COMPLIANCE & ELIGIBILITY
Prospective Student-Athletes and Parents
NCAA rules and regulations are complex and can be difficult to navigate. Cal State East Bay's compliance staff is dedicated to help you and your family better understand what some of these rules are and how they affect you as a prospective student-athlete (PSA). Below you will find some of the more common terms used in regards to NCAA legislation with helpful definitions.
- 2020-21 NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student-Athlete: PDF
- 2020-21 NCAA Transfer Guide: Two-Year | Four-Year
COMMON TERMS
PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE (That's You!)
A prospective student-athlete is any student who: has started classes for the 9th grade; is younger than the 9th grade, but who has received a benefit from CSUEB; is enrolled at a preparatory school or 2-year college; OR is enrolled at a 4-year institution, but who has been issued a release by his/her university.
You become a "recruited" prospective student-athlete at CSUEB if any coach or representative of the University's athletics interests (i.e. "booster") does any of the following:
- Provides you with an expense-paid visit to CSUEB (official visit)
- Calls you or your family member on more than one occasion
- Meets with you or a family member anywhere off-campus
- Issues you a National Letter of Intent
BOOSTER (AKA - Representative of an Institution's Athletics Interest)
Businesses or individuals who are known to have participated in any of the following shall be known as Cal State east Bay "boosters":
- Participated in or been a member of an organization promoting the CSUEB Athletic Department (Pete's Pit, P3 Club, etc.)
- Given financial contributions to CSUEB Athletics
- Assisted in the recruitment of PSAs
- Provided NCAA permissible benefits to student-athletes or their families (Boosters please check with Compliance before doing so!!)
- Promoted CSUEB Athletics in other way
Once a booster, ALWAYS a booster!
RECRUITING
The term recruiting involves any solicitation of a PSA (or their family members!) by CSUEB Athletics staff to encourage that individual to enroll at CSUEB and participate for one of the intercollegiate athletics programs. The ONLY people permitted to engage in recruiting activities are those CSUEB coaches who have successfully completed the designated educational modules for that academic year. Boosters may NOT participate in recruiting activities.
CONTACT
A contact is any face-to-face encounter between a PSA or the PSA's parents, relatives, or legal guardian(s) and an institutional staff member or CSUEB Athletics Representative during which any conversation in excess of a greeting occurs. Any face-to-face meeting that is prearranged or takes place on the grounds of the PSA's school or competition site is considered a contact, regardless of the conversation that occurs.
EXTRA BENEFITS
Extra benefits include any special arrangement by a CSUEB employee or booster to provide a student-athlete or PSA with any benefit not authorized by the NCAA. A few benefits that would be considered "extra" include, but are not limited to:
- Money, special discounts, specialized services (laundry, car wash, dry cleaning)
- Free meals, movie tickets, use of a car etc.
- Free or reduced rent or promise of such a service
- Anything given because of an individual's reputation as a student-athlete
INITIAL ELIGIBILITY RESOURCES
To be eligible to compete for CSUEB athletics directly out of high school, there are a few academic requirements you will need to complete before your initial full-time enrollment at the University (the same goes for any other NCAA Division II institution).
If you enroll AFTER August 1, 2018:
CORE COURSES (16 Total)
- 3 years of English
- 2 years of Math (Algebra 1 or higher)
- 2 years of Natural/Physical Science (at least one year of a Lab Science)
- 3 additional years of English, Math, or Science
- 2 years of Social Studies
- 4 additional years of English, math, physical/natural science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion, or philosophy
You must also earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score that matches your core-course grade point average (minimum 2.20) on the Division II competition sliding scale.
Additionally, CSUEB maintans its own Admissions Requirements.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
WHAT IS AN OFFICIAL VISIT?
Any visit to a college campus during which the institution pays for part or all of your expenses. You are only allowed to take one official visit per institution. For Division II, there is no limit to the number of schools you may visit for an official visit. You may not go on an official visit until opening day of classes of your senior year of high school.
WHAT IS AN UNOFFICIAL VISIT?
An unofficial visit is any visit to a college that is not paid for by the institution. Unlike with official visits, you are allowed to take as many unofficial visits to a school as you like, and you can go on an unofficial visit at any age.
WHEN ARE PIONEER COACHES FIRST ALLOWED TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME?
The general rule is that CSUEB coaches can have contact with you and your parents via phone, email, or in-person contact beginning June 15th prior to your junior year in high school. Remember that recruiting rules are different for Divisions I, II, and III.
WHEN CAN I START CALLING OR EMAILING A CSUEB COACH?
Prospective student-athletes and their parents may call a CSUEB coach at any time. If the coach answers the call, they are free to talk to you. However, if you leave a message, NCAA rules may not allow the coach to return your call. Similar to phone calls, you can always email a CSUEB coach. However, if you haven't reached June 15th prior to your junior year in high school, the coach is not allowed to email you back except to explain the NCAA contact rules.
Please keep in mind, if you are a student at another NCAA DI or DII institution you must be entered on the transfer portal before attempting to contact a CSUEB coach or administrator.
