NCAA Eligibility Requirements Update 3.0

The NCAA regulates all recruiting to ensure that prospective student-athletes are prepared to succeed academically in college and graduate with a degree within a reasonable amount of time, that they are amateurs, and that there is no undue or inappropriate influence in the recruiting process. To that end, the NCAA establishes and periodically updates minimum academic eligibility requirements. Updated initial eligibility requirements (which are substantially the same as existing Division I initial eligibility requirements) will apply to Division II student-athletes entering college August 1, 2018 and beyond.
 
Register with NCAA Eligibility Center
 
If you plan to play varsity water polo in college, you must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at www.eligibilitycenter.org. This can be done before the end of your sophomore year, but since coaches can start contacting student-athletes then, definitely by the beginning of your junior year. Club programs are not bound by NCAA rules, so if you plan to play water polo at the club level, you do not need to register with the NCAA.  
 
NCAA Eligibility Requirements*
 
Aspiring intercollegiate student-athletes must satisfy NCAA initial eligibility requirements in order to become eligible to compete and be considered for athletic scholarships. Division I schools require athletes to graduate from high school, complete 16 core courses in 8 semesters of high school (10 of those courses must be completed and "locked in" before the seventh semester; 7 of those 10 courses must be in English, math, and science), earn at least a 2.0 GPA in the core courses, and earn at least the minimum SAT or ACT sum score that matches the core course GPA based on the NCAA test score sliding scale. Core courses include four years of English, three years of math (Algebra I or higher), two years of natural or physical science (at least one year with lab, if available, at the student's high school), two years of social science, one additional year of English, math, or natural/physical science, and four years of additional courses (any area previously listed, foreign language, or comparative religion/philosophy) (Note: the University of California's "a-g" requirements align with the NCAA Core course requirement). Starting in August 2018, Division II schools will require entering freshmen to achieve the same standards required for Division I schools. Division III schools don't have similar requirements, and no NCAA certification is required to compete for Division III schools. Bear in mind that these are minimum academic eligibility requirements established by the NCAA to ensure that athletes are prepared for and equipped to earn college degrees.
 
Currently, freshmen in Division I schools must present at least a 2.3 GPA in core courses in order to compete during their freshman year. If a student's final high school GPA in core courses is between 2.0 and 2.3, he or she must serve an academic "redshirt" year during which he or she would be allowed to enroll in college, receive athletic aid, practice during the first term, and successfully complete at least nine semester or eight quarter units to be eligible to practice the second term. Upon successful completion of their redshirt year (GPA of 2.0 or higher for the first year of college), the student athlete will be allowed to compete starting in his or her sophomore year of college. At Division II schools, the current minimum core course GPA required in order for entering freshmen to receive athletic aid, practice, and compete is 2.0. But starting August 1, 2018, Division II student-athletes will be required to present at least a 2.2 GPA in their core courses. The same academic "redshirt" rules applicable to Division I student-athletes also will apply to Division II student-athletes with final high school core course GPAs between 2.0 and 2.2.
 
*http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Quick_Reference_Sheet.pdf
 
Final NCAA Certification
 
Before the end of their senior years, student-athletes will be contacted by the NCAA Eligibility Center and asked to update their questionnaires to re-confirm their eligibility. This is required in order to receive final certification as an amateur athlete. You also are required to send your final high school transcript and proof of graduation so the NCAA Eligibility Center can certify to your college that you are eligible to engage in intercollegiate competition as a collegiate athlete. Finally, before or shortly after reporting to college, student-athletes will be asked by their collegiate athletic departments to complete several forms—eligibility, compliance, and others—and to attend on-campus NCAA compliance meetings.

Questions? Write to Angela Kraus at angela@shootingforcollege.info. Angela Kraus is an experienced and certified college counselor who focuses on advising high school athletes as they navigate the athletic recruiting process, with emphasis on water polo players.