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Southern Utah University Athletics

SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS

NCAA Compliance

Prospective Student-Athletes

The following links contain useful information for any student-athlete who would like to be a part of intercollegiate athletics

Academic Eligibility

Core Courses

NCAA Eligibility Center

Guide for College Bound Student Athlete

NCAA Graduation Rates

Compliance: Forms for prospective student-athletes

 Additional Compliance Forms

Recruiting

Recruiting involves any solicitation of a prospect or family member by the Thunderbird Athletic Staff to encourage him/her to participate in an intercollegiate sports program and enroll in Southern Utah University.

Only Southern Utah coaches, who have been certified by passing the NCAA recruiting exam, may be involved in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes. Boosters and alumni are prohibited from becoming involved in recruiting activities. The only exception is for a booster to have a contact with a prospect in the case of an established relationship with family, friends or neighbors as long as the contact is not made for recruiting purposes or initiated by a Thunderbird coaching staff member. Please see the Booster 101 section for more details.

Graduation Rates

Each NCAA Division I college or university is required to distribute the NCAA Graduation-Rates Report to prospective student-athletes and parents. The graduation rates report provides information about two groups of students: 1) ALL undergraduate students who were enrolled in a full-time program of studies for a degree and 2) student-athletes who received athletics aid from the institution at the time of initial enrollment.

The Graduation-Rates data includes a section for:

  1. All students
  2. Student-Athletes
  3. Student-Athletes by Sports Categories
  4. Rates of those Student-Athletes who have Exhausted Eligibility

The rate is based on the number of students who entered the institution and the number of those who graduated within six years. It is important to understand that several factors can affect the graduation rates including students who work part-time using more than six years to graduate, may leave school to travel or work, transfer to another college or university, or are dismissed for academic deficiencies.

Information for Boosters

Who is a representative of Southern Utah's Athletic Interests?

Any individual who has ever:

  • Participated in or have been a member of any group that promotes Southern Utah's intercollegiate athletic program.
  • Made any type of contribution to the athletics department or to a booster club, or joined the institution's booster club or any sport-specific support group.
  • Provided or helped arrange employment for a student-athlete or provided benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families.
  • Assisted in any manner in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes.
  • Parents and legal guardians of an enrolled student-athlete are considered representatives of athletics interest.

You become a representative by any action on your part to assist or promote Thunderbird Athletics in any manner. Once you become a representative of Southern Utah's Athletics Interest, you maintain this status indefinitely.

Definitions You Should Know

Enrolled Student-Athlete: A student who is presently participating in athletics or has completed his/her eligibility, but is still enrolled at Southern Utah University.

Prospective Student-Athlete: A prospective student-athlete or prospect is any student who has started the ninth grade.

Recruiting Contact: Any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or a prospect's parent or legal guardian and a Southern Utah staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of a greeting.

Extra Benefits: Any special arrangement to provide a student-athlete or his/her family with a gift or benefit that is not available to the general student population.

Examples of prohibited extra benefits include, but are not limited to:

  • Cash or loans in any amount, co-signing for a loan, guarantee of bond. This includes providing loans to friends and relatives.
  • Use of an automobile
  • Gifts of any kind including birthday cards, flowers, and holiday gifts. Furthermore, any gifts of clothing or equipment are considered an extra benefit.
  • Free or reduced-cost housing, services, rentals, or purchases including special discounts for goods and services
  • Purchasing complimentary admissions from a student-athlete.
  • Providing an Honorarium to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement.