Academic Eligibility
Student-athletes must meet all NCAA, Mountain West Conference and institutional regulations in order to remain eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics. Continuing eligibility is certified by each student-athlete's Athletics Academic Advisor at the conclusion of each academic term.
NCAA Eligiblity
Full-Time Status:
Student-athletes must be enrolled in a minimum full-time program of studies leading toward a baccalaureate degree, defined as 12 credit hours per semester. Student-athletes that have already received a baccalaureate degree must be enrolled in either 12 credit hours leading toward a second baccalaureate degree or 9 credit hours leading toward a graduate degree.
Every Year
- Must pass 6 credit hours every semester.
- Must pass 18 credit hours every year.
Year 1 (Freshman Year)
- To be eligible for competition in Year 2, a student-athlete must pass 24-semester hours (which includes summer school hours) of degree applicable credit during Year 1.
- To be eligible for competition in Year 2, a student-athlete must have a GPA that is 90% (1.8 on a 4.0 scale) of the GPA required for their degree program.
Year 2 (Sophomore Year)
- At end of Fall semester must have 1.8 GPA.
- To be eligible for competition in Year 3, a student-athlete must have completed 40% (48 hours for a 120-hour degree program) of the requirements for their degree program.
- To be eligible for competition in Year 3, a student-athlete must have a GPA that is 95% (1.9 on 4.0 scale) of the GPA required for their degree program.
- A student-athlete must declare a degree program at the end of his/her second year (fourth semester of enrollment).
Year 3 (Junior Year)
- At end of Fall semester must have 1.9 GPA.
- To be eligible for competition in Year 4, a student-athlete must have completed 60% (72 hours for a 120-hour degree program) of the requirements for their degree program.
- To be eligible for competition in Year 4, a student-athlete must have a GPA that is 100% (2.0 on 4.0 scale) of the GPA required for their degree program.
Year 4 (Senior Year)
- Must maintain 2.0 GPA from now on.
- To be eligible for competition in Year 5, a student-athlete must have completed 80% (96 hours for a 120-hour degree program) of the requirements for their degree program.
- To be eligible for competition in Year 5, a student-athlete must have a GPA that is 100% (2.0 on 4.0 scale) of the GPA required for their degree program.
Year 5 (Fifth Year)
- A student-athlete should graduate by the end of the fifth year (tenth semester).
If you have any questions about your eligibility please contact either your coach or your athletics academic advisor.
Employment
NCAA regulations allow student-athletes to earn legitimate on- and off-campus employment income, either during the academic year or vacation periods, provided any compensation is for work actually performed and does not exceed the going rate in the locality for similar services. In addition, a student-athlete's compensation may not include any remuneration for the value the student-athlete has to the employer because of his/her athletics reputation.
During the academic year, the student-athlete must complete an Academic Year Employment Form 1 with the Compliance Office before beginning employment. Upon termination of employment or the end of the academic year the student-athlete must complete an Academic Year Employment Form 2.
During the summer, a student-athlete that will be employed in Wyoming must complete the Summer Job Disclosure form. Employment in UW sport camps and clinics or UW sports festival does not apply.
Extra Benefits
Student-athletes may not receive any tangible benefit that is not available to the general student body (e.g., discounts on clothing, shoes, free or reduced cost services, non-athletic related medical services, car loans, apartment leases, etc.). Receipt of any extra benefit will jeopardize athletic eligibility and must be reported to the Athletic Director, Head Coach, or Compliance Office.
Some examples of non-permissible extra benefits include the following:
Special discounts and credit
Free or reduced cost service
Use of telephone or credit card for personal reasons without charge
Entertainment services (e.g., free Jazz tickets)
Loans of money
A guarantee of bond
Use of an automobile or transporting of student-athletes
Signing or co-signing a note with an outside agency
Gifts or awards of any kind
Use of a student-athlete's name/picture to promote a commercial product
Occasional Meals
Occasional meals may be provided to student-athletes either 1) by a booster at the booster's home or 2) by an institutional staff member at any site in the Laramie area. Before an occasional meal may be held, the booster or staff member providing the meal must fill out an Occasional Meal form and notify the Head Coach and Compliance Office prior to the meal.
Financial Aid
Some basic information about financial aid is provided below. If you are a current student-athlete and require additional information concerning athletic scholarships, please contact the Pam Shuster, Athletics Financial Aid Coordinator, at 307-766-6101.
Please be aware that outside scholarships (aid from any source other than athletics) can impact individual and team financial aid limitations. Student-athletes must check with their head coach and/or the Compliance Office before accepting any outside financial aid.
Terms & Conditions of Athletically-Related Aid
All student-athletes (freshmen and transfers) on athletics aid/scholarship receive their scholarship for one year. However, the Athletics Department reserves the right to award aid on a semester-by-semester basis (except for student-athletes in their first year following the signing of a National Letter of Intent). Each academic year, student-athletes must sign a receipt acknowledging acceptance of their athletics aid.
