2023-24 NCAA RECRUITING CALENDAR AND RECRUITING GUIDE
The NCAA Recruiting Calendars outline when—and how—NCAA D1 and D2 college coaches can proactively start recruiting athletes. However, the dates don’t represent when student-athletes should start certain recruiting steps. As early as eighth grade, families begin researching colleges, evaluating what division level is best for their athlete, ensuring they are on the path to NCAA eligibility and even proactively reaching out to college coaches.
Overall, the NCAA Recruiting Calendars seek to protect elite athletes from receiving overwhelming amounts of communication from college coaches by designating certain time periods when coaches cannot contact athletes. The NCAA explains, “Recruiting calendars help promote the well-being of prospective student-athletes and coaches and ensure competitive equity by defining certain time periods in which recruiting may or may not occur in a particular sport.”
Insider Tip: No matter the time or date, you as a student-athlete can always initiate contact with a coach. The rules only enforce when coaches can initiate contact with you. Check out our tips for contacting college coaches.
NCAA RULES FOR HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES
The NCAA Recruiting Rules mandate the types of communication athletes can receive from college coaches based on the athlete’s year in high school. Just like college coaches, high school athletes need to be diligent about following the NCAA recruiting rules to avoid possibly disqualifying themselves from the recruiting process.
HOW TO USE THE NCAA RECRUITING CALENDARS
Use the recruiting calendar alongside the NCAA Recruiting Rules. The NCAA Recruiting Calendars show the specific recruiting time periods throughout the year when coaches can contact athletes—and when coaches aren’t allowed to contact athletes.
Generally speaking, the most important dates on the calendar will be June 15 or September 1 (depending on your sport), going into the athlete’s junior year of high school. For most sports, this is when coaches can start reaching out to recruits. For more specific dates, find your sport-specific calendar below.
KEY TERMS IN THE NCAA RECRUITING CALENDARS
To better understand the NCAA Recruiting Calendars, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the following terms:
As you look through the NCAA Recruiting Calendar for your sport, keep an eye out for some of the particular days that stand out within each period. For example, you may have a quiet period from September 1 through November 25, but within that time span, there will be a designated number of evaluation days in which coaches can assess either your athletic or academic qualifications in person.
FIND YOUR SPORT AT THE DI OR DII LEVEL
QUICK LINKS
WHAT IS THE NCAA RECRUITING GUIDE?
The NCAA recruiting guide is a booklet of information distributed each year by the NCAA to help student-athletes, families, high school coaches and administrators understand the initial eligibility process for Division 1 and Division 2 schools. The guide provides resources, such as:
- Time management expectations for Division 1 athletes
- An initial eligibility checklist
- How to register for a Certification Account – and who needs one
- Division 1 and Division 2 academic standards
- Division 3 academic information
- Division 1 and Division 2 initial eligibility worksheets
- Required courses and test scores
- An explanation of recruiting rules specifically for homeschool students and international students
- Important terms
- Recruiting calendars
- Scholarship opportunities at NCAA schools
- Useful information about the National Letter of Intent
We recommend reviewing this information with your family and guidance counselor to ensure that you are checking off all the boxes to be academically eligible to compete in your sport at the next level. The NCAA Recruiting Guide contains the eligibility information for both Division 1 and Division 2 schools.
DIVISION I BOWL SUBDIVISION FOOTBALL RECRUITING CALENDAR
- August 1-31, 2023: Dead period
- Except: The 48 hours before a home game in August or September 1-2 through the 48 hours after the conclusion of the game is considered a quiet period
- September 1 – November 26, 2023: Evaluation period
- Thirty-three (42 for U.S. service academies) evaluation days during the fall evaluation period.
- November 27 – 30, 2023: Dead period
- December 1 – 16, 2023: Contact period
- December 17, 2023: Quiet period
- December 18, 2023 – January 11, 2024: Dead period
- Except: January 3 – 7, 2024: Quiet period for two- and four-year college transfer prospective student-athletes who intend to enroll midyear.
