NCAA Division I Council Extends Recruiting Dead Period
The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t just affected on-field action across various levels of sports. On the collegiate front, it has also thrown a wrench into the recruiting, and that disruption will continue to be felt following a ruling by the NCAA Division I Council on Wednesday. In an evening release, the NCAA announced that it has extended its recruiting dead period for Division I through the end of the year.
The dead period implemented by the NCAA in April, and which will not end until at least 2021, prevents coaches from making in-person contact with recruits. Coaches can communicate with potential recruits by phone and correspondence. The decision was also made to not allow coaches to give out complimentary event tickets to prospective recruits and their high school or two-year coaches.
“While the Council acknowledged and appreciates the growing desire to resume in-person recruiting by select coaches’ associations, Council members ultimately concluded the primary concern right now must be protecting the current student-athletes on our campuses,” said Council chair M. Grace Calhoun, who is the Athletic Director at the University of Pennsylvania. “We encourage our coaches to interact with prospective student-athletes virtually in this time period.”