Renewals/Reductions/Cancellations of Athletics Aid
The renewal of institutional financial aid must be made on or before July 1 prior to the academic year in which the aid will be distributed. Student-athletes receiving an athletics scholarship during the previous year will be notified as to whether their aid has been renewed, increased, reduced, or cancelled. Athletics aid granted by an NCAA institution may not be awarded for a period of more than one year. At the end of each academic year, aid may be renewed, increased, reduced, or cancelled at the discretion of the institution. Athletics scholarships may be reduced or canceled during the period of the award if a student-athlete:
Renders himself or herself ineligible for intercollegiate competition in any manner, including failure to meet academic eligibility requirements or loss of amateur status (e.g., signing with an agent).
Voluntarily quits the team.
Fraudulently misrepresents any information on an application, letter of intent, or financial aid agreement.
Engages in serious misconduct.
Athletics scholarships may not be reduced or cancelled during the period of the award on the basis of:
A student-athlete's athletics ability, performance, or contribution to a team's success.
An injury that prevents the student-athlete from participating in intercollegiate athletics.
Any other athletics reason.
Please note that outside of the period of the award, an athletics scholarship can be reduced or cancelled for any reason - including an athletics reason - at the discretion of the institution.
If a student-athlete's scholarship is cancelled, reduced, or not renewed for any reason, the student-athlete has the right to appeal this decision to the Director of Student Financial Aid within 14 business days.
Summer School Athletics Aid
Student-athletes receiving athletics scholarships during the regular academic year are eligible to apply for summer school aid. Those wishing to receive athletics aid for summer school must apply through their Athletics Academic Advisor during Spring Semester.
Gambling
Placing bets of any kind on any intercollegiate or professional athletics competition in any amount with anyone or on the internet is strictly prohibited. Student-athletes should immediately report any offer to gamble on the outcome of an athletics competition, whether directly or indirectly, to the Athletic Director, Head Coach, Compliance Office, and/or Conference Office. Any individual seeking information or asking student-athletes to "arrange" the outcome of any athletics contest should be reported to the Compliance Office.
Any involvement in activities designed to influence the outcome of an intercollegiate contest or any solicitation or acceptance of a bet involving the University of Wyoming will result in an automatic loss of eligibility.
A student-athlete will be ineligible to compete if he/she does any of the following:
1. Provides information to individuals involved in organized gambling activities concerning intercollegiate athletics competition (e.g., participating in a "fantasy league" with an entry fee and/or cash prize);
2. Solicits a bet on any intercollegiate team (e.g., betting in a Final Four pool);
3. Accepts a bet on any team representing the institution;
4. Solicits or accepts a bet on any intercollegiate competition for any item (e.g., cash, shirt, dinner) that has tangible value; or
5. Participates in any gambling activity that involves intercollegiate or professional athletics through a bookmaker, a parlay card, or any other method employed by organized gambling (e.g., betting on the World Series).
Recruiting Prospects
Student-athletes may be asked to assist in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes. Rules that apply to a student-athlete's participation in recruitment include:
Do's
Continuation of pre-existing relationships, provided no recruiting occurs.
Receipt of telephone calls from seniors in high school, provided any missed calls are not returned.
Serving as a student host for a recruit on an official visit. The student-athlete may receive up to $30 per day to cover all expenses associated with entertaining the recruit and the recruits parents, legal guardians, and/or spouse. All entertainment must occur within a 30-mile radius of the University of Wyoming.
Don'ts
Calling, writing, or e-mailing a prospective student-athlete for recruiting purposes (or at the direction of a coach).
Making a recruiting "pitch" for the University of Wyoming unless a recruit is on-campus.
Commenting publicly about any prospective student-athlete that the University of Utah is recruiting.
Any further questions can be directed toward your coach or to the Compliance Office.
Playing and Practice Seasons
NCAA regulations limit the length of playing and practice seasons. The following are permissible activities for enrolled student-athletes:
During the Playing Season
Student-athletes may engage in only 4 hours per day and 20 hours per week of countable athletically related activities. A countable athletically related activity is any activity with an athletics purpose involving student-athletes that occurs at the direction of or supervised by one or more institutional coaching staff members (including strength and conditioning coaches).
Outside the Playing Season - Academic Year
In sports other than football:
Student-athletes may be required to participate in up to 8 hours per week of required strength and conditioning activities and individualized skill instruction.
No more than 2 hours of the permissible 8 can consist of individualized skill instruction. No more than four student-athletes may be involved in skill instruction at all sites combined at any one time.
Student-athletes must be given two days off from required activities per week.
In football:
Student-athletes must be given nine designated weeks of discretionary time (in which there are no required/recommended activities) between January 1 and the beginning of voluntary summer conditioning in June.
Outside the nine weeks of discretionary time, student-athletes may be required to participate in up to 8 hours per week of required strength and conditioning activities and film review.