- Except: January 5 – 7, 2024: Quiet period for national service academies.
- January 12– February 3, 2024: Contact period
- February 4, 2024: Quiet period
- February 5 – March 3, 2024: Dead period
- March 4 – April 14: Quiet period
- April 15 – May 25, 2024: Contact period
- One hundred forty (180 for U.S. service academies) recruiting-person days (see Bylaw 13.02.11) during the spring contact period.
- May 26 – 29, 2024: Dead period
- May 30 – June 23, 2024: Quiet period
- June 24 – July 24, 2024: Dead period
- July 25 – 31, 2024: Quiet period
DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP SUBDIVISION RECRUITING CALENDAR
- August 1 – 31, 2023: Dead period
- Except: Forty-eight hours before a home contest (on the institution’s campus or in a facility normally used for its home games) that occurs in August or on Sept. 1 or 2 through 48 hours after the conclusion of the contest.
- September 1 – November 26, 2023: Quiet period
- Thirty-three (42 for U.S. service academies) EVALUATION PERIOD evaluation days (see Bylaw 13.02.7.1) during the fall evaluation period.
- November 27 – 30, 2023: Dead period
- December 1 – 16, 2023: Contact period
- December 17, 2023: Quiet period
- December 18, 2023 – January 11, 2024: Dead period
- January 3 – 7, 2024: Quiet period for two- and four-year college transfer prospective student-athletes who intend to enroll midyear.
- January 12 – February 3, 2024: Contract period
- February 4, 2024: Quiet period
- February 5 – March 3, 2024: Dead period
- March 4 – April 14, 2024: Quiet period
- April 15 – May 25, 2024: Contact period
- One hundred forty (180 for U.S. service academies) recruiting-person days (see Bylaw 13.02.11) during the spring contact period.
- May 26 – 29, 2024: Dead period
- May 30 – July 31, 2024: Quiet period
DIVISION I BASEBALL RECRUITING CALENDAR
- August 1–20, 2023: Contact period
- August 21 – September 14, 2023: Quiet period
- September 15 – October 8, 2023: Contact period
- October 9, 2023 – February 29, 2024: Quiet period
- Except: November 6 – 9, 2023: Dead period
- Except: November 21 – 26, 2023: Recruiting shutdown
- Except: December 22 – 27, 2023: Recruiting shutdown
- Except: January 4 – 7, 2024: Dead period
- March 1 – July 31, 2024: Contact period
- Except: May 27 – June 3, 2024: Dead period
- Except: June 15 – 17, 2024: Dead period
- Except: July 3 – 5, 2024: Dead period
DIVISION I MEN’S BASKETBALL RECRUITING CALENDAR
For the men’s basketball recruiting evaluation periods, there are two different kinds of evaluation periods that take place. During the April evaluations, coaches can only evaluate recruits at NCAA-certified events. If you are on an AAU team or participating in a club basketball tournament at that time, chances are, it’s an NCAA-certified event. You can always double check if the event is NCAA-certified before you attend.
During the remainder of the evaluation periods, all live evaluations must take place at a regularly scheduled high school, prep school or two-year college tournament, practice or game. Again, it’s important to know when the evaluations can happen, but chances are, the coach will let you know when they plan to visit you during this time.
