NCAA rules are always changing. Academics, competition standards, competition rules, and equipment standards are almost always under review. Unfortunately many times, parents and players are not aware of when rules change, and only find out when they attempt to get through the NCAA Clearinghouse.
If you are currently in High School this is critical information for you to understand. Some High School class schedulers, and some guidance counselors may not be aware of these standard changes, or may be working on the old standards. It is up to you to take control of making sure you have the opportunity to play in the future.
The most recent changes require a higher minimum core course GPA, new credit requirements prior to senior year and limitations on retaking courses that the student may not have done well in the first time around.
Any student-athlete that began their freshman year of high school in the fall of 2012 or later, who is even remotely considering the possibility of playing a sport at the NCAA level, needs to fully understand these changes. The wiggle room to correct academic shortcomings has been greatly reduced.
This is a basic summary of the new NCAA D1 academic requirements that are now in place for the High School graduating class of 2016 and beyond:
- The minimum core course GPA has increased from 2.00 to 2.30
- 10 of the 16 core course requirements must be completed prior to the start of the senior year
- 7 of those 10 core courses must be from the English, Math and Science departments
- Grades earned in the 10 core courses are “locked in” for the purpose of calculating the final core course GPA
- Any retakes of the first 10 core courses must be completed prior to senior year
The NCAA also introduced a new status for the class of 2016 called the “Academic Redshirt.” Students with a core course GPA between 2.00 and 2.299 are ineligible for “Full Qualifier” status but may achieve Academic Redshirt status by meeting minimum sliding scale test score requirements. An Academic Redshirt may receive a scholarship and practice with their team, but may not participate in game competition as a college freshman.
Understanding all of this is critical for parents and players who may have graduated before 2016, who may not be enrolling in school until 2016. Knowing which “slot” you fit into may influence when you actually enroll.
The new requirements could result in athletes being NCAA DI Nonqualifiers before their senior year of High School even begins. In other cases, some athletes who would have been Full Qualifiers in previous years will now only achieve Academic Redshirt status or even be Nonqualifiers. Here are a few examples of the impact these changes have:
- Prior to 2016: 2.299 core course GPA + 910 SAT or 76 ACT = Full Qualifier
- 2016 and after: 2.299 core course GPA + 910 SAT or 76 ACT = Academic Redshirt
- Prior to 2016: 2.125 core course GPA + 960 SAT or 81 ACT = Full Qualifier
- 2016 and after: 2.125 core course GPA + 960 SAT or 81 ACT = Nonqualifier
The NCAA does not include the writing component of the SAT or ACT. The ACT score is a total score of the English, math, reading and science sections.
Remember, just because a student-athlete meets the minimum NCAA initial-eligibility standards, it doesn’t mean they will be admitted to play sports at the college of their choice. Many universities have academic standards for incoming freshman athletes that are much higher than the NCAA minimum requirements.
So what does this all mean?
Student-athletes must start tracking courses early. A student-athlete should calculate their initial core course GPA at the conclusion of their first semester in high school and continue to do so each semester thereafter. It no longer matters how good of an athlete you are. The “wiggle room” is gone, and there is no appeal process that I am aware of for a student athlete that does not qualify under these new rules.
If you have any question of where you may or may not fall in these new requirements, it is always better to anticipate falling into the higher class of requirements. Now more than ever, every semester counts.
For specific information on how these changes may impact your NCAA opportunity, please feel free to contact me directly.
Joseph Kolodziej – Publisher
