What to Know About the NCAA DIII Redshirt Rule So You Don’t Lose a Season of Participation!

Student-athletes at NCAA Division III colleges who are preparing to start their fall season should know that the “redshirt” rule is quite different for Division III than it is for NCAA Division I and II athletes.

NCAA Division III rules require that an athlete be charged with one of their four “seasons of participation” if they practice with their team after the first game of the season – even if they never appear in an actual game against another team.

This happened to a client of ours two years ago. The athlete’s father contacted us to ask about his son’s redshirt season because he had left the team after just one week of the season.

However, since he continued practicing with the team after the first game of the season, he was charged with a “season of participation” for that season, and at that time had three seasons remaining rather than the four that the father thought his son had.

For a consultation regarding the NCAA redshirt rules and guidelines, schedule an Eligibility Issues online, send an email to rick@informedathlete.com or call us at 913-766-1235.