No Changes to NCAA DI Transfer Rules…Yet!

From the emails and the phone calls we receive, there is a lot of interest in the possibility of NCAA Division I transfer rule changes– especially in the sports of baseball, basketball, football and men’s ice hockey where athletes are often required to serve a “year in residence” at their new university before they can represent their new school in competition.

At the current time, the only proposed change in the NCAA Division I transfer rules is one that would eliminate the requirement that an athlete must receive “permission to contact” from their current university before coaches at other universities could speak with the athlete or his/her family or representative regarding a possible transfer.

The change – if approved – would result in the athlete only being required to provide written “notification of transfer” to their university that they are planning to transfer and then their name would be added to a database of transferring athletes.  Once an athlete’s name is added to the database (to be managed by the NCAA) coaches at other universities could contact them regarding a transfer.

The earliest date for this proposed change to be voted on is in April but could be delayed until June so that other transfer rule changes can be voted on as a “package.”

There is no proposed change “in the mix” at this time regarding immediate eligibility for a transferring athlete in the specific sports named above.  We’ll have updates in future newsletters when there are new developments regarding transfers.

In the meantime, if you want to be proactive and prepared for a possible transfer, contact us for a consultation at rick@informedathlete.com or 913-766-1235. 

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College Athletes: Considering a Transfer?

If you’re a four-year college athlete (or the parent of one) considering a transfer to another school, are you properly prepared to approach your coach and know what to expect?  Are you confident that you know what to say, and more importantly, what NOT to say?

In our CONFIDENTIAL Consultation, we’ll guide you through all the steps, and inform you of the rules and academic requirements to give you the best opportunity to be immediately eligible at the next university. We’ll also inform you of your rights if your coach tries to block your transfer or places limits on the other universities that you can contact.

If you need guidance in navigating the steps to a successful transfer, contact us at 913-766-1235 or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com.

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NCAA Division I Transfer Rules Working Group Update

The Division I Transfer Working Group continues to gather information and feedback from coaches, athletic administrators, and student-athletes to develop proposed rule changes which they intend to “…improve the transfer environment for colleges athletes, coaches, and teams.”

It appears that the Working Group will be proposing a change from the current need for an athlete to request permission prior to contacting other colleges about a transfer to instead simply notifying their current university that they intend to transfer.

While this proposed change may appear to make it easier for an athlete to transfer if they are not required to obtain permission before contacting coaches at other schools, athletes and families should keep in mind that it’s quite possible they will immediately be removed from their team and barred from training facilities once they provide such notification, even if they don’t yet know where they want to transfer.

Just last week, the Division I Committee on Academics met in-person and provided additional feedback for the Transfer Working Group to consider.  The Committee on Academics relied heavily on statistical data provided directly by NCAA schools, as well as from other sources, on such factors as grade-point average, the timing of a transfer, the percentage of degree completion, and gaps in enrollment.

Regarding potential rule changes and the opportunity for an athlete to be immediately eligible when transferring to a Division I university from another four-year college, the key points of feedback provided to the Transfer Working Group by the Committee on Academics were:

  • An athlete’s cumulative grade-point average should be a factor to determine eligibility,
  • An athlete’s progress toward their degree should also be a factor, and
  • The academic requirements for eligibility may differ depending upon an athlete’s year in college.

The key takeaway from these points is that an athlete’s academic standing and progress toward earning their degree may become even more important than they currently are now in determining eligibility when transferring to another university.

Contact us at 913-766-1235 or send an e-mail to rick@informedathlete.com to arrange a consultation call if you have questions about the current academic requirements for immediate eligibility as a transfer athlete. 

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Importance of Student-Athlete’s GPA in an NCAA Transfer

Some NCAA Division I coaches have been denying student-athletes’ permission to talk to other four-year colleges about a possible transfer unless the student-athlete has a GPA of at least 2.600.

This can happen when teams are in danger of being penalized for a low “Academic Progress Rate (APR).”

