Not surprisingly, the NCAA has reset its recruiting trail policies.
As the coronavirus pandemic effectively shuttered the sports world, the NCAA announced in mid-March that it was putting a halt to all in-person recruiting until at least April 15. Last month, that dead period was extended through May 31. Earlier this month, the NCAA stated it’d revisit that May 31 date on the 13th of this month.
Today is ***checks watch*** May 13. In that vein, the NCAA confirmed that it has extended the recruiting dead period through June 30. The Association did, though, state that it will review that date May 27. At that time, they could extend the in-person ban out even further.
Division I extends its recruiting dead period. pic.twitter.com/Gt2Aq1Mkb9
— NCAA PR (@NCAA_PR) May 13, 2020
“The dead period began in March to protect the health, safety and well-being of prospective student-athletes and their families, as well as coaches,” the organization earlier this month. “NCAA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Brian Hainline addressed the group and discussed the resocialization of sports guidelines released last week to help guide their decision-making.”
The guidelines mentioned above included the NCAA’s nine core principles for the eventual return of college sports.
The NCAA also issued additional guidelines related to recruiting:The committee also granted waivers of recruiting rules effective May 11 to make them more flexible during the dead period the group imposed, which currently lasts through May 31. For example, any school staff member may participate on recruiting calls between a countable coach and a recruit. In normal circumstances, only coaches, and a few others in limited situations, may communicate with uncommitted prospective student-athletes via telephone or video calls.
The committee also lifted the restriction on the number of uncommitted prospective student-athletes (and their family members) who may participate in a recruiting call with a countable coach.
Additionally, current student-athletes may now participate in recruiting calls with coaches, as long as that time counts against the eight hours of countable athletics related activity that the committee permitted in all sports earlier this spring.
Finally, committed prospective student-athletes may participate in virtual team activities after completion of all academic requirements for high school graduation or transfer to a Division I school. Uncommitted prospects could on one occasion observe such activities but not participate.