Babson College Athletics Recruiting Information

WHAT DOES DIVISION III HAVE TO OFFER?

Division III athletics offers student-athletes the opportunity to become well-rounded individuals who successfully integrate athletics and academics. Student-athletes are integrated into the student body, and they experience the full range of college life.

Division III athletics departments place special importance on the impact of athletics on the participants rather than on the spectators. The student-athlete's experience is of paramount concern.

Division III athletics feature athletes who receive no financial aid related to their athletic skills and athletic departments that are staffed and funded like any other department in the university. Division III athletics encourages the development of sportsmanship and positive social attitudes. Coaches and players treat each other with respect, and administrators work to foster a positive competitive environment.

Division III athletics is committed to providing equitable athletics opportunities for both genders and gives equal emphasis to men's and women's sports.

Division III athletics encourages participation by maximizing the number and variety of athletics opportunities available to student-athletes, placing primary emphasis on regional in-season and conference competition.

DIVISION III RECRUITING - QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE

This document is designed to provide a quick reference of NCAA Division III recruiting rules. It is not to serve as a substitute for the legislation within the NCAA Division III Manual.

NCAA Division III recruiting rules apply to athletics based recruiting and are not meant to limit an institution's admissions office from the recruitment of prospective students generally.

Definitions:

Recruiting – Any solicitation of a prospect or prospect’s relatives [or guardian(s)] by an institutional staff member for the purpose of securing the prospect’s enrollment and his/her ultimate participation in the institution’s intercollegiate athletics program.

Prospect – A prospective student-athlete is a student that has started classes for the ninth grade.

Contact – Any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or a prospect’s relatives, guardian(s) and an institutional staff member during which any dialogue occurs in excess of a greeting.

Evaluation – Any off-campus activity designed to assess the academic qualifications or athletics ability of a prospect.

Contact with a coach: There are no restrictions on the number of off-campus contacts. Off-campus contacts are not permitted until the conclusion of the prospect’s junior year of high school. Please note there are specific contact restrictions at practice and competition sites.

Evaluations by a coach: There are no restrictions on the number or timing on the observation of a prospect participating in practice or competition.

Campus visits in which athletics recruitment is involved:

Official visits - Each institution is permitted to finance the expenses of one visit per prospect. There are restricted allowances on transportation, meals, lodging, and entertainment detailed within the legislation. Official visits can take place beginning with the opening day of classes for the prospect’s senior year in high school.

Unofficial visits - A prospect may visit a member institution's campus at his or her own expense an unlimited number of times and there are no restrictions on the timing of these unofficial campus visits.

Communications:

Recruiting materials and letters - There are no restrictions on the timing of providing recruiting materials or letters to prospects. Institutions are permitted to provide any official academic, admissions, athletics and student-services publications or videotapes published or produced by the institution and other information of a general nature that is available to all students.

Telephone calls - There are no restrictions on the number or timing on telephone calls to prospects.

E-mails or facsimiles - There are no restrictions on the number or timing for sending e-mails and facsimiles to prospects.

Text messages/instant messenger/social networking sites - The use of text messaging, instant messaging or social networking Web sites by, or on behalf of, a member of the institution's athletics department staff for the purpose of recruitment of prospects is prohibited. It is permissible for athletics departments to use these services for dissemination of general athletics information to a public group that may include prospective student-athletes provided the information sent is the same for all members of the group and the members are able to opt out of the group or service at any time.

Four-year college prospects: Athletics recruitment of an NCAA or NAIA four-year college student-athlete is not permitted without first obtaining written permission from the student’s current institution to do so, regardless of who makes the initial contact. A student-athlete transferring from a Division III institution to another Division III institution can sign the self-release form for proper permission.

RECRUITING FORMS

Babson College sponsors 22 teams at the NCAA Division III (non-scholarship) level. The school competes in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) in all sports except ice hockey, which competes in the ECAC East Conference, skiing, which is a member of the United States Collegiate Ski Association, golf, which competes in the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC), and men's lacrosse, which competes in the Pilgrim League. Please complete and submit the approriate recruit information form(s) below and a coach will be in touch with you.