BUCKEYE BEAT – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/21/2000 12:00:00 AM | General
Many times coaches, parents, student-athletes and athletic department administrators often refer to the process of a prospect “signing” with an institution. However, since prospect’s are not permitted to enter into a contractual agreement whereby they are paid to play a sport, then what exactly are they signing and how does this fit into the rules and regulations of the NCAA?
According to NCAA Bylaw 13.02.9, the National Letter of Intent (“NLI”) is the official document administered by the Collegiate Commissioners Association and utilized by subscribing member institutions to establish the commitment of a prospect to attend a particular institution. This document only presents written notification of a prospect’s commitment to attend a particular institution. In addition to the NLI, the prospect must also receive in writing an award that includes the amount and duration of athletics financial aid that they will receive during their first year at the time of the signing.
The following contains a list of several questions about the process of signing an NLI and accepting an institution’s athletics department offer of athletics grant-in-aid.
1. When does a prospect have to sign a NLI?
Once the prospect has received an institution’s NLI, he/she has 14 days to sign and send it back to the institution. If the prospect fails to sign within the 14 days of issuance, it becomes invalid and another NLI may be issued within the appropriate signing period.
2. Can a coach hand-deliver the NLI?
No. In-person, off-campus delivery of a letter of intent by an institutional staff member is prohibited. The letter may be delivered by express mail, courier service, regular mail or facsimile machine.
3. When can the coaching staff comment about the prospect to the media?
An institution may make an announcement on the institution’s campus for the sole purpose of presenting at one time to the media the names of all prospects who have accepted offers of admission and/or athletically related aid in a particular sport from that institution, with the understanding that no prospects (or their friends or relatives) may be in attendance. In addition, institutional staff members are prohibited from personal contact with the media representatives at the site of the signing or at any other prearranged site when a prospect accepts an offer made by the institution.
4. Once the prospect has signed, are the number of contacts and telephone calls to the prospect by the institutions’ coach still limited?
No. Once a prospect has signed a NLI, unlimited telephone calls, contacts and evaluations are permitted by the institution with which the prospect has signed, except in Division I football and basketball, any contact must occur during the contact period and shall not exceed one visit per week.
5. Are other institution’s permitted to continue recruiting a prospect after he/she has signed a NLI?
No. All participating conferences and institutions are obligated to respect the signing and shall cease recruiting the prospect upon the signing.
6. If a prospect signs a NLI with one institution and then chooses to enroll in another institution who participates in the NLI program, can they represent the latter in athletics competition?
If the prospect does not attend the institution named within the NLI that they have signed for one full academic year and enrolls in another institution that participates in the NLI program, the prospect may not represent the latter institution in intercollegiate athletics competition until he/she has completed two full academic years of residence at the latter institution. The prospect will also be charged with the loss of two seasons of intercollegiate athletics competition in all sports.
7. What happens if a prospect signs a NLI and is later denied admission to that institution?
The NLI is declared null and void if the institution with which the prospect has signed notifies him/her in writing that they have been denied admission. The NLI is also declared null and void if, by the institution’s opening day of classes, the prospect has not met (a) the institution’s requirements for admission, (b) its academic requirements for financial aid to athletes, AND (c) the NCAA initial-eligibility requirements for freshman financial aid or the NCAA junior college transfer rule.
Please remember that the above information addresses only the key issues of the extensive NCAA Bylaws concerning National Letters of Intent and is not an exhaustive discussion. For questions or to receive more information, please contact The Ohio State University Compliance Office at (614) 292-2681.
