Charlotte, NC – The NJCAA, alongside the NJCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Coaches Association and in conjunction with the NCAA and the Commission on College Basketball has announced a legislation change regarding summer participation for student-athletes.
Effective immediately, NJCAA basketball programs, both men and women, will be permitted off-season practice and competition dates to adapt to newly adopted NCAA summer recruiting rules. The allowable dates that a NJCAA member will be permitted to have student-athletes on campus are:
- June 16 – July 1, 2019
- June 14 – June 29, 2020
- June 13 – June 29, 2021
Any practice held during the allowable summer time period is regulated by the institutional policy of each member. Students must have been enrolled full time in the previous spring semester, currently enrolled in the summer semester, enrolled full time in the upcoming fall semester, and/or have a current letter of intent for the upcoming academic year and have a physical on file. Individual and/or team participation is allowable only at NCAA/NJCAA certified events as listed on the NCAA and NJCAA websites. Land transportation may be provided by member institution to NCAA/NJCAA certified events only.
With the new NCAA summer recruiting rules for men's basketball, it is imperative that the NJCAA take full advantage of the opportunity to give the student-athlete a platform to be evaluated by four-year college coaches. In addition to more extensive and structured evaluation periods, NJCAA coaches will be the point of contact during the recruiting process, which in time will further relationships and build a bridge from the NJCAA to the NCAA/NAIA.
The proposal promotes academic success and opportunity for skill and talent evaluation consistent with the new NCAA rules. The new legislation will set a standard for other sports for future off-season evaluation periods.
To learn more about the new NCAA summer recruiting policies, visit: NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Recruiting Calendar 2018-19
"The NJCAA Men's Basketball Coaches Association applauds the NJCAA Board of Regents approval of this historic legislation," stated NJCAA Men's Basketball Coaches Association President Christopher DePew. "The NJCAA is about opportunities. We now have an opportunity to work hand-in-hand with the NCAA and their coaches, which will benefit our student-athletes both academically and athletically. It is our responsibility to provide this opportunity for our student-athletes and increase the likelihood for them to achieve their dreams and complete their two-year college degree and move on to the next chapter in their life, a four-year college degree. This legislation will also help our institutions and coaches to stay current with other levels of competition that have the opportunity to work with their student-athletes during the summer and transport them to events affordably and safely. In addition, this legislation allows NJCAA member colleges the ability to provide an affordable opportunity for our student-athletes to be evaluated and recruited by NCAA and NAIA Coaches at all levels of competition and makes our NJCAA member Coaches the primary point of contact for recruitment of their student-athletes."
"Our association is excited about the new legislation," stated Brandan Harrell, NJCAA Women's Basketball Coaches Association President. "We believe that it is a step forward in the recruiting and exposure for our student-athletes. Anytime we are able to give our student-athletes more opportunities, we are doing the right thing. This change will have an instant positive impact for our young men and women."
"The NJCAA is proud to have worked on this initiative with each respective basketball coaches association," NJCAA President & CEO Dr. Christopher Parker claimed. "We are pleased to provide further opportunities that are in the best interest of our student-athletes."
Further information regarding criteria for hosting an event and how teams and individual student-athletes can register for events will be provided in the near future from the association. For questions, please contact: Thom McDonald, Executive Director of the NJCAA Men's Basketball Coaches Association – sid@iccac.org or 515-460.8080.