Recruiting

Most schools try hard to comply with recruiting bylaws that support the NCAA’s underlying principles of fairness and integrity. The rules define who may be involved in the recruiting process, when recruiting may occur and the conditions under which recruiting may be conducted. Recruiting rules seek, as much as possible, to control intrusions into the lives of prospective student-athletes.

The NCAA defines recruiting as “any solicitation of prospective student-athletes or their parents by an institutional staff member or by a representative of the institution’s athletics interests for the purpose of securing a prospective student-athlete’s enrollment and ultimate participation in the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program.”

Most NCAA recruiting violations are inadvertent. Problems can range from occasional improper phone calls and text messages to the more serious matters such as the funneling of cash and other illegal benefits to prospective student-athletes and their families.

Evolving technology presents unique challenges in recruiting. The NCAA position states new technology can be used so long as it complies with the spirit and, where updated, the letter of already existing guidelines. For example, schools cannot text prospective student-athletes at any time, but they can e-mail during permissible contact periods. Schools can do so even from social media platforms such as Facebook. Texting was eliminated because of the potential cost to prospective student-athletes.

As part of its effort to ensure fairness in the recruiting process, the NCAA also seeks to control recruiting excesses. Recent examples include prohibiting college football coaches from arriving at high school football games in helicopters to impress potential recruits and restricting the nature of entertainment during official visits. 

Recruiting philosophies differ among divisions. For example, because of its community-oriented philosophy, Division II recruiting rules allow recruits to participate in certain community-engagement activities hosted on campus. Those activities might be regarded as a special benefit in Division I.

Issues with recruiting are more common in men’s sports, although recruiting issues in women’s sports are on the rise. Of the issues in male sports, most occur in the sports of basketball and football.