Navigating the Rules and Regulations of NCAA Division III Lacrosse

The landscape of NCAA lacrosse recruitment is complex, with varying rules across different divisions. For prospective student-athletes aiming for Division III lacrosse, understanding the specific regulations is crucial. While Division I and II have stringent guidelines, Division III offers a more relaxed approach, yet it's essential to be well-informed to make the most of the recruitment process and playing eligibility.

Division III "Redshirt" Rule Specifics

Spring-sport athletes on Division III teams need to understand that the “redshirt” rule is different from NCAA Division I and II. NCAA Division I and II athletes can practice with their team and as long as they do not appear in an actual game, that will be considered a “redshirt” year. However, NCAA Division III athletes will use one of their four “seasons of participation” if they practice with their team after the first game of the season - even if they never appear in an actual game against another team.

Recruiting Rules and Calendars: Division III

Unlike Divisions I and II, Division III colleges have more autonomy in setting their recruiting rules and schedules. Generally, they tend to contact athletes during their junior and senior years of high school. Notably, NCAA Division III college coaches aren't restricted by dead periods, recruiting periods, or silent periods.

Freshman and Sophomore Year: All recruiting material, phone calls, digital correspondence, and unofficial visits are permitted starting sophomore year.
Communication: Coaches may make as many calls as they like to athletes.
Visits: Athletes may make an unlimited number of unofficial visits to colleges.
Official Visits: Athletes can schedule official visits starting January 1 of their junior year.

General Recruiting Tips for Men's Lacrosse

Regardless of the division, it's beneficial for men’s lacrosse athletes to create an online profile showcasing game highlights, tournament results, and playing statistics to impress coaches. While the formal recruitment process might begin later, coaches keep an eye out for talent beforehand.

Understanding Recruiting Periods

At the Division 1 and Division 2 levels, various types of contact with college coaches are permitted at specific periods. Figure out what type of contact you can expect based on your age and the season by placing the NCAA Division 1 recruiting calendar for 2022-2023 and the NCAA Division 2 recruiting calendar for 2022-2023 on top of the recruiting rules. Note that some of the periods overlap.

Dead Periods

Potential men’s lacrosse recruits must also observe the “dead periods” of the recruitment calendar. A Dead Period is defined by the NCAA as that period of time where conducting in-person (face to face) recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off the campus are not allowed, and the colleges are not allowed to conduct official or unofficial visits for potential recruits to the campus.

Quiet Periods

Quiet Period: A quiet period is defined by the NCAA as that period of time when it is permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on the member institution’s campus. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts or evaluations may be made during the quiet period.

Contact Periods

Contact Period (Recruiting Period): A contact period is the time frame during which coaches may make in-person (face to face) contact with athletes and evaluate potential recruits off-campus.

Division I Men’s Lacrosse Athlete Recruitment Rules and Calendar

Freshman and Sophomore Year

At any time, an athlete may receive recruitment surveys, camp brochures and non-sports recruiting publications from Division 1 coaches.

Junior Year

September 1: Coaches can send athletes institutional publications, along with all other recruiting materials, as well as begin electronic correspondence with athletes. Athletes may call coaches and coaches may call athletes starting this date. Off-campus contact is allowed, however contact is limited to the athlete’s college or home. Athletes may conduct both official and unofficial visits as well. Coaches may make verbal offers to athletes.
Evaluations: There are a total of seven recruiting opportunities (contacts + evaluations) for each athlete per year. Starting September 1, only three out of seven contacts may occur off-campus.

Senior Year

There are no restrictions on the potential athlete recruit or head coaches on contact.

Division 3 Men’s Lacrosse Athlete Recruitment Rules and Calendar

There are no set Division 3 recruiting calendars - NCAA Division 3 college coaches are not restricted from recruiting during dead periods, recruiting periods, or silent periods. All recruiting material, phone calls, digital correspondence and unofficial visits are permitted starting sophomore year. Coaches may make as many calls as they like to athletes. Athletes may also make an unlimited number of unofficial visits to colleges.

