Oakland University Athletics

If you want to be a student-athlete at Oakland University or any other institution, or if you are a parent of a child who hopes to do so, there are several things you should know regarding NCAA eligibility requirements and the recruiting process. A great resource for explaining many of these requirements is the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete, available for download for FREE via NCAA Publications.

Every college-bound student-athlete must be certified academically and as an amateur by the NCAA Eligibility Center prior to competing in Division I athletics. Prospects need to register with the NCAA Eligibility at the beginning of their junior year in high school. They can do so by clicking here.

In order to be academically certified, prospects need to have all official transcripts and test scores sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center. All SAT and ACT test scores must be reported to the Eligibility Center directly from the testing agency. When registering for the SAT or ACT, prospects should input the code 9999 to make sure that the score is reported directly to the Eligibility Center.

Please explore the resources on this website for more information relevant to prospects pursuing participation in Division I athletics or refer to the College Board as a testing agency. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Athletic Compliance Office anytime.

Who is a Booster?
A booster is an individual that:

• Promotes the Oakland University athletics program.
• Makes a financial contribution to athletics or its booster organizations.
• Provides benefits (e.g., jobs, occasional meals) to enrolled student-athletes.
• Has purchased season tickets for any Oakland University athletics program.

It is important to remember that once an individual has been identified as a booster, he or she retains that status forever.


Initial Eligibility
In order to practice, play and get a scholarship at an NCAA Division I university, a prospect must complete the following:

• Graduate from high school;
• Complete a minimum of 16 core courses;
• Present the required grade-point average (GPA);
• Present a qualifying test score on either the ACT or SAT; and
• Request final amateurism certification

Core Courses
NCAA Division I currently requires prospects to complete 16 core courses. A core course is a four-year preparatory class in English, Mathematics, Natural/Physical Science, Social Science, foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy that is at or above the regular academic level of classes at a prospect's high school. College-bound student-athletes must complete core-course requirements in eight semesters beginning when they initially started high school with their ninth grade class.

The 16 core courses must consist of:

• 4 years of English
• 3 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher)
• 2 years of natural/physical science
• 1 year of additional English, mathematics or natural/physical science
• 2 years of social science
• 4 years of additional courses (from any area above, foreign language or comparative religion/philosophy)

Prospects are required to complete 10 core courses prior to the start of the seventh semester (seven of the 10 core courses must be a combination of English, Math or Natural/Physical science). These 10 courses become "locked in" at the seventh semester and cannot be retaken for grade improvement. If a prospect fails to meet the 10 course requirement they would not be eligible to compete in their first year. Also, the 10/7 requirement applies to domestic students only.

Test Scores
NCAA Division I uses a sliding scale to match test scores and core GPA. The sliding scale can be found on the NCAA Eligibility Center Quick Reference Guide.

The SAT score used for NCAA purposes includes only the critical reading and math sections. The writing section of the SAT is not used. For more information about the SAT and to find out upcoming SAT test dates, visit their website here.

The ACT score used for NCAA purposes is the sum of the following four sections: English, mathematics, reading and science. For more information about the ACT and to find out upcoming ACT test dates, visit their website here.

Grade Point Average
Only courses that appear on a prospect's high school's List of NCAA Courses, will be used in calculating their GPA. For a complete of list of your school's NCAA Courses go to the NCAA Eligibility Center website and search under resources.

Using the sliding scale found on the NCAA Eligibility Quick Reference Guide, the minimum GPA required to receive athletics aid, practice and compete is 2.000.

Prospects are required to have a minimum GPA of 2.300 to be eligible for competition and a minimum GPA of 2.000 to be eligible to receive athletics aid and practice in their first year.

Amateurism
Only an amateur student-athlete is eligible for intercollegiate athletics participation in a particular sport. Because of this, all freshmen and transfer student-athletes initially enrolling at a Division I institution are required to complete the amateurism certification process with the NCAA Eligibility Center. The amateurism certification ensures that NCAA amateurism regulations are applied uniformly for incoming student-athletes.