- June 1 – 14, 2023: Quiet period
- June 15 – August 1, 2023: Evaluation period
- August 2 – September 6, 2023: Quiet period
- September 7 – October 14, 2023: Contact period
- October 15, 2023 through the date of the prospective student-athlete’s initial high school or two-year college contest: Quiet period
- November 6 (7 a.m.) –8 (7 a.m.), 2023: Dead period
- The period between the prospective student-athlete’s initial and final high school or two-year college contests: Evaluation period
- March 1 – April 3, 2024: Contact period
- April 4 – 9 (noon), 2024: Recruiting/contact period (exceptions below)
- Evaluations shall be permitted at any all-star contest held during the final weekend of the NCAA DivisionI Men’s Basketball Championship in the host city (Phoenix): Evaluation period
- April 9 (noon) – May 20, 2024: Contact period
- During any high school all-star game that occurs within the state in which the member institution is located: Evaluation period
- All other dates: Quiet period
*A prospective student-athlete may not make an unofficial visit during the month of July unless he has signed a National Letter of Intent or the institution’s written offer of admission and/or financial aid, or the institution has received a financial deposit from the prospective student-athlete in response to an offer of admission
DIVISION I WOMEN’S BASKETBALL RECRUITING CALENDAR
DI women’s basketball evaluation days can get a little confusing. To start out with, recruits can be evaluated during the National Junior College Athletic Association championship competition. For women whose high school basketball season takes place in the spring, coaches can evaluate them in person from April 8-28, 2022 and July 8-31, 2022.
The NCAA includes a special note for coaches, explaining that any evaluations that occur outside of July, count toward their allotted 112 total in-person recruiting days. Families don’t need to worry about the number of days coaches have to make in-person evaluations, but it’s important to know that evaluation days aren’t unlimited. Coaches have to choose who they will see, which means that they likely won’t just show up to your high school unannounced. Instead, they will probably contact you to arrange a day that works with both of your schedules.
- June 1 – 14, 2023: Quiet period
- June 15 – August 1, 2023: Evaluation period
- August 2 – September 6, 2023: Quiet period
- September 7 – October 14, 2023: Contact period
- October 15, 2023 through the date of the prospective student-athlete’s initial high school or two-year college contest: Quiet period
- November 6 (7 a.m.) – 8 (7 a.m.), 2023: Dead period
- The period between the prospective student-athlete’s initial and final high school or two-year college contests: Evaluation period
- March 1 – May 19, 2024: Contact period
- During any high school all-star game that occurs within the state in which the member institution is located: Evaluation period
- April 4 – 10 (noon), 2024: Dead period
- All other dates: Quiet period
DIVISION I MEN’S/WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY AND TRACK & FIELD RECRUITING CALENDAR
- August 1–21, 2023: Evaluation period
- August 22 – December 10, 2023: Contact period
- Except: November 6 – 9, 2023: Dead period
- Except: November 18, 2023: Dead period
- December 11, 2023 – January 1, 2024: Dead period
- January 2 – July 31, 2024: Contact period
- Except: March 8 – 9, 2024: Dead period
- Except: June 5 – 8, 2024: Dead period
DIVISION I MEN’S GOLF RECRUITING CALENDAR
- August 1 – November 23, 2023: Contact period
- Except: November 7–10 2023: Dead period
- November 24–27, 2023: Dead period
- November 28 – December 22, 2023: Quiet period
- During this time, a coach can evaluate a recruit at two events—a showcase and a combine—that are traditionally held in conjunction with the Golf Coaches Association of America National Convention.
- Except: December 5-7, 2023 (12:01 am): Dead period; the NCAA explains that a dead period is in effect from the first official day of the Golf Coaches Association of America Convention until 12:01 am on the day after the convention ends.
