NCAA sports. The NAIA is a terrific chance for any student athlete looking to earn a scholarship.
Each NAIA institution will have their own academic requirements that you must meet, and the NAIA association has an overview of recruiting rules and requirements that student-athletes must meet.
- A college coach can evaluate a potential recruit at all-star games throughout the year. There are no limitations for the college coach except that the game has to occur within the state that their university is located.
Junior College Recruiting Information
Junior College Recruiting
Going the junior college route gives you the opportunity to improve your athletic skills while earning credits toward a degree. You can transfer after two years, and still have two years of playing eligibility. Many coaches are now looking for junior college prospects to come in and compete right away.
The NJCAA serves as the national governing body for two-year college athletics in the United States and is the nation’s second-largest national intercollegiate sports organization (second to the NCAA). Each year nearly 60,000 student-athletes from 525 member colleges compete in 28 different sports.
What are the eligibility requirements for junior college?
- Every student must be a high school graduate with an academic diploma, general education diploma or a State Department of Education approved high school equivalency test.
- Each institution is different when it comes to academic eligibility requirements. It is recommended that each potential student-athlete discuss their athletic eligibility with the specific college.
What are the junior college recruiting rules?
- No institution shall permit an athlete to be solicited to attend by the promise of a gift or inducement other than an athletic scholarship.
- An institution may pay for one visit to its campus by direct route, for a stay not to exceed two days and two nights. The paid visit must be limited to the campus and local community where the college is located.
- A student-athlete must have completed his/her junior year in high school in order to receive an official recruiting visit by a member NJCAA college.
- While recruiting a potential athlete on campus, a college representative may purchase meals for the athlete. The value of the meals may not exceed the amount provided to a college employee while traveling on college business.
Source: https://recruitlook.com/