An NCAA Division I athlete with a 2.500 GPA  could be academically eligible to compete the next season if they were staying at their current school, and could meet the transfer eligibility requirements to be immediately eligible at another 4-year college.

However, that same student-athlete might be denied permission to speak with coaches and athletic staff about a possible transfer to another school simply because their current team could lose an APR retention point.

If you or your student-athlete is considering a transfer to another school and you need help navigating through the process, call Informed Athlete at 913-766-1235 to schedule a consult!

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NCAA DII to DI Transfer: Immediately Eligible?

The answer depends upon a number of factors, some of which include:

  • The athlete’s sport
  • The athlete’s scholarship status
  • The athlete’s academic standing

The transfer rules are different for selected sports, and within those sports, may be different for a non-scholarship, non-recruited athlete.

There could also be additional rules that are specific to the particular conference that the Division I school is a member of.

For that reason, a confidential phone consultation is the best way to answer the question for each particular athlete.

However, as a starting point, individuals with transfer questions may want to start out by reviewing our “Informed Athlete’s Comprehensive Guide to Transfers” which can be purchased at this link through the Store of our website:
https://informedathlete.com/services/comprehensive-transfer-guide/

If you’d like to schedule a phone consultation, or discuss that option, contact us at rick@informedathlete.com, or at 913-766-1235.

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Transferring to an NCAA school? Are you eligible?

We recently received this e-mail from an athlete:

“I signed an NLI last Fall as a JUCO transfer to a Division II track program, but wasn’t informed until two weeks into this semester that I didn’t meet the academic requirements to be eligible. What options do I have?”  
My first comment is that somebody at that Division II college didn’t do their job as they should have (assuming they received her transcript in a timely manner) if they didn’t inform their athlete of her academic deficiency before the semester started.
Had they done so, she could have at least had the option to go back to the JUCO for one more semester as a full or part-time student, or she could have considered other options.

Now her options are limited and more complicated:

By waiting until two weeks into the semester to inform the athlete of her status, she is stuck at that college and is now ineligible for this academic year.  She must now work to earn her academic eligibility to be able to compete next year at this college.

Also, because an athlete must be academically eligible when they leave their current school in order to be immediately eligible as a transfer to an NCAA member school, she either needs to stay at this school and work to earn her eligibility there, OR
If she chooses to transfer to another NCAA college before she regains eligibility where she is, she will be ineligible for her first academic year at the next college.
Another option is that she could transfer to an NAIA college where it would be possible to regain eligibility after one semester.
How could an athlete AVOID this type of situation?
Make sure you are certified academically eligible by the school you are transferring to before classes begin.
How frequently does this type of thing happen?  
More frequently than you would think.  These are the type of situations I hate because they could easily be prevented.
How can you prevent this from happening to your athlete?

We frequently work with junior college athletes to make sure they’re eligible at their NCAA school of choice by doing a College Transcript Review.  

For more information, contact Informed Athlete at 913-766-1235 or send an email to rick@informedathlete.com.

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Advice for College Athletes Regarding Transfer Situations

Are you thinking about a possible transfer from one NCAA or NAIA university to another?

Maybe you’re looking for more playing time elsewhere, or just want to be back closer to home?
If you’re planning to transfer to an NCAA or an NAIA university, you need to remember that you need to receive written permission from your current school to talk with other coaches. So, the first thing you should do is talk to your coach and explain that you would like to request permission to speak with other schools.

But, how do you do that in the middle of your season without being benched or even cut from your team by an angered coach?
We’ve had the privilege of guiding thousands of athletes and parents through the steps in the transfer process, including when and how to approach the coach, and by providing other tips about transfers. We also inform clients of their rights if their transfer request is denied, and how to approach an appeal, if necessary.

A transfer can be a very stressful situation, but in a phone or Skype consultation we’ll guide you through each step in the process so that you’re prepared for the “what ifs.”

To schedule a transfer consultation, please call 913-766-1235 or email rick@informedathlete.com.

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