2017-18 NCAA Division I Legislative Cycle Update
The following proposals with impact on Cross Country and Track and Field were approved by the NCAA Division I Council on April 18, 2018.
USTFCCCA Submitted Proposals
2017-20 – Athletics Eligibility — Seasons of Competition: Five-Year Rule — Delayed Enrollment — Seasons of Competition — Service Exceptions (Effective Immediately)
Participation in organized competition during time spent in the armed services, on official religious missions or with recognized foreign aid services of the U.S. government are exempt from the application of the delayed enrollment and seasons of competition legislation. Read more…
From Dean Hayes’s “Military/Service Exemption from Organized Competition/Delayed Enrollment” proposal approved at 2014 USTFCCCA Convention
2017-44 – Recruiting — Recruiting Calendars — Cross Country/Track and Field (Effective August 1, 2018)
In cross country and track and field, to create a dead period in place of the December quiet period and an extended evaluation period in place of the August quiet period in the recruiting calendar. Read more…
From Recruiting Calendar Working Group Recommendation approved at 2016 USTFCCCA Convention
13.17.9 Cross Country/Track and Field. The following periods of recruiting shall apply to cross country and track and field:
(a) August 1-21: Evaluation Period
(b) August 22 through the second Sunday in December [except for (1) and (2) below]: Contact Period
(1) Monday through Thursday of the week that includes the initial date for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent: Dead Period
(2) The day of the Division I Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships: Dead Period
(c) The day after the second Sunday in December through January 1: Dead Period
(d) January 2 through July 31 [except for (1) through (3) below]: Contact Period
(1) The first day of the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships through the day of the completion of the championships: Dead Period
(2) Monday through Thursday of the week that includes the initial date of the spring signing of the National Letter of Intent: Dead Period
(3) The first day of the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships through the day of the completion of the championships: Dead Period
Contact Period: A contact period is a period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics department staff members to make in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations.
Evaluation Period: An evaluation period is a period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics department staff members to be involved in off-campus activities designed to assess the academic qualifications and playing ability of prospective student-athletes. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts shall be made with the prospective student-athlete during an evaluation period.
Dead Period: A dead period is a period of time when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off the institution’s campus or to permit official or unofficial visits by prospective student-athletes to the institution’s campus. It remains permissible, however, for an institutional staff member to write or telephone a prospective student-athlete during a dead period.
Note: The Collegiate Commissioners Association is currently considering our proposal to have a single signing period that opens in November and remains open through August 1. The proposal is now being considered for all sports except football. If the CCA approves this proposal, the dead period around the spring signing date (13.17.9(d)(2)) would be eliminated.
2017-77 – Playing and Practice Seasons — Segments of Playing Season — Eliminate Two Segment Limit — Cross Country and Track And Field (Effective August 1, 2018)
In cross country and track and field, eliminate the restriction on dividing the playing season into not more than two distinct segments. Institutions may divide the 156/144-day playing season into as many segments as they wish, with off-season weeks scheduled between in-season segments. Each segment must consist of at least one week. Start and end dates for each season remain the same. Read more…
From Pat Henry’s “Provide Flexibility in 156/144-day season” proposal approved at 2013 USTFCCCA Convention
Non-USTFCCCA Proposals
2017-33 – Recruiting — Official (Paid) Visit — One Visit Limitation — Additional Visit after Commitment and Departure of Head Coach — Sports Other Than Football (Effective August 1, 2018)
After a new head coach is hired, an institution may finance one additional visit for a prospective student-athlete who previously received an official visit to the institution. Read more…
2017-111 – Recruiting — Official (Paid) Visit — First Opportunity To Visit — September 1 Of Junior Year — Sports Other Than Basketball And Football (Effective August 1, 2018)
In sports other than basketball and football, an institution may provide an official visit to a prospective student-athlete beginning September 1 of the prospective student-athlete’s junior year in high school. The previous date was the opening day of classes of the PSA’s senior year. Read more…
2017-112 – Recruiting — Unofficial (Unpaid) Visits — First Opportunity To Visit — September 1 Of Junior Year — Sports Other Than Basketball And Football (Effective Immediately)
In sports other than basketball and football, an unofficial visit with athletics department involvement (e.g., contact with athletics department staff, athletics-specific tour, complimentary admission) shall not occur with an individual (or his or her relatives or legal guardians) before September 1 at the beginning of his or her junior year in high school. There were previously no restrictions on the first opportunity for an unofficial visit. Read more…
2017-61-1 – Playing and Practice Seasons — Time Limits For Athletically Related Activities — Weekly Hour Limitations – Outside the Playing Season — Sports Other Than Football (Effective August 1, 2018)
In all sports other than football, a student-athlete’s participation in required weight training, conditioning and skill-related instruction outside the playing season shall be limited to a maximum of eight hours per week with not more than four hours spent on skill-related workouts. The previous maximum was eight hours per week with not more than two hours spent on skill-related workouts. Read more…
2017-66 – Playing And Practice Seasons — Nonchampionship Segment Travel — Cross Country, Field Hockey, Soccer, Softball And Volleyball — Isolated Institutions Exception (Effective Immediately)
In cross country (for institutions without indoor or outdoor track and field), if there are fewer than 5 Division I institutions that sponsor the sport located within 400 miles of the institution, the institution may use any form of transportation to travel to the number of nonchampionship segment competitions that represents the difference between the number of institutions within 400 miles and five. Read more…
Example: An institution only sponsors cross country and has three other institutions that sponsor cross country within 400 miles. The institution may use any form of transportation to travel to up to two nonchampionship segment competitions (5 – 3 institutions = 2). The institution would continue to be restricted to ground transportation only for its other three nonchampionship segment contests.
2017-119 – Division Membership — Minimum Contests Requirements for Sports Sponsorship — Cross Country and Indoor and Outdoor Track And Field (Effective August 1, 2018)
Adjust the minimum number of contests requirement for sports sponsorship as follows:
(a) Cross Country: 4 contests (previously 6)
(b) Indoor or Outdoor track and field: 4 contests (previously 6)
(c) Indoor and outdoor track and field: 8 contests (previously 12), including at least three indoor and three outdoor meets (previously 4 of each).
In addition, multiteam events count as one contest for purposes of the minimum number of contests requirement for sports sponsorship (i.e., elimination of “double duals”). Read more…
2017-120 – Division Membership — Scheduling Requirements — Cross Country and Women’s Indoor and Outdoor Track And Field (Effective August 1, 2018)
An institution shall schedule and play at least 50 percent of its contests in cross country, indoor track & field, and outdoor track & field against Division I opponents to satisfy the minimum number of contests requirement for sports sponsorship.
In addition, in cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field, if a multiteam event is not scored by division, an institution may use the event to satisfy the scheduling requirements provided at least one other institution competing in the event is a Division I member. Read more…