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Council approves basketball recruiting model

The Division I Leadership Council approved the final elements of the men’s basketball recruiting model and will forward its recommendations for both summer access and on-campus evaluations to the Division I Board of Directors for its consideration Saturday.

The Council approved a summer access model that will allow an entering or continuing men’s basketball student-athlete a maximum of eight hours of athletics activities per week during the summer in which institutional staff members may conduct or supervise. Of that, no more than two hours can involve skill-related instruction, for a maximum of eight weeks, under the following conditions:

• All entering freshman and transfer (two-year or four-year) students must be enrolled in summer school to be eligible for summer access.

• After completion of the first  year, access would be permissible to student-athletes enrolled in summer school or those who are not enrolled in summer school but have met the following academic standards: 

• After the freshman year: 2.2 GPA and 30 credit hours.

• After the sophomore year: 2.2 GPA and successfully completed 50 percent of degree program requirements.

• After the junior year: 2.2 GPA and successfully completed 75 percent of degree program requirements.

A student-athlete would be able to practice with coaches only while actually enrolled in the summer session, even if it’s less than the allowed eight-week period, unless he meets the academic standards. Incoming freshmen at service academies enrolled in summer preparation programs would be allowed to take part in practice.

The academic requirements will help basketball student-athletes move toward a four-year graduation path. Most men’s basketball student-athletes don’t redshirt, and incenting them to graduate at the same time their eligibility expires makes it more likely that they will actually receive a degree.

The Council considered and discarded models that would have allowed access to all no matter their academic status or enrollment in summer school, or would have limited it only to those enrolled in summer school, no matter their academic achievements.

National Association of Basketball Coaches Executive Director Jim Haney supported the model the Council will recommend, as did Student-Athlete Advisory Committee chair Scott Krapf. Krapf said the men’s basketball student-athletes his group contacted for feedback supported having the ability to pursue other opportunities beyond summer school but still retain the ability to practice in the summer if they desired.

For schools that can’t afford to provide financial aid for summer school, the Student Athlete Opportunity Fund would be available for assistance.

Additionally, the Council will recommend that on-campus evaluations (tryouts) be allowed for prospective student-athletes who:

• Are seniors in high school, junior college transfers or four-year transfers.

• Have completed their basketball season.

• Are on an official or unofficial visit to the campus.

The on-campus evaluations are limited to two hours per week, whether during the collegiate season or out of it. The two hours must take place during the regular allowable practice time (20 hours during the season, eight hours out of it).

The Board will vote on the model at its meeting Saturday. The model would be effective immediately, making summer access available this year.