- December 23, 2023 – January 1, 2024: Dead period
- January 2 – July 31, 2024: Contact period
DIVISION I MEN’S LACROSSE RECRUITING CALENDAR
- August 1 – 7, 2023: Contact period
- August 8 – 14, 2023: Quiet period
- August 15 – 31, 2023: Dead period
- September 1 – October 31, 2023: Contact period (no lacrosse evaluations are permitted)
- November 1 – 19, 2023: Contact period
- Except: November 6 – 9, 2023: Dead period
- November 20 – November 26, 2023: Dead period
- November 27 – December 23, 2023: Quiet period
- December 24, 2023 – January 7, 2024: Dead period
- January 8 – 15, 2024: Contact period (no lacrosse evaluations are permitted)
- January 16 – February 29, 2024: Quiet period
- March 1 – May 23, 2024: Contact period
- May 24 – 28 (noon), 2024: Dead period
- May 28 (noon) – July 31, 2024: Contact period
- Except: July 2-6, 2024: Dead period
DIVISION I WOMEN’S LACROSSE RECRUITING CALENDAR
- August 1–14, 2023: Recruiting shutdown
- August 15 – 27, 2023: Quiet period
- August 28 – September 3, 2023: Dead period
- September 4 – November 30, 2023: Contact period
- Except: November 6 –9, 2023: Dead period
- Except: November 3 – 5, 10 – 12 and 17 – 19 (5 pm Friday–Sunday): Evaluation periods
- Except: November 15 – 16, 2023: Dead period
- Except: November 21 – 26, 2023: Recruiting shutdown
- December 1 – 30, 2023: Contact period
- Except: December 22 – 26, 2023: Recruiting shutdown
- December 31, 2023 – January 2, 2024: Recruiting shutdown
- January 3 – May 23, 2024: Contact period
- May 24 – 26, 2023: Dead period
- During the Women’s Lacrosse Championship, coaches can evaluate athletes at one event, as long as it’s hosted within a 100-mile radius of the championship site. Coaches are not permitted to attend any evaluation event that occurs two hours before, during, or two hours after the semifinals competition and final game.
- May 27 – June 6, 2024: Contact period
- June 7 – July 31, 2024: Evaluation period
- Except: July 2 – 6, 2024: Dead period
DIVISION I WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL RECRUITING CALENDAR
- August 1-31, 2023: Quiet period
- September 1 – November 30, 2023: Contact period
- Except: November 6 – 9, 2023: Dead period
- December 1, 2023 – February 15, 2024: Quiet period
- Except: During the AVCA annual awards banquet, college coaches can accidentally bump into two-year college athletes who’ve been awarded. But they are not allowed to have any conversations about recruiting at that time.
- Except: December 14 – 17, 2023: Coaching staff is permitted to evaluate recruits on one day only, starting the Thursday of the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Volleyball Championship through the Sunday immediately following the championship. The event they recruit at must be within a 30-mile radius of the championship site, and they cannot attend any events that take place at the same time as a collegiate game.
- February 16 – July 31, 2024: Contact period
- Except: May 1 – 30, 2024: Quiet period
DIVISION I WOMEN’S BEACH VOLLEYBALL RECRUITING CALENDAR
- August 1 – December 3, 2023: Contact period
- Except: November 6 – 9, 2023: Dead period
- December 4 – 12, 2023: Evaluation period
- December 13 – 31, 2023: Dead period
- During the AVCA annual awards banquet, college coaches can accidentally bump into two-year college athletes who’ve been awarded. But they are not allowed to have any conversations about recruiting at that time.
- January 1 – 12, 2024: Evaluation Period
- January 13 – April 30, 2024: Contact Period
- May 1 – 5, 2024: Dead period
- An institution’s authorized coaching staff members (see Bylaw 11.7.5) may evaluate on only one day and may attend only one event on that day during this period. Such an event shall occur within a 30-mile radius of the site of the championship. Coaches from the same institution who attend such an event shall attend the same event on the same day. Coaches shall not attend events that occur at the same time that any intercollegiate competition in conjunction with the NCAA championship occurs.
- May 6 – 24, 2024: Evaluation period
- May 27 – July 31, 2024: Contact period
DIVISION I SOFTBALL RECRUITING CALENDAR
The NCAA restricts which camps and clinics college softball coaches and their staff members are allowed to work at. The rules state that coaches and their staff members can only work at events off their campus if they take place during periods where evaluations are permitted at non-scholastic practices or competitions. This is something that coaches know to comply with, so families generally don’t have to worry about it. However, when looking at attending events for exposure, keep the evaluation periods in the back of your mind, and avoid attending off-campus camps or clinics during evaluation periods where coaches can only attend scholastic practices and competitions.
