SOFTBALL RECRUITING CONTACTS
Correspondence/private messages
When college coaches can send any recruiting materials to prospects. This includes electronic correspondence (emails, text messaging, social media and instant messenger) and regular mail. This does not include camp invites, questionnaires, NCAA materials and non-athletic recruiting publications. Also, prospects can still initiate this type of contact, like emails, to college coaches, but the coaches can only reply with camp invites, questionnaires, etc.
NCAA Division I: September 1 junior year.
NCAA Division II: June 15 before junior year.
NCAA Division III: Any time.
NAIA: Any time.
Incoming phone calls
When a college coach can talk to a prospect on the phone when the prospect initiates the call.
NCAA Division I: September 1 junior year.
NCAA Division II: Any time.
NCAA Division III: Any time.
NAIA: Any time.
Outgoing phone calls
When a college coach can call prospects.
NCAA Division I: September 1 junior year.
NCAA Division II: June 15 before junior year.
NCAA Division III: Any time.
NAIA: Any time.
Official visits
When a prospect visits a school and it is school-financed and engages in recruiting conversations with the athletics department.
NCAA Division I: September 1 junior year (5 maximum, 1 per school)
NCAA Division II: June 15 before junior year (no limit)
NCAA Division III: January 1 of junior year (no limit)
NAIA: Any time (no limit)
Unofficial visits
When a prospect visits a school and it is self-financed and engages in recruiting conversations with the athletics department.
NCAA Division I: September 1 junior year (campus tours are still allowed, just as long as no recruiting conversations occur).
NCAA Division II: Any time.
NCAA Division III: Any time.
NAIA: Any time.
Off-campus contact
When a college coach has any face-to-face contact with a prospect or his or her parents off the college’s campus and says more than “hello.”
NCAA Division I: September 1 junior year.
NCAA Division II: June 15 before junior year.
NCAA Division III: After sophomore year.
NAIA: Any time.
Verbal offers
Definition: When a college makes a verbal scholarship offer to a prospect. This is not legislated by the NCAA.
NCAA Division I: September 1 junior year.
NCAA Division II: Any time.
NCAA Division III: Any time.
NAIA: Any time.
NJCAA
NJCAA (2-year schools) has various geographical regions. The various regions of the NJCAA may adopt rules which are more stringent than the national rules, but none that are less stringent. It would be best for prospects to check the rules that exist within the region in which you are interested in attending. The NJCAA does not list any contact rules on its website with regards to high school athletes.