ACADEMIC Requirements
To maintain eligibility, a student-athlete must:
Maintain a full-time schedule (at least 12 credits) at all times;
Pass at least six (6) credit hours per semester. In the sport of football, a student-athlete must pass nine (9) credit hours and earn the Academic Progress Rate (APR) eligibility point during the fall semester;
Pass at least 18 credit hours each academic year; and
Entering 3rd semester of enrollment, a student-athlete must meet the following percentage of degree and/or GPA requirements:
Prior to 3rd semester- maintain at least a 1.8 overall GPA
Prior to 5th semester- meet 40% completion of degree and maintain at least a 1.9 overall GPA
Prior to 7th semester- meet 60% completion of degree and maintain at least 2.0 overall GPA
Prior to 9th semester- meet 80% completion of degree and maintain at least 2.0 overall GPA
Medical Hardships
A student-athlete may be granted an additional year of competition for reasons of "hardship." Hardship is defined as an incapacity resulting from an injury or illness that has occurred under the following conditions:
The incapacitating injury or illness occurs in one of the four seasons of competition;
The injury of illness occurs prior to the first competition of the second half of the playing season that concludes with an NCAA championship;
In team sports, the injury or illness occurs when the athlete has not participated in more than three contests or dates of competition or 30 percent of the scheduled or completed contests or dates of competition.
In individual sports, the injury or illness occurs when the athlete has not participated in more than three dates of competition or 30 percent of the maximum number of dates of competition.
To find out more about a Medical Hardship Waiver, please talk to a member of the Compliance team.
Redshirt
What is a ‘redshirt’ year?
‘Redshirt’ is not an NCAA official term
‘Redshirt’ refers to a year in which a student-athlete does not compete at all against outside competition.
During this year, the student-athlete can practice with their team and receive financial aid.
In regards to using a redshirt year, many student-athletes are confused on how many games/competitions you can participate in without using a season of competition.
Per NCAA Bylaw 12.8.3.1 any competition, regardless of time, during a season shall be counted as a season of competition in that sport, except for the following provisions:
Bylaw 12.8.3.1.2 Exception Non-championship Segment Competition-Women's Soccer and Women's Volleyball
In women's soccer and women's volleyball, a student-athlete may engage in outside competition during the non-championship segment only without using a season of competition, provided the student-athlete was academically eligible during the segment that concludes with the NCAA championship.
Bylaw 12.8.3.1.3 Preseason Exhibitions/Preseason Practice Scrimmages During Initial Year
During a student-athlete's initial year of enrollment, he or she may compete in preseason exhibition contests and preseason practice scrimmages without counting such competition as a season of competition.
Bylaw 12.8.3.1.4 Alumni Game, Fundraising Activity or Celebrity Sports Activity
A student-athlete may engage in outside competition in either one alumni game, one fundraising activity or one celebrity sports activity during a season without counting such competition as a season of competition, provided the event is exempted from the maximum number of contests or dates of competition.