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Rules and Regulations

NCAA water polo recruiting rules to help student-athletes and their families understand how to navigate the process.

Early recruiting:

College coaches at the D1 level cannot contact student-athletes until June 15 after a recruit’s sophomore year. Before this date, college coaches dedicate their time to evaluating recruits online, at tournaments, college camps and showcases. Coaches will also contact high school and club coaches to let them know they are interested in a student-athlete. D2 coaches can contact student-athletes at any time.

Communication and verbal offers:

All communication between college coaches at the D1, as well as verbal offers, are prohibited until after June 15 of a recruit’s sophomore year. D2 coaches can contact student-athletes at any time.

Official and unofficial visits:

Starting August 1 before junior year, potential recruits can begin to schedule official and unofficial recruiting visits at the D1 level. Official visits are allowed June 15 after sophomore year at the D2 level and January 1 of junior year at the D3 level. There are no restrictions on unofficial visits at the D2 and D3 levels, except during a dead period.

Accepting scholarships:

Student-athletes officially accept their scholarship by signing a financial aid agreement. NAIA and NJCAA schools have similar agreements. Water polo players can finalize their scholarship from National Signing Day in November through early August.

NCAA Division 1 water polo recruiting rules:

Student-athletes will find that Division 1 sports must follow the most restrictive NCAA recruiting rules. These rules differ from sport to sport.

Any time: There is no start date for when student-athletes can receive non-recruiting materials (camp brochures, nonathletic institutional publications and official NCAA educational materials).

June 15 after sophomore year: All communication between college coaches and student-athletes—including phone calls, text message, direct message and email—are prohibited until after this date. Recruits can begin receiving recruiting materials and verbal scholarship offers.

August 1 before junior year: Student-athletes can begin scheduling unofficial visits and official visits.August 1 before junior year: Off-campus evaluations at the recruit’s school or home can begin.

NCAA Division 2 water polo recruiting rules:

These recruiting rules are more flexible than those followed by Division 1 programs. All NCAA Division 2 schools follow the same recruiting rules.

Non-recruiting materials: Student-athletes may receive camp brochures, questionnaires and NCAA materials and non-athletic recruiting publications at any time.

Printed recruiting materials: Recruits can begin to receive printed recruiting materials at any time.

Telephone calls: College coaches may start calling student-athletes at any time.

Off-campus contact: Coaches and athletes and their parents are permitted to engage in off-campus communications starting June 15 after the recruit’s sophomore year.

Unofficial visits: Student-athletes may schedule unofficial visits at any time outside of a dead period.

Official visits: Student-athletes may schedule official visits starting June 15 after their sophomore year.

NCAA Division 3 water polo recruiting rules

Every NCAA Division 3 sport follows the same recruiting rules, which are the most lenient recruiting rules in the NCAA.

Recruiting materials: Student-athletes may receive recruiting materials at any time.

Telephone calls: There is no restriction on when college coaches can call student-athletes.

Digital communications: Digital communication between college coaches and recruits is permitted at any time.

Off-campus contact: Beginning after the recruit’s sophomore year, off-campus communication is permitted.

Official visits: Beginning January 1 of their junior year, student-athletes may schedule official visits.

Unofficial visits: Student-athletes may schedule unofficial visits at any time.

NCAA water polo recruiting calendar

Within the NCAA recruiting rules and calendar for all divisions are four different periods. The first is a contact period, which is when college coaches and recruits are permitted to communicate. Next is an evaluation period when coaches can complete athlete evaluations. The last two periods are an NCAA water polo dead period and quiet period, which allow for a break during the recruiting process. During these two periods, college coaches are prohibited from contacting student-athletes.