NCAA Regulations

As a friend of Missouri Southern State University and supporter of its athletic program, the NCAA requires that you adhere to the same regulations as the coaches, administrators and staff members in the Athletic Department. Because of this, it is important that you be aware of the rules that govern athletics so that you can avoid unintentional rule violations. Such infractions can be embarrassing to you and harm the athletic program and the students of Missouri Southern State University.

ATHLETICS REPRESENTATIVES
The NCAA considers you a team member and gives you the title "Athletics Representative" if you have done one or more of the following:

* Been a member of the Lionbacker Booster Club or promoted MSSC intercollegiate athletics through any other organization.

* Made a financial contribution to the Athletic Department, whether done directly or through a booster organization.

* Assisted in the recruitment of prospects or have ever had an Athletic Department Staff member request your assistance.

* Promoted the athletic program of Missouri Southern State University in any other manner.

If you have been involved in any of the above activities, you are bound by the NCAA's governing regulations. Once you have been identified as an athletic representative, you retain this identity permanently. "Once an athletics representative, always an athletics representative."

Some of the NCAA restrictions applied toward athletics representatives are listed below. If you have any questions about these or other possible restrictions you should contact the NCAA Compliance Coordinator or the Athletics Director at Missouri Southern State University.

* An athletics representative is prohibited from making face-to-face, on-or-off campus recruiting contacts, and written or telephone communications with a recruitable prospect or the prospect's relatives or legal guardians.

* An athletics representative may view a prospect's athletic contest on his or her own initiative, subject to the understanding that the athletics representative may not contact the prospect on such occasions.

* An athletics representative may not contact a prospect's coach, counselor or principal in an attempt to evaluate the prospect.

* An athletics representative may not visit the prospect's educational institution to pick up film or transcripts pertaining to the evaluation of the prospect's academic eligibility or athletic ability.

* An athletics representative may not entertain or contact a prospect or the prospect's relative or legal guardians on the official visit to campus.

* An athletics representative may contact a prospective student athlete who has signed the National Letter of Intent regarding summer employment only and may discuss factors such as wages, responsibilities and starting dates. Topics related to his or her athletic future at Missouri Southern State University may not be discussed. Please contact the Athletic Department prior to any such contact with a student athlete.

* An athletics representative may not provide any benefit or special arrangement for a current student athlete or the student athlete's relative or friends, not available to the institution's general student body, or specifically approved by the MSSC Compliance Office.

Missouri Southern State University supports the spirit, as well as the strict interpretation, of all NCAA regulations. It voluntarily participates in the NCAA and accepts the obligation and responsibility to uphold the principles of the legislation and to operate its athletic program in compliance with the rules and regulations of the association.

NCAA Recruiting Rules Summary

NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse
* Initiate registration with the Clearinghouse by completing a NCAA student release form during your junior year. See your guidance counselor for forms and evaluation of your eligibility status.

Correspondence
* Letters/printed material are permitted from coaches (or others at the institution) beginning September 1 of your junior year.

Phone Calls
* May begin June 15 after completion of your junior year.
* Limited to one per week to prospect or parent(s). (One call per institution, i.e. coach or faculty member or other athletic department personnel.) There are exceptions at the times surrounding official visits, home visits and signing dates.
* Prospect or parent(s) may phone a coach as often as they wish.
* Enrolled collegiate student-athletes may not make recruiting calls.
* You may telephone enrolled collegiate student-athletes at your own expense.
* E-mail is not considered a phone call, therefore, is not limited.

Contacts
* Definition - Any face-to-face encounter during which dialogue occurs.
* A college coach may contact a prospect or parent(s) off their campus beginning June 15 after your junior year.
* Limit of 3 contacts per institution.
* A coach may not contact a prospect during competition.
* A coach may contact parents during competition.

Evaluations
* Definition - Any off-campus activity designed to assess athletics and/or academics.
* There is no limit to the number of evaluations an institution may conduct in Div. II.

Tryouts
* Division II institutions may conduct one tryout per prospect per sport on its campus, not to exceed two hours in length.
* Only seniors who have completed their sport season or are in a term other than the "traditional" sport season may participate.
* The prospect or (if under age 18) the prospect's parent(s) must sign a waiver absolving Missouri Southern State University of any and all responsibility should an injury occur.
* A medical examination of a prospect may be permitted as part of the tryout.
* Prospect's strength, speed, agility and sport skills may be tested; Football, ice hockey, lacrosse, and wrestling tryouts may not include competition. * During the academic year, competition is permissible against the member institution's team in a tryout.
* An institution may provide clothing and equipment to a prospect if it is returned at the conclusion of the tryout.
* During the academic year, competition is permissible against the member institution's team in a tryout.
 

Unofficial Visits
* A visit made to the institution at the prospect's own expense.
* May make unofficial visits an unlimited number of times.
* May be made before your senior year in high school.

Official Visits
* A visit made to the institution's campus at the expense of that institution.
* Maximum of 5.
* Only one per institution.
* 48-hour limit.
* You must be registered with the NCAA Clearinghouse and appear on MSSU's IRL prior to the visit.
* You must provide the college with an academic transcript and an ACT or SAT test score prior to the visit.
* Entertainment money may not be used to buy souvenirs for yourself.
* Prospect may receive transportation.
* Prospect and parents may receive meals, lodging and admission to campus events.
* A prospect visiting an institution may participate in physical workouts provided the activities are not organized or observed by members of the coaching staff.

Rule Differences Between Divisions
* Boosters: Div. I - Boosters and alumni may not be involved in recruiting.
Div. II - Boosters and alumni may write letters and send e-mail to you. They may not be involved in off-campus recruiting or place phone calls.
Div. III - Alumni, boosters may contact you off campus.

* Tryouts: Div. II - Allowed on any visit, with restrictions (release form).
Div. I & III - Not allowed.

National Letter of Intent (NLI)
* Your commitment is to the school, not the coach.
* When you sign, you agree to attend that institution for at least one academic year. If you fail to do so, you will lose two years eligibility and must sit out for two years at another college. The only exception is if you obtain a Qualified Release Agreement, in which case you must complete one year of residence there and lose one year of eligibility.
* Applies only to those institutions that participate in the NLI.

For Your Information
* For more information on the many aspects of collegiate athletics, visit the "NCAA On-line" at www.NCAA.org. For details on eligibility requirements,refer to the Guide for the College Bound Athlete within the website.
* You may also call the Missouri Southern Athletics Department at 1-877-946-6772 with any questions you may have.