The NCAA Eligibility Center may review the following high school athletics activities in determining a college-bound student-athlete's amateurism status:

• Contracts with a professional team.
• Salary for participating in athletics.
• Prize money.
• Play with professionals.
• Tryouts, practice or competition with a professional team.
• Benefits from an agent or prospective agent.
• Agreement to be represented by an agent.
• Delayed initial full-time collegiate enrollment to participate in organized competition.

In order for the NCAA to gather information regarding these activities, each prospect is asked to answer questions regarding his or her sports participation history when he or she registers with the eligibility center here.

By answering questions, each prospect helps the NCAA capture a picture of the prospect's amateur status and to identify any potential issues that might conflict with NCAA rules. If the agreed-upon facts of the prospect's history indicate a violation occurred, an eligibility penalty will be imposed based on the severity of the violations. Penalties include repayment of money, sitting out a specified number of games or, in rare cases, permanent ineligibility.

Amateur Athletic Clubs
Prospects may participate in amateur sports clubs as long as they do not receive expenses in excess of travel, lodging or equipment for practice or competition. A prospect may accept prize money based on performance in an open competition as long as the prize is awarded by the sponsor of the event and the amount of the prize does not exceed the prospect's expenses to compete in the event.

Who is a Prospect?
Who is a prospect?
A prospect is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In men's basketball and softball, a student who has started classes for the seventh grade is a prospect (13.12.1.1.1).

How long does an individual remain a prospect?
An individual remains a prospect until one of the following occurs (whichever takes place earliest):

• The individual registers and enrolls in a minimum full-time program of studies and attends classes in any term of four-year institution's regular academic year (excluding summer); or
• The individual participates in a regular squad practice or competition at a four-year institution that occurs before the beginning of any term;
• The individual officially registers and enrolls and attends classes during the summer prior to initial enrollment and receives athletically-related financial aid.
• The individual participates in required summer athletic activities before his or her initial full-time enrollment at the certifying institution;
•  The individual reports to an institutional orientation session that is open to all incoming students within 14 calendar days prior to the opening day of classes of a regular academic year term.

When does a prospect become a recruited prospect for Oakland University?

A prospect becomes a recruited prospect for Oakland University when any of the following occurs:

• (a) Providing the prospective student-athlete with an official visit;
• (b) Having an arranged, in-person, off-campus encounter with the prospective student-athlete or the prospective student-athlete's family members; or
• (c) Issuing a National Letter of Intent or the institution's written offer of athletically related financial aid to the prospective student-athlete. Issuing a written offer of athletically related financial aid to a prospective student-athlete to attend a summer session prior to full-time enrollment does not cause the prospective student-athlete to become recruited.

Recruiting Periods and Contacts
Contact Period -- A period when it is permissible for authorized Athletic Department staff members to make in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations with prospective student-athletes.

Evaluation Period -- A period when it is permissible for authorized Athletic Department staff members to be involved in off-campus activities to assess the academic qualifications and playing ability of prospective student-athletes. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall be made with any prospective student-athletes during an evaluation period.

Quiet Period -- A period when it is permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on an institution's campus. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts or evaluations may be made during a quiet period.

Dead Period -- A period when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off-campus or permit official or unofficial visits by prospective student-athletes to an institution's campus. During a dead period, coaches may still place telephone calls to prospective student-athletes who are permitted to receive telephone calls and coaches can write to PSAs as well.

• 13.02.5.5.1 Exception -- Women's Volleyball. In women's volleyball, an institutional coaching staff member may have incidental contact with a two-year college prospective student-athlete who is attending and being honored at the annual American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) awards banquet, provided no recruiting conversation occurs. [D] (Adopted: 10/30/03, Revised: 10/30/14)
• 13.02.5.5.2 Exception -- After Commitment. Except for the application of Bylaw 13.02.5.5.2.1, a prospective student-athlete is no longer subject to the application of a dead period after one of the following events occurs: (Adopted: 1/16/10 effective 8/1/10, Revised: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11, 1/19/13 effective 8/1/13, 11/25/13, 4/6/16, 4/28/16 effective 8/1/16, 7/9/18)
  • (a) The prospective student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent (NLI) or the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid; or
  • (b) The institution receives a financial deposit in response to the institution's offer of admission.
  • In basketball and football, for institutions that subscribe to the National Letter of Intent program, this exception does not apply to an individual who only signs an institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid prior to the initial regular (as opposed to early) signing date of the National Letter of Intent program in the applicable sport. In sports other than basketball and football, for institutions that subscribe to the National Letter of Intent program, this exception does not apply to an individual who only signs an institution's written offer of admission prior to the initial signing date of the National Letter of Intent program in applicable sport.

