Each year, the NCAA reviews the recruiting rules and the calendar that governs the college recruiting process for coaches and student-athletes and makes updates, if necessary. The NCAA made significant changes to these rules and calendar after Division 1 athletes reported in an NCAA survey that early recruiting had become a trend across various sports. This page details the new NCAA tennis recruiting rules and calendar and explains how they affect the recruiting process.
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How to use the recruiting rules and calendar in your recruiting
Before June 15 of a recruit’s sophomore year, college coaches will attend competitions and review the recruit’s NCSA Recruiting Profile to evaluate her talent. Below is a look at the tennis recruiting process from early recruiting to National Signing Day.
- Early recruiting: College coaches don’t wait until contact is permitted by the NCAA to start the recruiting process. Prior to June 15 of the recruit’s sophomore year, college coaches spend their time attending tournaments, college camps and showcases to evaluate athletes. They will also search recruiting networks, like NCSA, to watch highlight video and review athlete stats. Based on their evaluations, coaches will build a list of potential recruits. Once they have this list, college coaches will also connect with high school and club coaches to express interest in a recruit.
- Contact and verbal offers: When can college coaches make you an offer? Starting June 15 after the recruit’s sophomore year, D1 college coaches can begin contacting recruits and extending verbal offers. D2 college coaches can do this at any time.
- Official and unofficial visits: The NCAA rules and calendar are designed to give athletes and coaches one and a half months to build relationships before scheduling official and unofficial visits. Starting August 1 before the athlete’s junior year, recruits and coaches are free to schedule official and unofficial visits to discuss recruiting on campus.
- National Signing Day: The women’s tennis signing period runs for a 10-month span, which starts on National Signing Day. During this period, recruits can sign an NCAA financial aid agreement to officially accept their athletic scholarship.
National Signing Day: Nov. 13, 2024
Final signing date: Aug. 1, 2025
When does college tennis recruiting season start?
While D1 college coaches must wait until June 15 after a recruit’s sophomore year to make contact via phone and online, coaches are known to recruit athletes as early as 8th grade. What exactly does this mean? Prior to June 15, college coaches search recruiting networks and attend tennis competitions to evaluate talent and build a list of potential recruits. While recruits may not know a coach is interested in them until the first date of contact, they should be proactive in the recruiting process and create an NCSA Recruiting Profile and highlight video for coaches to evaluate before then. It’s also important to build a list of target schools and attend camps and tournaments where college coaches are present.
When can college tennis coaches start contacting recruits?
NCAA Division 1 college coaches are prohibited from contacting student-athletes until after June 15 of their sophomore year. Once contact is permitted, college tennis coaches can reach out to recruits via phone, text and email. Some college coaches will contact a recruit’s high school and club coaches prior to June 15 of the recruit’s sophomore year to gather general feedback, but they are prohibited from discussing financial offers, recruiting statements, etc. Division 2 coaches can contact student-athletes at any time. At the Division 3 level, college coaches are permitted to communicate with recruits via digital communication at any time.
NCAA Division 1 tennis recruiting rules
The NCAA has established a set of strict recruiting rules that Division 1 programs must follow. These rules vary from sport to sport, but the below are specific to women’s tennis:
- Any time: Recruits can receive non-recruiting materials at any time (i.e. questionnaires, camp brochures, non-athletic institutional publications and official NCAA educational materials).
- June 15 after sophomore year: College coaches can contact and respond to student-athletes starting June 15 after the recruit’s sophomore year. This includes calling athletes, as well as sending text messages, direct messages and emails. At this time, college coaches can also begin sending recruiting materials and extending verbal scholarship offers.
- August 1 before junior year: Student-athletes can begin to schedule both unofficial visits or official visits. This date also marks when college coaches can start off-campus evaluations at the recruit’s school or home after this date.
NCAA Division 2 tennis recruiting rules
The NCAA Division 2 recruiting rules are less restrictive than Division 1 rules and are followed by all sports.
- Any time:
- There is no restriction on when college coaches can send non-recruiting materials, such as camp brochures, questionnaires, NCAA materials and non-athletic recruiting publications.
- College coaches can call, text, email and contact recruits via social media.
- Recruits can schedule unofficial visits at any time.
- Starting June 15 of sophomore year
- Coaches and athletes or their parents can engage in off-campus communication.
- Recruits can start scheduling official visits.
Division 3 tennis recruiting rules
NCAA Division 3 sponsored sports follow the most relaxed recruiting rules. These rules apply to all Division 3 programs.
- Recruiting materials: These materials can be sent to recruits at any time.
- Telephone calls and digital communication: College coaches can contact recruits via phone and digital communication at any time.
- Off-campus contact: Off-campus communication between college coaches and recruits can begin following the athlete’s sophomore year.
- Official visits: Recruits can schedule official visits starting January 1 of their junior year.
- Unofficial visits: Recruits are allowed an unlimited number of unofficial visits during the recruiting process.
NAIA tennis recruiting rules
The NAIA enforces fewer recruiting rules than the NCAA, which allows these coaches to contact recruits without restriction. With that said, NAIA coaches typically wait until after NCAA programs have filled their roster to begin their recruiting process, as these programs focus on recruiting athletes who were passed up by NCAA programs. NAIA coaches prioritize well-rounded recruits that are more than just a good fit athletically, but also socially and academically.
When are college coaches allowed to make you an offer?
Starting June 15 after the recruit’s sophomore year, college coaches can begin making verbal offers. Recruits are invited to sign an NCAA financial aid agreement starting on National Signing Day during their senior year to officially accept an athletic scholarship.
When is National Signing Day for tennis?
To officially accept an NCAA Division 1 or Division 2 scholarship offer, recruits are asked to sign an NCAA financial aid agreement, a binding agreement that guarantees their athletic scholarship for one year and serves as the official end to their recruiting process.
National Signing Day: Nov. 13, 2024
Final signing date: Aug. 1, 2025
International athlete recruiting process
When it comes to international recruiting, coaches and athletes must follow a different set of recruiting rules that vary from country to country. International recruits also face a few challenges in the recruiting process, such as translating academic results into the American format, taking the required American standardized tests and applying for a student visa. Visit the NCAA website to review the NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletic Eligibility, visit the NCAA website.