- August 1-13, 2023: Contact period
- August 14 – November 19, 2023: Evaluation period for scholastic practice and competition activities only (see other evaluation period and dead period exceptions below)
- October 14 – 15, 21 – 22, 28 – 29, 2023: Evaluation period for scholastic and non-scholastic practice or competition activities
- November 4 – 5, 11 – 12, 18 – 19, 2023: Evaluation period for scholastic and non-scholastic practice or competition activities
- November 6 – 9, 2022: Dead period
- November 20, 2023 – January 1, 2024: Quiet period
- Except: December 6 – 9, 2023 is a dead period
- January 2 – May 27, 2024: Evaluation period (only scholastic practice and competition activities)
- May 28 – June 7, 2024: Dead period
- June 8 – July 31, 2024: Contact period
- Any high school regional and state championship competition that doesn’t occur during a dead period should be treated like an evaluation period.
DIVISION I ALL OTHER SPORTS RECRUITING CALENDAR
We’ve listed out the dead and quiet periods for sports in which no recruiting calendar has been established. For those dates not part of the dead or quiet period, treat them like a contact period.
Women’s gymnastics dead periods
- November 6 – 9, 2023, or the Monday through Thursday of the initial week for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent
- December 1 – 30, 2023
- April 17 – 21 (noon), 2024, which is the day before the first day of the NCAA Division I Women’s Gymnastics Championships through noon on the day after the championships
- June 1 – 15, 2024
Men’s ice hockey dead periods
- November 6 – 9, 2023, which is the Monday through Thursday of the initial week for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent
- April 10 – 14 (noon), 2024, or the Wednesday prior to the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Championship through noon on the Sunday after the game
Women’s ice hockey dead and quiet periods
- Dead period: November 6 – 9, 2023, which is the Monday through Thursday of the initial week for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent
- Dead period: March 21 – 25 (noon), 2024 (the day prior to the NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey Championship to noon on the day after the match)
- Quiet Period: Quiet Period: Monday prior to the American Hockey Coaches Association Convention through May 31
Men’s soccer dead and quiet periods
- Dead Period: November 6 – 9, 2023 (Monday through Thursday of the initial week for the signing of the National Letter of Intent)
- Dead Period: December 8 – 10, 2023 (Friday through Sunday of the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship)
- Quiet Period: December 23 – 25, 2023
Women’s soccer dead periods
- November 6–9, 2023
- December 15–January 5, 2024
Men’s wrestling dead periods
- November 6 – 9, 2023 (Monday through Thursday of the initial week for the signing of the National Letter of Intent).
- March 20 – 24 (noon), 2024 (The day before the first day of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships to noon on the day after the championships).
- July 29 – August 4, 2024 (The Monday before the National Wrestling Coaches Association Convention through the day of adjournment of the convention).
Women’s wrestling dead periods
- November 6 – 9, 2023 (Monday through Thursday of the initial week for the signing of the National Letter of Intent).
- July 22 – 28, 2024 (The Monday before the National Wrestling Coaches Association Convention through the day of adjournment of the convention).
All other sports
- November 6 – 9, 2022 (Monday through Thursday of the initial week for the fall signing of the National Letter of Intent)
- Except: When the dead period occurs during the U.S. Diving National Championships, authorized coach staff members are allowed to watch recruits participating in that competition.
- Except: When the dead period occurs during the North American Cup Fencing Championship, authorized coach staff members are allowed to watch recruits participating in that competition.
- Except: When the dead period occurs during the Junior Olympic Rifle Championships, authorized coach staff members are allowed to watch recruits participating in that competition.
DIVISION II FOOTBALL RECRUITING CALENDAR
- June 1, 2023 until the beginning of the recruit’s first regularly scheduled football practice: Quiet period
- During the recruit’s high school or junior college football season, starting with the first regularly scheduled practice: Evaluation period
- November 1–26, 2023: Evaluation period
- Except: Junior college recruits should treat the period from their last postseason game until November 26, 2023 as a contact period.
