The Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee recommended amending the fall recruiting calendar on Monday.
Due to the unprecedented times caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, recruiting in the sport was disrupted this summer.The proposal, which must be acted on by the Division I Council on Wednesday before becoming official, calls for a quiet period Aug. 10-14.
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The proposal would establish an evaluation period from Aug. 15 – Sept. 8 and convert the fall contact period from Sept. 9-29 into an evaluation period. During this timeframe, evaluations can occur at any scholastic and non-scholastic events (fall leagues, open gyms and noninstitutional organized events).
The proposal includes:
- Permitting 130 recruiting-person days from Aug. 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021.
- Permitting on-campus evaluations of a high school or preparatory school senior to be conducted at the beginning of the SA’s senior year of high school year, as opposed to the end of the high school basketball season.
- Converting the dead periods surrounding the initial signing dates of the National Letter of Intent to quiet periods for prospective student-athletes not eligible to sign.
- Establishing opportunities for coaches to evaluate prospective student-athletes from Aug. 15 through Sept. 29.
The proposal is based on recommendations from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the Division I Women’s Basketball Oversight Committee and was developed based on guiding principles that include the academics, health, safety and well-being of student-athletes, prospective student-athletes and coaches.
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Since March 13, a dead period in all NCAA sports was created. Since March 1, women’s basketball coaches have lost 42 recruiting days, and prospects lost opportunities to be seen and field offers for a scholarship.
The proposed calendar presents opportunities for coaches to evaluate prospects, given the current pandemic. For example, one-on-one on-campus evaluations may be more conducive than a mega-evaluation event, based on local and state health guidelines.
