Recruiting Periods
Recruiting has occurred whenever a member of Indiana State University athletics staff or a representative of our programs encourages a prospect to enroll at Indiana State and compete in athletics. This can occur through a telephone call, in-person contact or official visit.
Letters
A prospect may receive written correspondence (including e-mail) from Indiana State coaches after September 1 of the prospect’s junior year of high school. Prospects in the sport of men’s basketball may receive written correspondence at the conclusion of their sophomore year of high school. There are also several types of recruiting materials that may be sent to a prospect at any time and several types of materials that may never be sent.
Phone Calls
There are limitations on the number of phone calls that Indiana State University staff members can make and restrictions on when those calls can be made. A prospect may telephone an institution at his/her own expense at any time. However, coaches and athletics staff may not return phone calls except within the recruiting periods below:
Football
In the sport of football, one (1) telephone call to a prospect (or a prospect's relatives or legal guardians) may be made during the month of May of the prospect's junior year in high school. Additional telephone calls to a prospect (or a prospect’s relatives or legal guardians) may not be made prior to September 1 of the beginning of the prospect's senior year in high school. Thereafter, such telephone contact is limited to once per week outside of a contact period. During a contact period, such telephone contact may be made at the institution's discretion.
Basketball
In the sport of basketball, an Indiana State coach may call a prospect on or after June 21 of the prospect's junior year in high school. In addition, an Indiana State coach may only call a prospect three (3) times during the month of July following the prospect's junior year in high school, with no more than one call a week after the month of July.
All Other Sports
Each NCAA sport sponsored by Indiana State has its own guidelines for telephoning prospects for the purpose of recruitment. Generally, phone calls from a member of the Indiana State staff may not start until July 1 after the completion of the prospect's junior year in high school.
Contact Period
During a contact period, Indiana State coaching staff members may evaluate (watch) and contact (speak with) prospects at their homes, schools or other off-campus sites. Institutional coaching staff members may telephone a prospective student-athlete at their discretion during a contact period. In sports other than football, coaching staff members may contact a prospect no more than three times at any off-campus site. In the sport of football, Indiana State is limited to six in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts with a prospect at any site during the prospect’s senior year. However, a member of the Indiana State football staff may not contact a prospect more than once per week and may not visit any one high school more than once per week. In all other sports, coaches can have contact only three times during the prospect’s senior year. In addition, recently enacted legislation allows for one off-campus contact during April of the prospect’s junior year on the high school campus (in all sports except football).
Evaluation Period
During an evaluation period, Indiana State coaching staff members may assess the academic qualifications and athletics ability of a prospect at off-campus locations. In-person, off-campus recruiting contacts are not permitted during an evaluation period. A coach may speak with counselors and high school coaches, but may not speak with prospects. In all sports other than Division I football and basketball, Indiana State is limited to seven recruiting opportunities, contacts and evaluations combined, with not more than three contacts. Indiana State football staff members are limited to three evaluations during the academic year; one time in the fall and two times between April 15 and May 31 (one evaluation to assess athletics ability and one evaluation to assess academic qualifications). In basketball, Indiana State has five recruiting opportunities (a combination of contacts and evaluations) per prospect; however, not more than three of the five opportunities may be contacts.
Quiet Period
During a quiet period, Indiana State University staff members are permitted to make in-person contacts with prospects only on the University’s campus. Off-campus contacts and evaluations are not permitted during a quiet period.
Dead Period
During a dead period, it is not permissible for anyone associated with Indiana State University to have an in-person contact or evaluate prospects in-person on or off the institution’s campus. It remains permissible for a coach to write or call a prospect during a dead period.
