Prospective Student-Athletes

A prospective student-athlete is a student who has started classes for ninth grade.

An individual remains a prospective student-athlete until one of the following occurs (whichever is earlier):

- the individual officially registers and enrolls in a minimum full-time program of studies and attends classes in any term of a four year collegiate institution's regular academic year, or

- the individual participates in a regular squad practice or competition at a four year collegiate institution that occurs before the beginning of any term.

IMPORTANT LINKS:
NCAA

NCAA Eligibility Center
Union Admissions

NCAA Transfer Guide (2 Year) (2024-25)
NCAA Transfer Guide (4 Year) (2024-25)

NCAA Guide for College-Bound Student-Athletes (2024-25)
NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility (2024-25)

INFORMATION:

Recruited Prospective Student-Athlete Definition
Official and Unofficial Visits

Official Visit PSA Policy

Official Visit Overnight Consent Form

Transfer Regulations

Recruited Prospective Student-Athlete Definition
Recruiting is any solicitation of a prospect by an institutional staff member or by a representative of the institution's athletics interest for the purpose of securing the prospect's enrollment and participation in the institution's intercollegiate athletics program. Actions by staff members or athletics representatives that cause a prospective student-athlete to become a recruited prospective student-athlete are:
- providing the prospect with an official visit; or
- having an arranged, in-person, off-campus encounter with the prospect or the prospect's parents; or
- initiating a telephone contact with the prospect or prospect's parents on more than one occasion for the purpose of recruitment.

Official and Unofficial Visits
Division 1 – Official Visits
A member institution may finance only one visit to its campus for a prospect. A prospect may take a maximum of five expense-paid visits, with no more than one permitted to any single institution. This restriction applies regardless of the number of sports in which the prospect is involved and only for expense paid visits to Division I or II institutions.
In all sports other than basketball and football, a prospect may not be provided an expense-paid visit earlier September 1st of his or her junior year in high school.
A member institution may not provide an expense-paid visit to a high-school prospect who has not presented the institution with a high school academic transcript.

Division 1 – Unofficial Visits
A prospect may visit a member institution's campus at his or her own expense an unlimited number of times. A prospect may make unofficial visits before September 1 at the beginning of his or her junior year in high school.
During an unofficial visit, the institution may not pay any expenses or provide any entertainment except a maximum of three complimentary admissions to a home athletics event at any facility.

Division 3 – Official Visits
A member institution may finance only one visit to its campus for a prospect. A prospect may not be provided an official visit earlier than January 1 of the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school.

Division 3 – Unofficial Visits
A prospect may visit a member institution's campus at his or her own expense an unlimited number of times. A prospect may make unofficial visits before his or her senior year in high school.
During an unofficial visit, the institution may not pay any expenses or provide any entertainment except a complimentary admissions for the prospective student-athlete and those persons accompanying the prospective student-athlete to the to a home athletics event at any facility.
An institution may provide a prospect with a meal in the institution's on-campus dining facility during an unofficial visit.

Official and Unofficial Recruiting Visit Policy for Prospective Student-Athlete
A recruiting visit provides an important experience in the decision making process. The Union College Department of Athletics abides by NCAA recruiting rules and has college policies regarding conduct during recruiting visits.

All prospective student-athletes must abide by the following:

Prospective must let their Student Host know their whereabouts at all times during their visit.
Prospective will go over the academic and recreational activities for visit with the Head Coach and Student-Host upon arrival.
New York's drinking age is 21, the prospective is aware that it is illegal to drink alcohol while on a recruiting visit if they are under 21.
Prospective understands that they are only allowed to attend sanctioned college events.
Drugs are illegal, if a prospective goes to a place where there are drugs, they should leave immediately.
Prospective will also abide by the Union College Student Conduct Code while visiting campus.
A Prospective student-athlete who violates NCAA or Union College recruiting policies may no longer be considered for recruitment.

Students of Union College are expected to uphold and promote the educational aims and purposes of the college through individual personal integrity and responsibility The Department of Athletics expects you to adhere to these guidelines, to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. The following activities below examples of violations of the Student Conduct Code:

Behavior which threatens or endangers the well-being or safety of others, or results in personal injury to others, including hazing.
Abusive or offensive behavior, which includes, but is not limited to, malicious harassment and/or persecution based on ethnicity, religion, race, sex, or sexual orientation.
Theft of personal or College property.
Vandalism of personal or College property.
Attempting to enter, actually entering, or using College facilities or property without proper authorization.
Interference with or obstruction of any College-sponsored or approved function or activity by engaging in disorderly conduct.
Failure to comply with the proper requests of College officials, including members of the Campus Safety Department
Possession or use of any type of firearms, fireworks, or any other potentially dangerous weapons.
Violation of local, state, or federal laws and ordinances.
Aiding or abetting, defined as assisting or encouraging another to engage in conduct constituting a Code violation.

Transfer Regulations
Division 1
All student-athletes seeking a transfer need to be released via a written document provided by the Athletic Department. It is recommended that any student-athlete considering a transfer speak with our Compliance Coordinator to learn of rules and regulations concerning transfer status.

Division 3
All student-athletes seeking a transfer can issue a self-release in order to speak with a coach at any division 3 institution. The self release must be received prior to conversations taking place. It is recommended that any student-athlete considering a transfer speak with our Compliance Coordinator to learn of rules and regulations concerning transfer status.

Page updated 5/14/25