NCAA Division I Recruiting Dead Period extended through May 31

Once again, the NCAA Division I Council has extended the ban on in-person recruiting for all sports. The latest extension pushes the recruiting dead period through the end of May 2021.

The dead period initially began when the pandemic hit last spring. Since then, Division I college coaches have conducted all of their recruiting virtually, as youth soccer leagues and tournaments have expanded efforts to live stream their events.

As part of this week’s vote by the Division Council, members also committed to providing clarity on plans for the transition back to recruiting calendars, including potential modifications for the return to in-person recruiting activity, no later than April 15.

“After careful consideration of all available information, the Council agreed that an extension of the dead period through May 31 was necessary,” stated Council chair M. Grace Calhoun, athletics director at Pennsylvania. “However, there is a strong commitment to use the next several weeks to outline the transition plan back to recruiting activities post June 1 and to provide those plans to prospective student-athletes, their families and the NCAA membership no later than April 15.”

The Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee also supported an extension of the dead period, noting a need to both provide prospective student-athletes and their families immediate guidance and also prioritize the health and safety of student-athletes who still will be competing in their spring sport seasons at that time.

“While we support the dead period extension, we also note the importance of providing prospective student-athletes immediate guidance on the future of the dead period,” said SAAC co-chair Justice Littrell.

Several Council members noted the importance of summer camps and clinics for both coaches and prospective student-athletes and expressed that returning to recruiting activities prior to June 1 could jeopardize the opportunity for coaches and recruits to engage in summer activities like certified nonscholastic events.