The new recruiting model allows potential student-athletes more time to make thoughtful decisions about their next steps after high school. The shift was supported by the national Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
“These changes will improve the recruiting experience for prospective student-athletes and coaches and lead to better decision-making,” said Blake James, Council chair and Miami (Florida) director of athletics. “Ultimately, a better recruiting process will improve the college experience for Division I student-athletes.”
The changes will affect several aspects of the recruiting model. For student-athletes in sports other than football and basketball, official visits now can begin Sept. 1 of a prospect’s junior year in high school instead of the first day of classes for senior year.
Football changed its recruiting model last year to add earlier official visits, starting April 1 of the junior year through the Sunday before the last Wednesday in June.
Men’s basketball allows official visits Jan. 1 of a prospective student-athlete’s junior year. Women’s basketball recruits can take an official visit beginning the Thursday following the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship game of the prospective student-athlete’s junior year in high school.
Additionally, athletics departments can’t participate in a recruit’s unofficial visit until Sept. 1 of the recruit’s junior year in high school, and recruiting conversations during a school’s camp or clinic can’t happen before Sept. 1 of the junior year. Both rules apply to all sports but football and basketball, which have their own rules.