Key Differences in Recruiting Rules

Division 1 college lacrosse coaches are held to the strictest recruiting rules of any NCAA sport regarding communication. Contact is not permitted between student-athletes and D1 college coaches until September 1 of the athlete’s junior year. While the NCAA has strict recruiting rules for D1 sports, some divisions have less restrictive recruiting rules that allow coaches to contact athletes earlier.

Preparing for Recruitment

While D1 official contact with college coaches won’t begin until September 1 of Junior year, there is a lot that prospects should be doing to prepare for that date. Getting on the radar of college coaches and letting them know you are interested is up to the student-athlete. Student-athletes will need to create a strong recruiting profile, capture and edit a quality highlights video and research potential schools prior to the start of the recruiting process.

While communication is not permitted before September 1 of the athlete’s junior year, D1 college coaches are still able to prepare for the recruiting process by researching student-athletes. This research includes viewing recruiting profiles and highlight videos, as well as watching the student-athlete’s performance at tournaments.

NCAA D1

Any time: Student-athletes can receive non-recruiting materials. College coaches can also begin sending recruiting materials and verbally offer scholarships.
September 1 of junior year: Student-athletes can begin scheduling unofficial visits and official visits after this date. College coaches can conduct off-campus evaluations. During the athlete’s junior year, evaluations can only occur at the recruit’s school or home.

NCAA D2

The same NCAA D2 recruiting rules apply to all sports.

Read also: Opportunities in DII Lacrosse

Non-recruiting materials: College coaches can send non-recruiting materials to student-athletes at any time. This includes camp NCAA materials, non-athletic recruiting publications, brochures and questionnaires.
Unofficial visits: Student-athletes can make unofficial visits at any time.
Official visits: Student-athletes may schedule official visits after June 15 of their sophomore year.

NCAA D3

NCAA D3 schools have the most lenient recruiting rules of all NCAA divisions.

Recruiting materials: Student-athletes may receive recruiting materials at any time.
Telephone calls: College coaches are not restricted on when they can call athletes.
Digital communications: College coaches are permitted to contact athletes digitally at any time.
Official visits: Official visits can begin starting January 1 of an athlete’s junior year.
Unofficial visits: There is no limit to the number of unofficial visits athletes can make.

NAIA

NAIA recruiting traditionally begins later in the recruiting period, as NAIA coaches often look to recruit student-athletes who missed out on an offer from a D1 school. Coaches and athletes are held to fewer and less strict recruiting rules, as compared to the NCAA and are free to communicate at any time during high school.

Dead periods: This period prevents coaches from any in-person contact with recruits and/or their parents.
Contact period: Contact between athletes and coaches is restricted to camp and clinic information, until June 15 after the sophomore year. It is at this time that coaches are also allowed to extend verbal offers.

The Importance of Preparation

The NCAA rules on Division 1 communication were designed to stop all forms of recruiting conversations and early offers before September 1st of an athlete’s junior year of high school. The only forms of communication a college coach can have is with a recruit’s club or high school coach, but even those conversations are limited to simple yes or no answers to the questions of recruiting. But early recruiting can still occur before communication between college coaches and recruits is permitted.

Before September 1st, D1 college coaches are free to research student-athletes by viewing recruiting profiles, watching highlight videos and watching the student-athlete’s performance at games. When communication with D1 coaches is permitted, starting September 1st of an athlete’s junior year, college coaches will have already done their research and can begin to build a relationship with athletes they are interested in recruiting.

Key Dates for D1 Recruitment

September 1 of junior year: Unofficial visits or official visits are not permitted before this date. Off-campus evaluations can begin. During the athlete’s junior year, evaluations can only occur at the recruit’s school or home.
Non-recruiting materials: Athletes may receive non-recruiting materials, including camp brochures, questionnaires, and NCAA materials and non-athletic recruiting publications at any time.
Unofficial visits: Unofficial visits are permitted at any time.
Official visits: Starting June 15 after an athlete’s sophomore year, athletes may schedule official visits.

tags: #division #3 #ncaa #lacrosse #rules #and