student athletes



interesting in playing in the ncaa or naia at college?

NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association)

High School Timeline (To Do List for 9th through 12th grades)

Divisions within NCAA (Division 1, 2, 3)

College Bound Student Athlete Guide

Eligibility Center (GPA & Test Score Requirements) - *Students are encourage to register and create their profile account as early as 9th grade year.


NAIA (National Athletic Intercollegiate Association)

Early Decision & Meeting Freshman College Requirements

Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete


Differences between NAIA & NCAA (a more focused NAIA article describing the major key differences)



Student Athlete Timeline to prepare for Recruitment

Here is a basic athletic recruitment timeline & Differences between "official" and "unofficial" visits!

Junior year:



Summer before senior year/senior year




Official vs Unofficial Visits (by you!)

High school athletes interested in playing in college need to understand some basic principles. Visits are specifically defined as “official” and “unofficial.” 

Official visits are paid for by the institution. According to NCAA rules and regulations, these are not allowed before a prospective student-athlete becomes a senior in high school. It’s also important to note that student-athletes are limited to one “official” visit per institution and a total of five overall. The rules also state that the visit cannot last more than 48 hours and that the student must already have registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, and have had their test scores and high school transcripts sent to the college or university.

An unofficial visit is when a student-athlete and any accompanying family members choose to visit a college or university and they are not reimbursed by the institution. Prospective student-athletes are allowed to make as many of these visits as they like during their sophomore, junior and senior years. A typical “unofficial” visit might include a tour of the campus, and meetings with coaches and with other student-athletes. Athletic Departments may choose to arrange interviews with the Admissions Office as well.