National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - News and Features

April 14, 1997

Legislative assistance

1997 Column No. 15 1997 NCAA Convention Proposal No. 145
(Playing and practice seasons -- Divisions I and II)

Sports other than football and basketball

NCAA Divisions I and II institutions should note that effective August 1, 1997, playing-and-practice-season legislation has been amended in several areas, including the length of the playing season, the preseason practice date, the first date of competition and the end of the playing season.

Length of Playing Season. In sports other than football and basketball, Proposal No. 145 eliminates the designation of a certain number of weeks in a season in favor of a specific number of days in determining the length of an institution's playing season, as follows:

  • In team sports other than football and basketball, 132 days.

  • In individual sports, 144 days.

  • For institutions that sponsor indoor and outdoor track and cross country, 156 days.

    The distinction between traditional and nontraditional seasons is eliminated; however, institutions will continue to be provided the opportunity to conduct two distinct segments within a playing season. Each of the two segments (each consisting of consecutive days) may exclude only required days off per NCAA Bylaw 17.1.5.4 and official vacation, holiday and final-examination periods during which no practice or competition shall occur.

    Preseason Practice. According to Proposal No. 145, a Division I or II institution shall not commence practice sessions in the sports other than football and basketball prior to the following dates:

  • In sports in which the NCAA championship is not conducted during the fall term, the date that currently exists for the nontraditional segment in that sport (e.g., in tennis, September 7 or the institution's first day of classes for the fall term, whichever is earlier).

    [Note: The adoption of Proposal No. 145 eliminates Bylaw 17.24.2.1.1 for Divisions I and II institutions, which permitted an institution that conducts its traditional segment in the sport of tennis during the fall to commence practice August 24 or the first date on which classes are scheduled for the institution's fall term, whichever date occurs first.]

  • In sports in which the NCAA championship is conducted during the fall term, the date that currently exists for the traditional segment in that sport (e.g., in soccer, the date that permits a maximum of 21 practice opportunities prior to the first scheduled intercollegiate contest).

    First Date of Competition. A Division I or II institution shall not play its first contest (game or scrimmage) with outside competition in sports other than football and basketball prior to the following dates:

  • In sports in which the NCAA championship is not conducted during the fall term, the date that currently exists for the nontraditional segment in that sport (e.g., in softball, September 7 or the institution's day of classes for the fall term, whichever is earlier.)

  • In sports in which the NCAA championship is conducted during the fall term, the date that currently exists for the traditional segment in that sport (e.g., in the sport of cross country, the first Saturday in September).

    End of the Playing Season. A Division I or II institution shall conclude all practice and competition (games and scrimmages) in sports other than football and basketball by the following dates:

  • The conclusion of the NCAA championship in that sport in the institution's division for those sports in which the NCAA championship is conducted in the spring (e.g., softball, track and field), or

  • The last day of final examinations for the regular academic year at the institution for those sports in which the NCAA championship is not conducted in the spring (e.g., cross country, swimming).

    [Note: Information related to the first permissible date for practice and competition for Divisions I and II basketball programs was listed in 1997 Legislative Assistance Column No. 12, which appeared in the March 24, 1997, issue of The NCAA News.]

    1997 Convention Proposal No. 123

    (Contest exemptions -- Division II basketball)

    NCAA Division II institutions should note that in accordance with Proposal No. 123, effective August 1, 1997, a Division II institution is permitted to exempt two informal practice scrimmages per year from the maximum number of permissible contests and also engage in these scrimmages between November 1 and the conclusion of the basketball season.

    A Division II institution may schedule a maximum of these two informal practice scrimmages with outside competition (conducted in privacy without publicity or official scoring) between November 1 and the conclusion of the basketball season, provided the institution does not use an exemption set forth in Bylaws 17.5.5.2.3-(d) or 17.5.5.2.3-(e) (i.e., a contest against a foreign team in the United States, or a contest against a "club" member of USA Basketball). Please note that if an institution competes in and exempts only one of these contests (either a foreign team in the United States or a USA Basketball "club" member), it may exempt only one informal scrimmage. Accordingly, an institution may not exempt any of its informal scrimmages if it exempts both a contest against a foreign team in the United States and also exempts a contest against a USA Basketball "club" member.

    This material was provided by the legislative services staff as an aid to member institutions. If an institution has a question or comment regarding this column, such correspondence should be directed to Richard C. Perko, legislative assistant, at the NCAA national office. This information is available on the Collegiate Sports Network.