Amateurism

Only an amateur student-athlete is eligible for intercollegiate athletics participation in a particular sport. Amateurism certification is required by all Freshmen and transfer student-athletes initially enrolling at a division I institution. Please go to the Eligibility Center to complete your amateurism questions. Student-athletes could lose their amateur status, should they:

• Accept pay or the promise of pay for play

• Enter into a professional contract

• Play for a professional team

• Enter into an agreement (oral or written) with an agent

• Accept a benefit from an agent or runner

• Promote a commercial product or service regardless of pay (allow your picture, name or testimonial to be used to advertise a product or service)

Agents and Professional Leagues

If you are considering turning pro and signing with an agent, it is essential that you understand the NCAA and University rules regarding professional leagues/drafts and agents. Any violation of these rules can, and will, have a severe negative effect on your status as a student-athlete.

NCAA Rules

Under NCAA Bylaw 12.3, a student-athlete (any individual who currently participates in or who may be eligible in the future to participate in intercollegiate sport) may not agree verbally or in writing to be represented by an athlete agent in the present or in the future for the purpose of marketing the student-athlete's ability or reputation. If the student-athlete enters into such an agreement, the student-athlete is ineligible for intercollegiate competition.

Also, a student-athlete and his/her relatives or friends, may not accept transportation or other benefits from an athlete agent.

The term "agent" includes actual agents, runners (individuals who befriend student-athletes and frequently distribute impermissible benefits) and financial advisors.

Professional Leagues

An individual may inquire of a professional sports organization about eligibility for a professional-league player draft or request information about the individual's market value without affecting his or her amateur status.

NCAA rules stipulate that you are not eligible:

After initial full-time collegiate enrollment, an individual loses amateur status in a particular sport when the individual asks to be placed on the draft list or supplemental draft list of a professional league in that sport, even though:  (Revised: 4/25/02 effective 8/1/02)

(a) The individual asks that his or her name be withdrawn from the draft list prior to the actual draft;

(b) The individual's name remains on the list but he or she is not drafted; or

(c) The individual is drafted but does not sign an agreement with any professional athletics team.

There are exceptions for every sport when it comes to professional drafts. Please contact the Compliance Office if you are interested in being entered into a draft.