Seasons of Eligibility and Outside Competition
Eligibility: Competing as a collegiate athlete
A student-athlete shall not engage in more than four seasons of intercollegiate competition in any one sport.
Any competition (including a scrimmage with outside competition), regardless of time, during a season in an intercollegiate sport shall be counted as a season of competition in that sport. This provision is applicable to intercollegiate athletics competition conducted by a two-year or four-year collegiate institution at the varsity or sub-varsity level.
A student-athlete shall complete his or her seasons of participation during the first 10 semesters in which the student is enrolled in a collegiate institution in at least a minimum full-time program of studies.
A student-athlete is considered to have used a semester or quarter under this rule when the student-athlete is officially registered in a collegiate institution (domestic or foreign) in a regular term of an academic year for a minimum full-time program of studies, as determined by the institution, and attends the first day of classes for that term, even if the student-athlete drops to part-time status during that first day of classes (see Bylaw 14.2.3).
Eligibility: Competing as a non-collegiate, amateur athlete
A student-athlete becomes ineligible for intercollegiate competition in his or her sport (other than basketball) if, after enrollment in college and during any year in which the student-athlete is a member of an intercollegiate squad or team, he or she competes or has competed as a member of any outside team in any non-collegiate, amateur competition (e.g., tournament play, exhibition games or other activity) during the institution's intercollegiate season in the sport.
A student-athlete who participates in any organized basketball competition except while representing the institution in intercollegiate competition in accordance with the permissible playing season specified in Bylaw 17.3 becomes ineligible for any further intercollegiate competition in basketball
Exceptions (See Bylaw 14.7.5):
- High School Alumni Game.
- Olympic Games.
- Official Pan American Games Tryouts and Competition.
- U.S. National Teams
- Official World Championships, World University Games, World University Championships, World Youth Championships and World Cup Tryouts and Competition.
- Multi-sport Events. A student-athlete may participate in officially recognized state and national multisport events.
Additional Exceptions for Basketball Only:
- Summer Competition.
- Puerto Rico Superior Basketball League.
- United States vs. U.S. National Teams.
Other Important Links
Outside Competition Approval Form
Additional Questions? Contact the Compliance Office at 304-876-5404.
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