Telephone Conference No. 23
October 15, 2003

Acting for the Division I Management Council, the NCAA Division I Academics/Eligibility/Compliance Cabinet Subcommittee on Legislative Review/Interpretations issued the following interpretations:

Recruiting/Tryouts

1. Four-Year College Transfer Prospective Student-Athlete Participating in Weightlifting Activities on an Institution's Campus. It is permissible for a four-year college transfer prospective student-athlete to participate in weightlifting activities on an institution's campus, provided: (a) Such activity is not prearranged; (b) The strength and conditioning coach is performing normal duties and responsibilities in the supervision of the weight room and does not conduct the workout; and (c) The four-year college transfer prospect has signed a written offer of financial aid and/or admission.

[References: NCAA Bylaws 13.2.1 (offers and inducements); 13.12.1 (prohibited activities); 13.12.2.2 (recreational activities); 7/2/03 official interpretation, Item No. 1; and a 3/28/01 official interpretation, Item No. 1.]

Playing and Practice Seasons/Dates of Competition

2. Counting Additional Competition on the Same Day as a Multi-Day Event in Skiing, Tennis, Track and Field, and Wrestling. When an institution participates in a multi-day event that may be counted as a single date of competition, the institution may select either day (but not both days) as one institutional date of competition, regardless of the number of competitions in which the institution's student-athletes participate on that day. Further, if the institution participates in a separate event on the selected date, such participation will not result in an additional date of competition. However, participation in a separate event at a separate site on the date not selected will result in a second date of competition if the institution has the minimum number of student-athletes participating on that day. Below are several examples to illustrate the application of this interpretation:

Scenario No. 1

Saturday

Ten skiers participate in Meet A

Ten skiers participate in Meet B

Sunday

Ten skiers participate in Meet A

The institution may count the first day of the two-day meet as one date of competition pursuant to Bylaw 17.18.5.1.1, regardless of the number of meets in which student-athletes participate. Therefore, the institution would use one date of competition for Scenario No. 1.

Scenario No. 2

Saturday

Fourteen track student-athletes participate in Meet A

Sunday

Fourteen track student-athletes participate in Meet A

Fourteen track student-athletes participate in Meet B

The institution may count the second day of the two-day meet (Meet A) as one date of competition pursuant to Bylaw 17.26.5.1, regardless of the number of meets in which student-athletes participate. Therefore, the institution would use one date of competition for Scenario No. 2.

Scenario No. 3

Saturday

Three tennis student-athletes participate in Tournament A

Three tennis student-athletes participate in Tournament B

Sunday

Three tennis student-athletes participate in Tournament A

Three tennis student-athletes participate in Tournament B

The institution may count the first or second day of the individual singles/doubles tournament as one date of competition pursuant to Bylaw 17.25.5.1.2, regardless of the number of tournaments in which student-athletes participate. Since each tournament meets the exception in Bylaw 17.25.5.1.2, the institution would use one date of competition.

Scenario No. 4

Saturday

Seven wrestlers participate in Meet A

Seven wrestlers participate in Meet B

Sunday

Seven wrestlers participate in Meet A

Seven wrestlers participate in Meet C

The institution may count the first day of the two-day meet (Meet A) as one date of competition pursuant to Bylaw 17.29.5.1, regardless of the number of meets in which student-athletes participate. However, the institution also has seven student-athletes participating in a separate one-day meet Sunday. Therefore, the institution would use two dates of competition for Scenario No. 4.

[References: Bylaws 17.02.6 (date of competition, countable, institutional), 17.02.6.1 (required minimum number of student-athletes), 17.18.5.1 (maximum limitations -- institutional) 17.18.5.1.1 (skiing meet), 17.25.5.1 (maximum limitations -- institutional), 17.25.5.1.2 (individual singles or doubles tournament limitations -- institutional), 17.26.5.1 (maximum limitations -- institutional) and 17.29.5.1 (maximum limitations -- institutional).]

Telephone Conference No. 24
October 22, 2003

Financial Aid/Outside Scholarships

Certification of Outside Aid Unrelated to Athletics Ability. If a student-athlete applying for an outside financial aid award includes athletics participation or achievements on the application form, such an award may satisfy the provisions of NCAA Bylaw 15.2.5.2 as being awarded solely on bases having no relationship to athletics ability only if:

The application form does not request the applicant to list athletics participation, achievements, extracurricular activities or any other category in which athletics may be relevant (for example, honors); and

The awarding agency verifies that it does not consider athletics participation in the awarding of the aid.

[References: Bylaws 15.2.5.2 (no relationship to athletics ability) and 15.2.5.2.1 (athletics participation or achievement as part of extracurricular activities) and an 8/27/98 official interpretation, Item No. 1.]