CSMAS approves Cardiac Advisory Group

During its meeting this week, the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports  approved the commissioning of a Cardiac Advisory Group.

The advisory group is charged with reviewing and making recommendations to update the 2016 NCAA Cardiac Care Best Practices document. 

The Cardiac Care Best Practices support schools in evaluating their cardiac care plans and include information about the preparticipation evaluation of student-athletes and emergency action plans for cardiac arrest. Division I schools are required to attest annually to being in compliance with the Cardiac Care Best Practices as part of the Division I Core Guarantees.

It is expected that at its September meeting, CSMAS will approve the advisory group's charter, which will include the list of organizations and membership representatives to be included in the work. The updated Cardiac Care Best Practices may be available for the 2028-29 academic year.

NCAA Injury Surveillance Program substudy  

Committee members approved Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport as the inaugural topic for an NCAA Injury Surveillance Program substudy.

The substudy will allow schools to contribute additional data, including enhanced clinical detail and injury context, to help examine questions like: Are student-athletes with indicators of REDs at higher risk of injury?

The committee noted membership interest, strategic alignment and  the substudy's potential to add meaningful contributions to literature where there is a current gap as the rationale for selecting REDs as the substudy's focus.

Concussion Safety Advisory Group

The committee added stunt to the Concussion Safety Protocol Checklist as a contact/collision sport that requires medical personnel with training in the diagnosis, treatment and initial management of acute concussion to be present at all NCAA competitions and available during all NCAA practices. 

At the 2026 NCAA Convention, all three divisions approved stunt as an NCAA championship sport, with its first NCAA championship projected for spring 2027.