NCAA swimming recruiting rules are in place to regulate recruiting efforts and contact periods between coaches and student-athletes. The more families understand the rules, the better they’ll be able to manage their recruiting process.
The NCAA men’s swimming recruiting rules were updated in May 2019 to curb early recruiting, avoid recruiting pressure to make an early college choice and give parents/athletes more control in the final decision.
NCAA swimming recruiting rules and calendars can prove to be a difficult read for student-athletes and their families. Most importantly, the rules are designed to limit when and how college coaches can proactively recruit prospects. The easiest rule to remember is that men’s swimming coaches from NCAA D1 and D2 schools are permitted to be involved in recruiting through most of the calendar year. The lone exception is what the NCAA calls the ‘dead period’: the days from November 6-9, 2023. No in-person communication is allowed during this period. NCAA Division 3 coaches are not working under this rule, so these coaches can make contact and recruit year-round. What makes the best swim camp programs?
The NCAA swimming recruiting rules allow student-athletes to be contacted initially by an NCAA D1 and D2 college coach or recruiter only after June 15 of sophomore year. However, it is not like college coaches wait until June 15 of a recruiting class’ sophomore year to begin looking for prospects. Leading up to that time, coaches are watching results, searching prospect databases and can send non-recruiting materials, such as questionnaires, camp information or non-athletic information at any time.
Along with the new rules, the role of high school and club coaches has also changed. In the past, college coaches could pursue recruits indirectly by working with their high school or club coach. College coaches are no longer allowed to engage in that type of recruiting before they can officially contact a recruit.
On June 15 after sophomore year, NCAA D1 and D2 college coaches and recruiters are permitted to begin contacting recruits. On August 1 before junior year, NCAA swimming recruiting rules permit student-athletes and their families to take an “official visit.” This means that recruiting efforts really ramp up during your junior year. Coaches can send non-recruiting material, like brochures or camp information, at any time.
This is also the same time that college coaches can begin communicating with high school and club coaches about their student-athletes.
Colleges and universities nationwide have furloughed employees due to financial constraints brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. At schools like Boise State, this includes the swim team coaching staff. So, what should a recruit do if a coach they’ve been speaking with has been furloughed?
To provide student-athletes a better atmosphere for choosing a college to attend, as well as stepping up its efforts to curtail early recruiting, the NCAA has changed D1 men’s college swimming recruiting rules as of May 2019.
Although these rules changes addressed many issues around early recruiting for other sports, in swimming the implications are a little different, and College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association have actually requested an exemption for swimming. Many college swim coaches believe that for swimming, the new rules have had the opposite effect and will increase early recruiting – since it previously wasn’t common for swimming recruits to be contacted before junior year.
Even with the changes within the NCAA swimming recruiting rules for D1 schools, coaches will still be working to gather information regarding possible scholarship recruits. These new rules may also have a trickle-down effect for other levels (D2, D3, NAIA and NJCAA) as many of those recruiters base their offers on which men’s swimmers have accepted D1 scholarship offers. Basically, coaches are still building their recruiting classes before they can contact a recruit. They are going to be watching results, searching national prospect databases and evaluating potential athletes at swim meets, and at summer camps at colleges.
NCAA Division 1 swimming recruiting rules permit college coaches to recruit at any time except during four-day ‘Dead Period,’ November 6–9, 2023. Other rules to be followed are:
NCAA Division 2 swimming recruiting rules do not have a ‘dead period’ like D1 recruiting rules. Recruiting is year-round. Here’s a breakdown of the D2 recruiting rules:
The NCAA swimming recruiting rules for Division 3 are not as stringent as the rules in D1/D2.
NAIA swimming recruiting rules are vastly different than those established by the NCAA. For the high school student-athlete:
NCAA Divisions 1 & 2
Dead Period: November 6-9, 2023
Recruiting Shutdown
NCAA Division 3
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