This portion of the site will provide current information on major NCAA or NAIA guideline or rule changes. If you have an older edition of my book, be sure to check this page regularly to ensure you have the most current information, and be sure to visit the NCAA Home Page or the NAIA Home Page for all current recruiting guidelines.
Updated January 2023
At it's annual convention, NCAA Div. II members voted to eliminate the SAT/ACT as an eligibility requirement effective August 1, 2023. The Div. I Council also recommended permanently eliminating the college boards as part of Div. I eligibility requirements, so these tests will no longer be part of the NCAA eligibility guidelines!
Note: Even though some colleges have also waived or made optional the SAT/ACT, potential collegiate athletes should continue to take an SAT or ACT starting in their junior year. Many colleges still require these tests either for admission or for merit-based aid. The NAIA now allows a student-athlete to be eligible to compete as a freshman if he or she graduates high school with a 2.3 GPA or above. Students with a GPA below 2.3 will still need to meet the previous 2 out of 3 requirements---e.g., have a 2.0 GPA, score a 970 SAT/18 ACT and/or graduate in the top 50% of their class. (Note: There is also a provision for high school students who have completed 3 college level courses. Consult the NAIA for deatils.)
Updated 2021 -The NCAA has adopted an interim policy for dealing with the evolving Name/Image/Likeness issue (NIL). For more information, click here. The NAIA is also working on NIL policies. For more information, click here. These policies are likely to evolve over time as the legalities are sorted and the practical applications face the test of time.
***
Now for the important business! Please remember that that 75% of all college players will compete at Div. II/III or NAIA programs. In other words only 25% of players will ultimately be impacted by Div. I guidelines, so this calendar change will have no impact on players being recruited by or pursuing Div. II, III and NAIA colleges!