Off-Campus Recruiting Policy
Robert Morris University’s Office of Athletic Compliance has implemented this policy as guidance in the monitoring of off-campus recruiting activities for all Coaches.
In the case of in-person off-campus CONTACTS, coaches are required to document the following on the Contact Summary Form: name of the prospect, date and time of the encounter, location, whether other individuals were present and the total number of off-campus contacts to date. Contacts should be counted regardless of the time period the contact occurs (e.g. inside or outside RMU's academic year). All contacts are subject to recruiting calendar restrictions.
In the case of in-person off-campus EVALUATIONS, coaches are required to document the following on the Evaluation Summary Form: name of the event, date and time of the evaluation, location, type of evaluation, names of specific prospects targeted for evaluation during the event, and a list of all other prospects participating while evaluation of the target prospects was occurring (most commonly completed by submitting a copy of the team rosters or tournament booklet with highlighted names). Finally, do not forget to "check" the box indicating whether the evaluation occurred in the summer (outside RMU's academic year), as evaluations during the summer time period should be documented but do not count against the annual number of recruiting opportunities. All evaluations are subject to recruiting calendar restrictions.
In specific sports NCAA rules require record of the total "evaluation days" (Football - 42, Softball - 50, Women's Volley ball - 80) and "recruiting person days" (Men's Basketball - 130, Women's Basketball - 100) during the academic year. An "evaluation day" is defined as one coach engaged in the evaluation of any prospect on one day. Two coaches making evaluations on the same day shall use two evaluation days. A "recruiting person day" is a coach engaged in ANY off-campus recruiting activity (including activities with student-athletes who have signed an NLI) on one day. Two coaches engaged in recruiting activities on the same day shall use two recruiting-person days. Each of the aforementioned sports with limitations in either of these areas will be required to submit their sport's respective Evaluation Day or Recruiting Person Day form by August 1st following the most recent academic year. Forms can be found in the "Recruiting" section of the All Forms page on this site.
SUMMARY
- Football - limited to 42 evaluation days during the fall evaluation period. Institutions are limited to six in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts per prospect at any given site, only three of which may be evaluations during the academic year. Not more than one evaluation may be used during the fall evaluation period and not more than two evaluations may be used during the April 15 through May 31 evaluation period. An authorized off-campus recruiter may use one evaluation to assess the prospective student-athlete’s athletics ability and one evaluation to assess the prospective student-athlete’s academic qualifications during the spring period. If an institution’s coaching staff member conducts both an athletics and an academic evaluation of the prospective student-athlete on the same day during the spring evaluation period, the institution shall be charged with the use of an academic evaluation only and shall be permitted to conduct a second athletics evaluation of the prospective student-athlete on a separate day during this evaluation period.
- Men’s Basketball - limited to seven recruiting opportunities (contacts and evaluations combined) during the academic year per prospective student athlete; however during the prospective student athlete’s senior year, the institution is limited to not more than three in-person, off campus contacts and 130 recruiting-person days during the academic year contact and evaluation periods (Bylaw 13.02.7). During the Fall Contact Period and Academic Year Evaluation Period, evaluations at sites other than prospective student-athletes' educational institutions are prohibited during the fall contact period. Evaluations of live athletics activities shall be limited to: Regularly scheduled high school, preparatory school and two-year college contests/tournaments and practices; and Regular scholastic activities involving prospective student-athletes enrolled only at the institution at which the regular scholastic activities occur. During the Spring Contact Period evaluations at nonscholastic events are prohibited during these periods. Evaluations of live athletics activities during these periods shall be limited to: Regularly scheduled high school, preparatory school and two-year college contests/tournaments and practices; and Regular scholastic activities involving prospective student-athletes enrolled only at the institution at which the regular scholastic activities occur. During the Summer Evaluation Period, a member of an institution’s basketball coaching staff may attend institutional basketball camps per bylaw 13.12.1.1; and non-institutional organized events (e.g., camps leagues, tournaments and festivals) that are certified per Bylaw 30.15.
- Women’s Basketball - limited to five recruiting opportunities (contacts and evaluations combined) per prospect and not more than three may be in-person off-campus contacts during the prospective student-athlete’s senior year (see Bylaw 13.1.6.6). Women’s basketball staff members shall not exceed 100 recruiting-person days during the academic year contact and evaluation periods. Evaluations of live athletics activities during the academic year may occur at regularly scheduled high school, preparatory school and two-year college contests/tournaments and practices; and pick-up games and open gyms. Evaluations at non-scholastic events during the prospective student-athlete's academic year shall only occur during the last full weekend (including Friday, Saturday and Sunday) of the fall contact period and the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the spring evaluation period. During the summer evaluation period, a member institution's basketball coaching staff may attend non-institutional non-organized events (e.g., pick-up games), institutional basketball camps per Bylaw 13.12.1.1 and non-institutional organized events (e.g., camps, leagues, tournaments and festivals) that are certified per Bylaw 30.16.
- Softball - limited to 50 evaluation days (August 1 - July 31) per Bylaw 13.02.6.2, which do not include employment of coaches in instructional camps/clinics or the observation of prospects participating in high school softball competition.
- Women's Volleyball - limited to 80 evaluation days (measured August 1 through July 31) per Bylaw 13.02.6.2. A coach's employment activities in instructional camps/clinics do not count toward the evaluation days limitation. A coach's involvement outside the contact/evaluation period with a local sports club per Bylaw 13.11.2.3 shall count toward the limit.
- Sports other than Football and Basketball - limited to seven recruiting opportunities (contacts and evaluations combined) per prospective student-athlete (see Bylaw 13.1.6.6). During the senior year of high school, not more than three of the seven opportunities may be off-campus contacts at any site and shall include contacts with the prospective student-athlete's relatives or legal guardians, but shall not include contacts made during an official visit per Bylaw 13.6
The Office of Athletic Compliance reviews each coaching staff’s monthly recruiting logs, and logs all contacts and evaluations in the NCAA’s CA database to make sure that any recruiting activity occurred during a permissible recruiting period and the limits on contacts and evaluations has not been exceeded.
In the case where it appears that the number of permissible contacts and/or evaluations was exceeded, the Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance reviews the situation with the appropriate coaching staff member to determine if a violation of NCAA Rules involving telephone calls has occurred.
ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY
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