What are the Rules for NCAA College Soccer Recruiting?

Do you have a child in high school who shows the potential to play collegiate soccer? As a parent, it is important to understand NCAA recruitment requirements to ensure that you and your child are taking the right steps towards the next level of soccer.

NCAA Division I Soccer Recruiting Rules

As a High School Sophomore:
Your child may:

• Receive brochures for camps, such as a sleep away soccer camp, as well as receive questionnaires from college coaches
• Call coaches but may not receive calls from coaches
• NOT have off-campus contact or take official visits
• Take unlimited unofficial visits as long as they are scheduled without the assistance of coaching staff and are not coordinated as a meeting with coaching staff on campus
  • Athletic departments may not participate in a prospective athlete’s unofficial visit until September 1st of their junior year.

As a High School Junior:
Your child may:

• Receive recruiting materials and information from coaches beginning September 1st
• Call coaches
• Receive calls from coaches beginning September 1st
• Have electronic correspondence beginning September 1st  (must be private between the student and the coach)
• Have off-campus contact beginning July 1st
• Take unlimited unofficial visits beginning September 1st
• Take official visits beginning September 1st (prospective athletes are allowed one visit per college, a maximum of five visits to Division I schools, and unlimited visits to Division II, Division III, and NAIA schools)

As a High School Senior:
When your child enters high school, they can:

• Receive materials and information from coaches
• Call or be called by coaches
• Have any form of electronic correspondence (must be private between the athlete and the coach)
• Have off-campus contact (no more than three times)
• Take unlimited unofficial visits
• Take one visit per college, a maximum of five visits to Division I schools, and unlimited visits to Division II, Division, III, and NAIA schools

Other Important Notes:
College coaches can evaluate and contact your child no more than seven times during their senior year, and a college coach cannot contact your child more than three times total.
 

NCAA Division II Soccer Recruiting Rules

As a High School Sophomore:
When your child begins their sophomore year of high school, they may:

• Receive brochures for camps, such as the sleep away soccer camp at IMG Academy, as well as questionnaires from college programs
• Call coaches
• Receive unlimited calls, texts, or emails from coaches after June 15th 
• Have unlimited off-campus contact after June 15th
• Take official visits after June 15th
• Take unlimited unofficial visits

As a High School Junior:
Your child may:

• Receive recruiting materials and information from coaches 
• Call coaches
• Receive unlimited calls, texts, or emails from coaches 
• Have unlimited off-campus contact 
• Take unlimited official and unofficial visits

As a High School Senior
When your child enters their senior year, they can:

• Receive materials and information from coaches
• Call coaches, 
• Receive unlimited calls, texts, or emails from coaches 
• Have off-campus contact 
• Take unlimited unofficial visits
• Take a limited number of official visits (one per college, a maximum of five visits to a Division I school, unlimited visits to Division II, Division III, and NAIA schools)

Other Important Notes:
Division II does not have any rules for the number of evaluations permitted per student-athlete. College coaches may not contact your child on competition or practice days until the event or practice is over. During a contact period, college coaches may only make one visit per week to your child’s high school.
 

NCAA Division III Recruiting Rules

Division III schools are the only universities without set recruiting calendars, meaning DIII coaches can contact and recruit high school athletes without set dead periods, contact periods, and quiet periods. 

As a High School Sophomore and Freshman:
Your child can:

• Receive brochures for camps and questionnaires
• Receive recruiting information from college coaches
• Call or be called by coaches without limitations
• Take unofficial visits
• Have off-campus contact after their sophomore year as well as take official visits

As a High School Junior:
Your child can:

• Receive recruiting information and materials from coaches
• Call or be called by coaches without limitations
• Have off-campus contact
• Take official visits beginning January 1st 
• Take unlimited unofficial visits

As a High School Senior:
As a senior in high school, your child can:

• Receive information and materials from coaches
• Call or be called by coaches without limitations
• Have off-campus contact
• Take official visits beginning the first day of theirs classes (limited to one visit per college)
• Take unlimited unofficial visits

For more information about NCAA soccer recruiting rules, check out these useful resources from the NCSA.