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 2025
There will be ongoing guidelines changes/news relating both to revenue sharing and its impact on D-I and D-II teams as well as NIL implementation. Be sure to check in April for a final vote on the new revenue sharing guidelines. For now, here's what that may mean for YOU.
If final approval is given in April, this change would go into effect for the 2025-2026 school year. At that time, Div. I softball teams will no longer have a limit on the number of scholarships they can offer. They WILL, however, have a roster limit of 25 (So... technically, a limit of 25 scholarships).
If I understand correctly, (the guidelines are still being developed), Div. II schools can opt into revenue sharing, but the amount a particular D-II Athletic Dept. receives will likely be too small to have a major impact on its scholarship funding. And D-IIs will stay at 7.2 scholarships even if their rosters increase.
What this means for you will depend on the colleges you're considering. At the Div. I level, walk-on players--especially at well-funded programs--could become a thing of the past. An SEC softball team could opt to carry 22 players, all of whom are on 80-100% scholarships. Your chances of getting a walk-on spot at that school could be next to zero.
On the other hand, this change might increase walk-on opportunities at smaller D-I colleges as well as opening up scholarship opportunities at D-II or NAIA programs. You might find that a small D-I not participating in the revenue sharing (or that is, but simply isn't doesn’t have many softball scholarships) would welcome you as a walk-on player. And good Div. II or NAIA teams might consider you a strong scholarship prospect for their programs.
Updated October 2024
In October of 2024, the NCAA approved the elimination of the traditional National Letter of Intent. The NLI had been used to formalize athletic scholarships and commitments by students to individual colleges for 60 years. However, in an effort to expand financial opportunities for student athletes, the NCAA decided to put the signing/commitment process into the hands of the colleges themselves. There will still be a traditional period during which high school athletes can sign their commitment letters, a dead period around the opening day of each sport's signing period, and detailed rules about what a commitment means.
Watch for more information from the NCAA soon, and visit their website or the Eligibility Center website for additional details.
Updated January 2024
At its 2024 NCAA convention, the Div. I Council enacted new NIL guidelines and recommendations. Be sure to check the appropriate NCAA web page if you have NIL questions/concerns. There were no major recruiting guideline changes for would-be college softball players. Again, if you have questions, contact the NCAA directly.
NIL UPDATE
The NCAA's Name/Image/Likeness (NIL) policies continue to evolve. For more information, click here. The NAIA is also working on NIL guidelines. For more information, click here. These policies are likely to change as the legalities are sorted and the practical applications face the test of time. If you have specific concerns/questions about this, please contact the NCAA or the NAIA directly.
Updated January 2023
NCAA member schools voted to stop using SAT and ACT scores as part of their academic eligibility requirements. =
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.)
***
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!
Updated January 2025
There will be ongoing guidelines changes/news relating both to revenue sharing and its impact on D-I and D-II teams as well as NIL implementation. Be sure to check in April for a final vote on the new revenue sharing guidelines. For now, here's what that may mean for YOU.
If final approval is given in April, this change would go into effect for the 2025-2026 school year. At that time, Div. I softball teams will no longer have a limit on the number of scholarships they can offer. They WILL, however, have a roster limit of 25 (So... technically, a limit of 25 scholarships).
If I understand correctly, (the guidelines are still being developed), Div. II schools can opt into revenue sharing, but the amount a particular D-II Athletic Dept. receives will likely be too small to have a major impact on its scholarship funding. And D-IIs will stay at 7.2 scholarships even if their rosters increase.
What this means for you will depend on the colleges you're considering. At the Div. I level, walk-on players--especially at well-funded programs--could become a thing of the past. An SEC softball team could opt to carry 22 players, all of whom are on 80-100% scholarships. Your chances of getting a walk-on spot at that school could be next to zero.
On the other hand, this change might increase walk-on opportunities at smaller D-I colleges as well as opening up scholarship opportunities at D-II or NAIA programs. You might find that a small D-I not participating in the revenue sharing (or that is, but simply isn't doesn’t have many softball scholarships) would welcome you as a walk-on player. And good Div. II or NAIA teams might consider you a strong scholarship prospect for their programs.
Updated October 2024
In October of 2024, the NCAA approved the elimination of the traditional National Letter of Intent. The NLI had been used to formalize athletic scholarships and commitments by students to individual colleges for 60 years. However, in an effort to expand financial opportunities for student athletes, the NCAA decided to put the signing/commitment process into the hands of the colleges themselves. There will still be a traditional period during which high school athletes can sign their commitment letters, a dead period around the opening day of each sport's signing period, and detailed rules about what a commitment means.
Watch for more information from the NCAA soon, and visit their website or the Eligibility Center website for additional details.
Updated January 2024
At its 2024 NCAA convention, the Div. I Council enacted new NIL guidelines and recommendations. Be sure to check the appropriate NCAA web page if you have NIL questions/concerns. There were no major recruiting guideline changes for would-be college softball players. Again, if you have questions, contact the NCAA directly.
NIL UPDATE
The NCAA's Name/Image/Likeness (NIL) policies continue to evolve. For more information, click here. The NAIA is also working on NIL guidelines. For more information, click here. These policies are likely to change as the legalities are sorted and the practical applications face the test of time. If you have specific concerns/questions about this, please contact the NCAA or the NAIA directly.
Updated January 2023
NCAA member schools voted to stop using SAT and ACT scores as part of their academic eligibility requirements. =
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.)
***
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!
RECRUITING NEWS
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