- November 27, 2023 – March 11, 2024: Contact period
- Except: December 18 (7 a.m.) – 20 (7 a.m.), 2023 is a dead period (only contact period for junior college recruits)
- Except: January 8 – 10, 2024 is a dead period
- Except: February 5 (7 a.m.) – 7 (7 a.m.), 2024 is a dead period
- March 7 – May 31, 2024: Quiet period
- April 15 – May 31, 2024: Evaluation period; when evaluations aren’t taking place, recruits should treat it like a quiet period. Coaches choose four weeks through this time in which they will not be conducting evaluations. This excludes Memorial Day and Sundays.
- Coaching staff members are allowed to evaluate a high school all-star football game at any time of the year as long as the game takes place in the same state as the university or college.
DIVISION II MEN’S BASKETBALL RECRUITING CALENDAR
All dates not indicated below should be treated like a quiet period.
- June 1 – 14, 2023: Quiet period
- June 15 – August 1, 2023: Evaluation period
- August 2 – September 6, 2023: Quiet period
- September 7 – October 14, 2023: Contact period
- October 15, 2023 through the date of the prospective student-athlete’s initial high school or two-year college contest: Quiet period
- November 6 (7 a.m.) –8 (7 a.m.), 2023: Dead period
- The period between the prospective student-athlete’s initial and final high school or two-year college contests: Evaluation period
- March 1 – April 3, 2024: Contact period
- April 4 – 9 (noon), 2024: Recruiting/contact period (exceptions below)
- Evaluations shall be permitted at any all-star contest held during the final weekend of the NCAA DivisionI Men’s Basketball Championship in the host city (Phoenix): Evaluation period
- April 9 (noon) – May 20, 2024: Contact period
- During any high school all-star game that occurs within the state in which the member institution is located: Evaluation period
- All other dates: Quiet period
DIVISION II WOMEN’S BASKETBALL RECRUITING CALENDAR
All dates not indicated below should be treated like a quiet period.
- June 1 – 14, 2023: Quiet period
- June 15 – August 1, 2023: Evaluation period
- August 2 – September 6, 2023: Quiet period
- September 7 – October 14, 2023: Contact period
- October 15, 2023 through the date of the prospective student-athlete’s initial high school or two-year college contest: Quiet period
- November 6 (7 a.m.) – 8 (7 a.m.), 2023: Dead period
- The period between the prospective student-athlete’s initial and final high school or two-year college contests: Evaluation period
- March 1 – May 19, 2024: Contact period
- During any high school all-star game that occurs within the state in which the member institution is located: Evaluation period
- April 4 – 10 (noon), 2024: Dead period
- All other dates: Quiet period
DIVISION II ALL OTHER SPORTS RECRUITING CALENDAR
Treat all dates not called out here like a contact period.
Men’s lacrosse quiet and dead periods
- November 6 (7 a.m.) – 8 (7 a.m.), 2023: Dead period
- November 27 – December 23, 2023: Quiet period
- December 4 – 12 (noon), 2023: Dead period
- May 23 – 28 (noon), 2024: Dead period
Men’s and women’s wrestling dead periods
- July 24 – 30, 2023, (the Monday before the National Wrestling Coaches Association Convention through the day of adjournment of the convention)
- November 6 (7 a.m.) to 8 (7 a.m.), 2023, (during the 48 hours prior to 7 a.m. on the initial date for the signing of the National Letter of Intent)
Other sports dead periods
- November 6 (7 a.m.) – 8 (7 a.m.), 2023
- Except: When the dead period occurs during the U.S. Diving National Championships, authorized coach staff members are allowed to watch recruits participating in that competition.
- Except: When the dead period occurs during the North American Cup Fencing Championship, authorized coach staff members are allowed to watch recruits participating in that competition.
- Except: When the dead period occurs during the Junior Olympic Rifle Championships, authorized coach staff members are allowed to watch recruits participating in that competition.
Original article published on NCSA – Visit NCSA for more college recruitment tips!
