Redshirt Rules 101 for 2024 Fall Sports
With sports competition beginning at colleges and universities across the country, this is an appropriate time to review the “redshirt rules” that are relevant to Fall Sports.
NCAA Division I and II Sports other than Football
An athlete who enters a regular season contest (at the varsity or JV level) during the season in their Fall sport, even if only for one or two minutes or for one or two plays, will be using one of their four seasons of competitive eligibility.
There is an exception for All Fall sports for participation in preseason scrimmages or exhibitions, BUT how such scrimmages or exhibitions are counted can vary from one sport to another.
For that reason, it is best to communicate with the NCAA compliance director at your university to inquire whether appearing in an exhibition contest or preseason scrimmage for your team will count as using one of your four seasons of competition.
NCAA Division I and II Football
An athlete on a Division I football team can compete in up to four games without being charged with a season of competition.
In Division II, a freshman athlete may appear in up to three games without being charged with a season of competition. Unlike the Division I rule, this opportunity is only available to an athlete “…in their initial year of collegiate enrollment.”
NCAA Division III
To redshirt at the NCAA Division III level, an athlete must completely remove themselves from their team before the first game or contest of the season.
The D3 rules charge a “season of participation” if an athlete is practicing with their team once the season begins, even if the athlete never appears in a game for their team during the season.
NJCAA and CCCAA
An athlete who enters a regular season contest (at the varsity or JV level) during the season in their Fall sport, even if only for one or two minutes or for one or two plays, will be using one of their four seasons of competitive eligibility.
NAIA
The NAIA only charges an athlete with a season of competition if the athlete appears in more than 20 percent of the maximum number of games or dates of competition in their sport. However, any participation in NAIA-approved postseason competition will count as a season used (even if that is the athlete’s ONLY appearance in competition all season).
Do you have questions about redshirting or a medical redshirt?
Schedule a confidential Eligibility Issues Consult online, send an email to rick@informedathlete.com or call us at 913-766-1235.
