NCAA Recruiting
Division I men’s college hockey coaches are not allowed to have recruiting conversations with prospective student-athletes until Jan. 1 of their sophomore year (grade 10) in high school. That means they cannot reply to emails, text messages, or return phone calls prior to that date.
As of April 2019, this prohibition also includes in-person conversations and phone calls initiated by prospects. If a prospect does come in contact with a coach prior to Jan. 1 of their sophomore year, NCAA rules require that the coach not engage in a recruiting conversation.
Is there a way for me to speak with a college coach prior to Jan. 1 of my grade 10 year?
No. As of April 2019, all recruiting conversations with prospects and their families, coaches and advisors are prohibited prior to Jan. 1 of the prospect’s sophomore year.
CAN A COLLEGE COACH TALK TO MY COACH OR ADVISOR PRIOR TO JAN. 1 OF MY GRADE 10 YEAR?
A college coach may have an evaluative conversation with a third party such as a coach or advisor at any time, but may not use these conversations to send recruiting messages (verbal offers, etc.) to prospective student-athletes prior to Jan. 1 of their sophomore (grade 10) year. Prospects may not listen to evaluative conversations between NCAA coaches and third parties until Jan. 1 of their sophomore (grade 10) year.
Why can’t coaches call me back prior to Jan. 1 of my 10th grade year?
College hockey coaches must comply with NCAA rules, which prohibit coaches from actively recruiting players at that age. They may watch players play prior to that date, but they may not have recruiting conversations until then.
How do I get noticed by college hockey coaches?
College hockey coaches spend a tremendous amount of time and energy scouting and recruiting potential student athletes. If you play for a competitive midget minor, midget major, junior, or high school team, and are an elite player, there is a good a chance that the college coaches know about you.
We highly recommend that American players try out for the USA select festivals that are held every summer. We also recommend you make a list of the schools you are interested in and visit their respective web sites and team pages. Most college hockey teams have a “recruiting questionnaire” on their team web site and it would be beneficial to fill out a questionnaire for each school that interests you.
It can also be worthwhile to create a “hockey resume” to introduce yourself to college coaches. Click here for tips on writing a hockey resume.
Can I go straight from high school and play college hockey?
Yes. If a college coach thinks you are physically and mentally prepared for the challenges of college hockey then they will recruit you straight from high school. College coaches often recommend that a player take extra time, following his graduation from high school, to play junior hockey so that player can mature both physically and mentally prior to jumping into the college game.
What is the difference between an official college visit and unofficial visit?
NCAA rule changes in 2018 and 2019 impacts when prospective student-athletes may visit with college coaches on their campuses.
An official college visit is a 48-hour, expense-paid visit. An official visit cannot be taken until August 1 of the prospective student-athlete’s 11th-grade year in high school. There is no limit to the number of official visits a recruit can make to Division I schools, but they can only visit each school once. The exception is if the head coach changes after the recruit’s first visit.
An unofficial visit is paid for by the student-athlete, can last any length of time and there is no limit to the number of unofficial visits a student can take. Unofficial visits may not take place until January 1 of the prospective student-athlete’s 10th-grade year in high school. During an unofficial visit the coaching staff may meet with a prospective student athlete and provide him with a tour of the campus and facilities.
Prospective student-athletes may visit college campuses at any time, but prior to January 1 of their 10th-grade year they may not have recruiting conversations with college coaches during their visit.
What kind of grades do I need to play college hockey?
In order for a prospective student athlete to be academically eligible to play in the NCAA he must have graduated from high school, fulfilled a core curriculum of at least 16 courses, and met a minimum index score. In order for a prospective student athlete to be academically eligible to play in the NCAA, he must have graduated from high school, fulfilled a core curriculum of at least 16 courses, and accrued a 2.3 GPA based on prospect’s approved core-courses. Some college and universities may adhere to stricter admission requirements. A prospective student athlete should regularly meet with a college counselor, provided by their high school, in order to ensure they meet these requirements. All certified high school college counselors should be familiar with the necessary steps and minimum requirements set forth by the NCAA. More information can be found at the NCAA Eligibility Center (see below).
If you play a “Junior” hockey game after your 21st birthday, you will be subject to a sliding calculation used by the NCAA Eligibility Center with a potential to lose NCAA athletic eligibility and/or games played.
Student-athletes can retain their four years of NCAA eligibility and play a junior A game after turning 21 if they enroll full-time in a post-secondary institution. Full-time status is determined by the school in which the student athlete enrolls. While this starts a student-athlete’s five-year eligibility “clock,” they could use their full four years of eligibility provided that they enroll at the NCAA Division I school the following fall. The institution in this case may not be a nonterm institution with rolling enrollment and the classes must have a definitive start and end date.
Can I try out for an NCAA team even if I wasn’t recruited?
Many Divisions I teams will hold open tryouts of some sort for students who were not recruited and meet NCAA Eligibility Center standards, though the number of opportunities for these players are very limited. Check with the school’s hockey office for more information.
