When can college coaches contact student-athletes?
One of the most common questions high school student-athletes ask is: “When can college coaches start contacting me?” The answer depends on the governing body, division and the sport—but before we get into those specific dates (listed below), there are a few key things to understand about how this part of the recruiting process works:
1. Prospective student-athletes won’t get in trouble for contacting a coach early.
While coaches must follow their respective restrictions about when they can initiate contact, those same rules don’t apply to student-athletes. In fact, we encourage students to reach out before those dates. Sending an email with a highlight reel, academic info, and a short intro can put you on a coach’s radar so that when the contact period opens, you’re one of the first calls they make.
2. There’s a well-known “loophole.”
Even though coaches can’t reach out directly to a student-athlete before the official contact date, they can—and often do—reach out to a high school, club, or private coach beforehand. This is how we hear about “early commitments” well before any official contact is allowed. Coaches often build relationships with the adults around an athlete long before they’re permitted to speak with the athlete themselves.
However, it’s important to understand that this kind of early outreach is typically reserved for the most elite athletes—those who are already being closely tracked by top programs. If a student doesn’t fall into that category, there’s no cause for concern. Most student-athletes begin hearing from coaches after the contact period officially opens, and there is still plenty of time for them to find a great college fit.
3. Be ready on the first day of contact.
For student-athletes targeting highly competitive programs, it’s a good idea to ensure their phones are on, charged, and that their voicemail is set up and working on the first day coaches are allowed to make contact. That said, if a student doesn’t receive a call right away, it’s not a red flag. Coaches often focus their initial outreach on top-tier recruits, and the next wave of communication typically follows soon after. The recruiting process is ongoing, and many opportunities unfold well beyond that first day of contact.
Above all, be proactive.
Regardless of whether a student is hearing from coaches by the first allowable contact date, it’s important that they continue to advocate for themselves. That means sending introductory emails, keeping highlight reels up to date, and following up with programs they’re interested in. Being proactive is one of the most valuable traits a student-athlete can develop—and ultimately, it has a greater impact on recruiting success than the specific date coaches are allowed to make contact.
Now, here are the key dates to know, organized by governing body, division and sport…
Division I NCAA Sports
Baseball (Men’s) – August 1 going into junior year
Basketball (Men’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Basketball (Women’s) – June 1 after sophomore year
Beach Volleyball (Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Bowling (Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Cross Country (Men’s & Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Fencing (Men’s & Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Field Hockey (Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Football (Men’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Golf (Men’s & Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Gymnastics (Men’s & Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Ice Hockey (Men’s) – January 1 of sophomore year
Ice Hockey (Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Lacrosse (Men’s & Women’s) – September 1 of junior year
Rifle (Coed) – June 15 after sophomore year
Rowing (Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Skiing (Men’s & Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Soccer (Men’s & Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Softball (Women’s) – September 1 of junior year
Swimming & Diving (Men’s & Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Tennis (Men’s & Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Track & Field (Men’s & Women’s – Indoor/Outdoor) – June 15 after sophomore year
Volleyball (Men’s & Women’s – Indoor) – June 15 after sophomore year
Water Polo (Men’s & Women’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Wrestling (Men’s) – June 15 after sophomore year
Division II NCAA Sports
All Sports: As of August 1, 2024, Division II coaches may contact prospective student-athletes of any age through phone, email, text, and social media. There are no sport-specific restrictions on this date.
Division III NCAA Sports
There are no set contact restrictions for Division III coaches. They may reach out at any time to a student-athlete.
What About NAIA, NJCAA, CCCAA, and USCAA?
Recruiting rules for colleges outside the NCAA—including the NAIA, NJCAA, CCCAA, and USCAA—have their own recruiting calendars. That said, many coaches in these associations still choose to follow the NCAA’s contact dates as a general guideline—especially when recruiting athletes who are also considering NCAA programs.
