Division I track and cross country could be getting much shorter Transfer Portal windows. A new NCAA proposal would create just two windows each year, one after the cross country championships and one after the outdoor track championships. Here’s what’s changing and why it matters for recruiting families.

Women’s flag football continues to grow quickly at the college level, but one of the most important developments for recruiting families is happening behind the scenes: colleges are hiring coaches and starting to build their first rosters. For high school athletes, especially those in the Classes of 2027 and 2028, that could create some really interesting recruiting opportunities.

IMPORTANT RESOURCE: The NCAA has released a helpful Eligibility 101 guide breaking down the new age-based eligibility rules for Division I and II athletes. Here are the biggest things counselors and recruiting families need to know about when the five-year clock starts, delayed enrollment, redshirts, and more.

Division II has officially joined Division I in adopting the new age-based eligibility model. Beginning in 2026-27, DII athletes will move away from the traditional seasons-of-competition and 10-semester/15-quarter framework toward a continuous five-year eligibility period tied to age and initial full-time college enrollment. For counselors and recruiting families, the big takeaway is simple: the old eligibility language is changing, and students considering gap years, postgraduate years, junior college, or delayed enrollment need to understand the new rules before making decisions. We break down the change here.

Women's flag football is quickly shifting from “interesting new opportunity” to something families are actually asking about in real recruiting conversations. With the NCAA adding it to the Emerging Sports for Women program and more colleges launching teams, IECs should be ready for questions about what this means and whether it could realistically fit into a student’s college search.

Are recruiting ID camps actually worth it?

That’s the question we’re tackling in this month’s SAA Insider video. We break down the difference between development camps, mass exposure camps, and targeted ID camps, and talk through one of the biggest questions families need to ask before spending the money:

Is this athlete a real prospect, or are they camp filler?

The full video will be available to SAA members as part of this month’s Insider Newsletter.