Recruiting Shutdown -- A recruiting shutdown is a period of time when no form of recruiting (e.g., contacts, evaluations, official or unofficial visits, correspondence or making or receiving telephone calls) is permissible.

Recruiting Materials

• The following recruiting materials may be provided to a prospect (or his or her parents or legal guardians) at any time:
  • Camp or Clinic Brochures
  • Questionnaires
  • NCAA Educational Material Published by the NCAA (e.g., NCAA Guide for College-Bound Student-Athletes)
  • Non-athletics Institutional Publications (e.g., official academic and admissions publications)

Official and Unofficial Visits
Official Visits
Number Permitted
Men's Basketball: In men's basketball a prospective student-athlete may take a maximum of five expense-paid visits to Division I institutions from August 1 through July 31 of his junior year of high school, five additional visits from August 1 of his senior year of high school through October 14 following his completion of high school and five visits beginning October 15 following his completion of high school, including visits related to a possible transfer. 

First Opportunity to Visit

Men’s Basketball: A prospective student-athlete may take an official visit beginning August 1st of their Junior year in high school.

Women’s Basketball: A prospective student-athlete may take an official visit beginning the Thursday following the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship game of the prospect's Junior year in high school.
13.6.2.1.4.1 July Evaluation Periods -- In women's basketball, an institution may not provide an expense-paid visit to a prospective student-athlete during the July evaluation periods (see Bylaw 13.1.5.5.2), unless the prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or the institution's written offer of admission and/or financial aid or the institution has received her financial deposit in response to its offer of admission. 

Sports other than sports other than baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse, and softball: In sports other than baseball, basketball, football, lacrosse and softball, a prospective student-athlete may not be provided an expense-paid visit earlier than August 1 of his or her junior year in high school.

Baseball, Lacrosse, Softball: a PSA may not be provided an expense-paid visit earlier that September 1 of his or her Junior year of high school.

Requirements PRIOR to Visit

• Prospective student-athlete must provide a high school (or college) academic transcript and an ACT or SAT test score. If no test score is available, registration for a future exam is also acceptable.
• Prospective student-athlete must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center and be placed on Oakland University’s institutional request list (IRL).

Length of Official Visit
An official visit may not exceed 48 hours.

Expenses Oakland University May Pay For
Travel expenses -- Airfare or mileage for the prospective student-athlete, provided he or she returns to the original point of departure, their home, educational institution, or competition site. Expenses may not exceed round trip transportation to/from the original point of departure. In sports other than basketball, only a prospective student-athlete's travel expenses may be paid. A prospect's friends or relatives may receive cost-free transportation to visit the campus only when traveling by automobile with either the prospect or a member of the coaching staff. An institution may only pay a prospect's actual costs for reasonable expenses (e.g., meals, lodging) incurred while traveling to and from campus for an official visit and may not pay any expenses for any of the prospect's friends or relatives. An institution may pay a prospect’s and their accompanying family members’ actual cost for meals and lodging incurred while traveling to and from campus for a prospect's official visit. In basketball, an institution may pay travel expenses for both a prospect and the prospect's parents or legal guardians (up to two people).

Lodging -- During the 48-hour visit period, lodging may be provided to the prospective student-athlete and up to four family members. In select instances, lodging may also be paid by the institution in the locale of campus prior to the visit for the prospect only.

Meals -- The prospect and up to four family members may be provided with three meals per day and an additional snack during the 48 hours of the visit. The prospect and his/her family must pay the cost of meals for additional persons not included in the four family members (e.g., friend).

