North Hunterdon grad Shayne Fontana played for Division 2 Lynn University.
(Diamond Nation.com details in a series of articles how NCAA recruiting changes under COVID-19 will affect you as an athlete. We continue today with the Division 2 level, where there is much to absorb. We’ll conclude the series tomorrow with updates on the latest Division 1 recruiting updates. The Division 3 updates were addressed yesterday on Diamond Nation.com).
The NCAA has issued an extensive guide to address developments under COVID-19. The original guide was released on March 27 and has since been updated on April 16.
The NCAA had acted quickly to come to the aid of student-athletes. In mid-March, the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility to all college student-athletes, in addition to allowing schools to, “assist students with travel, lodging and meals as a result of campus displacement.”
Please be aware the NCAA says updates will be made on a continuous basis following weekly teleconferences of the Division 2 Administrative Committee.
These are directions that affect both current college athletes and prospective college athletes. Here is what you need to know.
Division 2 implemented a dead period in all sports through at least May 31. Institutional staff members are permitted to write or telephone a prospective student-athlete during a dead period, but cannot engage in in-person recruiting contact on or off campus.
Institutional camps and clinics are not permitted during the dead period in place through at least May 31.
The NCAA’s cancellation of winter and spring championships in 2020 does not impact the NCAA catastrophic injury insurance program.
A resolution was adopted to specify that institutional athletics aid agreements can be issued beginning April 15, 2020.
If a prospective student-athlete is unable to obtain a grade report, the institution may file a legislative relief waiver for review on a case-by-case basis.
It is permissible for an institution’s financial aid office to include athletics aid information in communications sent to prospective student-athletes during the dead period through May 31 as long as the prospective student-athlete has signed an athletics aid agreement prior to the dead period beginning March 13.
It is NOT permissible for a school to host an institutional camp or clinic during the dead period through May 31.
It is permissible for the coach to be involved with a local sports club during the dead period through May 31; however, it is not permissible for that individual to recruit on behalf of the institution or for an institution or local sports club to finance recruiting activities during a dead period.
It is NOT permissible for a prospective student-athlete to take a previously scheduled official or unofficial visit during the dead period through May 31?
It is permissible for a coaching staff member to take part in a general admissions virtual campus visit (e.g., Zoom, Skype, Twitter) during the recruiting dead period through May 31.
It would also be permissible for prospective student-athletes to join any general admissions opportunity at a college that is available to the general prospective students.
It is NOT permissible for an institution or its staff members to conduct an institutional camp or clinic or tryout during a recruiting dead period.
It is NOT permissible for a coaching staff member to work an online/virtual camp and clinic (e.g., Zoom, Skype, Twitter) during the recruiting dead period through May 31?
It is permissible for a coaching staff member to conduct a virtual recruiting visit (e.g., Zoom, Skype, Twitter) during the recruiting dead period through May 31. If a coach is going to conduct a visit online, it must be private between the prospective student-athlete and the coach. This restriction does not apply if the prospective student-athlete has signed with the institution.
It is permissible for a coaching staff member to send workouts to a prospective student-athlete that signed an athletics aid agreement or NLI with the institution following the cancellation of a prospective student-athlete’s high school season.
It is permissible for a prospective student-athlete that signed an athletics aid agreement or NLI to participate in team meetings provided that the meeting does not involve physical activity.
Institutions are still required to request permission to make contact before contacting a prospective student-athlete currently enrolled at another institution.
For a comprehensive review of the Division 2 recruiting updates go to the NCAA’s website at: http://www.ncaa.org/sport-science-institute/coronavirus-covid-19.