Location Restriction -- While in the presence of coaches, prospects must remain on- campus or within a 30-mile radius of campus during an Official Visit. A prospect may interact off-campus with currently enrolled student-athletes as long as the off-campus interaction is not at the direction of the coaching staff.

Complimentary Admissions -- Per 13.6.7.2, A prospect may be provided up to five complimentary admissions to a home athletics event on an official visit. Admissions must be administered through a pass list.

Unofficial Visits
Definition -- A prospective student-athlete may visit an institution's campus at his or her own expense an unlimited number of times. Unofficial Visits may begin August 1 of their Junior year of high school for sports other than baseball, basketball, football, men’s ice hockey, lacrosse, and softball. For baseball, lacrosse, and softball, an unofficial visit can occur not before September 1 of their Junior year of high school. For men’s basketball, an unofficial visit occurs not before August 1 of their Sophomore year of high school. For women’s basketball and football, unofficial visits can occur at any time subject to recruiting calendar restrictions.

Location Restriction -- While in the presence of coaches, prospects must remain on- campus or within a 1 mile radius of campus during an Unofficial Visit. A prospect may interact off-campus with currently enrolled student-athletes as long as the off-campus interaction is not at the direction of the coaching staff.

Meals -- A prospect must pay the actual cost for any meals he or she eats on an unofficial visit.

Complimentary Admissions -- A prospect may be provided up to three complimentary admissions to a home athletics event on an unofficial visit. Admissions must be administered through a pass list. A prospect may be provided two additional complimentary admissions should they come from a non-traditional family (divorce, separation). An institution may not reserve additional tickets to be purchased by the prospect or those accompanying the prospect on an unofficial visit.

National Letter of Intent
Basics
The National Letter of Intent (NLI) is a binding agreement between a prospective student-athlete and an NLI member institution. With the agreement, a prospective student-athlete agrees to attend the institution full-time for one academic year (two semesters) and the institution agrees to provide athletically-related financial aid for at least one academic year (two semesters). If a student-athlete does not fulfill the NLI agreement, he or she must serve one year in residence (full-time, two semesters) at the next NLI member institution and lose one season of competition in all sports. For more information regarding NLIs, visit the NCAA website.

Signing Dates for prospective student-athletes:
Signing dates are posted for the current and immediately following academic years. You can find those signing dates HERE.

Prospects Who May Sign a NLI:
In order to sign an NLI, a high school or preparatory school prospective student-athlete must first register with the NCAA Eligibility Center, pay the fee, and complete the amateurism certification questionnaire.

The following prospective student-athletes may sign an NLI:

• Prospective student-athletes who will be attending a four-year institution for the first time as full-time students.
• 4-2-4 transfer student-athlete who is graduating from a two-year college.
• For more information on the NLI Guidelines and Interpretations, click here (PDF)

4-2-4 transfers are permitted to sign an NLI. If a 4-2-4 transfer has a previously signed NLI for the initial four-year institution, he or she must graduate from the two-year college to satisfy the NLI if the NLI is still binding.

• 4-2-4 transfers who do not have a previously signed NLI or who have satisfied the NLI at the initial four-year institution, do not have to graduate for NLI purposes but may need to the graduate to meet applicable NCAA transfer rule.

Four-year college transfers are not permitted to sign an NLI; therefore, are not bound by NLI signing dates to sign an athletics aid agreement.

Financial Aid Requirement
An NLI must be accompanied by a financial aid agreement from the institution. Offers of athletic aid are valid only if the offer is in writing on an official Oakland University Tender of Athletic Financial Aid form and signed by authorized university administrators. No other verbal or written communications are an offer or valid.

Dead Period Restrictions
The NLI initial signing date is surrounded by a dead period that starts at 12:01 AM on Monday prior to the initial date of signing and ends Thursday at midnight after the initial date of signing. Authorized Athletic Department staff may make unlimited telephone calls to prospects on the initial NLI signing date and the two days following the initial signing date.

Recruiting Ban After Signing
Once a prospective student-athlete signs a valid NLI, other institutions may not call, write, or have contact with the prospective student-athlete or their parents.