No skill instruction is permitted outside of the playing season in football. However, game film review may be required for up to 2 of the 8 permissible hours per week.
Spring practice may occur for up to 4 hours per day on 15 designated practice dates.
Student-athletes must be given two days off from required activities per week, even during spring practice.
Outside the Playing Season - Vacation Periods
In sports other than football:
Student-athletes may engage in voluntary workouts at Athletic Department facilities. The University's strength and conditioning coaches (and NOT any countable coaches) may design and conduct specific workout programs for returning student-athletes, provided those workouts are entirely voluntary and are conducted at the request of the student-athlete.
In individual sports (cross country, track, golf, skiing, swimming/diving, and tennis), student-athletes may also engage in voluntary one-on-one workouts conducted and supervised by an institution's coach. If the workouts take place at a facility that charges a fee, the student-athlete must pay the fee in the same manner as any member of the general public.
In sports with a safety exception (gymnastics, skiing, swimming/diving, and field events for track & field), countable coaches may be present and provide safety and skill instruction when a student-athlete uses equipment related to the sport. More than one student-athlete may be present for this instruction. However, the coaches may not conduct the student-athlete's workouts.
In football:
During 8 designated weeks of voluntary summer conditioning activities, strength coaches may conduct strength and conditioning workouts for student-athletes. No countable coaches may be present and strength coaches may not report back to countable coaches. In addition, student-athletes may work out at their discretion outside the 8 hours per week. No countable or strength coaches can be involved with these workouts, except that strength coaches may monitor the facility for health and safety purposes.
Outside the 8 designated weeks, student-athletes may work out at their discretion. No countable or strength coaches can be involved with discretionary workouts, except that strength coaches may monitor the facility for health and safety purposes.
Agents
A student-athlete or prospective student-athlete (any individual who currently participates in or who may be eligible in the future to participate in intercollegiate athletics) may not agree verbally or in writing to be represented by an agent in the present or in the future for the purpose of marketing the student-athlete's athletics ability or reputation. If the student-athlete enters into such an agreement, the student-athlete is ineligible for intercollegiate competition. The term "agent" includes actual agents, runners (individuals who befriend student-athletes and frequently distribute impermissible benefits), attorneys, and financial advisors.
Also, a student-athlete may not accept transportation or other benefits from an agent. This prohibition applies to the student-athlete and his or her relatives or friends.
It is not a violation of NCAA rules if a student-athlete merely talks to an agent (as long as an agreement for representation is not reached) or socializes with an agent. For example, a student-athlete could go to dinner with an agent and no NCAA violations would result if the student-athlete provided his/her own transportation and paid for his/her meal.
What happens if a violation occurs?
Example: A men's basketball student-athlete is befriended by a runner for an agent. The student-athlete is unaware of the connection between the runner and agent. The runner gives the student-athlete long-distance calling cards and pays for meals, articles of clothing and a new car stereo. The student-athlete never asks why the runner is providing him with these items.
The student-athlete's educational institution becomes aware of the runner's identity and the provision of benefits to the student-athlete. The institution must declare the student-athlete ineligible for intercollegiate competition and request reinstatement of the student-athlete's eligibility from the NCAA Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement.
At a minimum, the student-athlete will be required to repay the value of the impermissible benefit(s) and will be withheld from a certain number of contests, based on NCAA case precedent.
NCAA Rules Concerning Agents
Agency Contracts:
An individual shall be ineligible for participation in an intercollegiate sport if he or she ever has agreed (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing his or her athletics ability or reputation in that sport. Further, an agency contract not specifically limited in writing to a particular sport or sports shall be deemed applicable to all sports and the individual shall be ineligible to participate in any sport.
Prospective Agreements:
An individual shall be ineligible for further intercollegiate athletics competition if he or she enters into a verbal or written agreement with an agent for representation in future professional sports negotiations that are to take place after the individual has completed his or her eligibility in that sport.
Benefits from Prospective Agents: An individual shall be ineligible if he/she (or his/her relatives or friends) accepts transportation or other benefits from:
Any person who represents any individual in the marketing of his or her athletics ability. The receipt of such benefits constitutes compensation based on athletics skill and is an extra benefit not available to the student body in general; or
An agent, even if the agent has indicated that he or she has no interest in representing the student-athlete in the marketing of his or her athletics ability or reputation and does not represent individuals in the student-athlete's sport.
Nonbinding Agreement: An individual who signs a contract or commitment that does not become binding until the professional organization's representative or agent also signs that agreement is ineligible, even if the contract remains unsigned by the other parties until after the student-athlete's eligibility is exhausted.
For more information on this topic visit the NCAA's website.
Outside Competition and Summer Leagues
NCAA regulations govern all athletic activities that occur outside of a sport's regular playing season. Unapproved participation or receipt of extra benefits may adversely affect a student-athlete's eligibility. Written approval is required prior to any outside competition or summer activity.
All student-athletes should check with the Compliance Office prior to participating in non-collegiate, amateur competition during the summer period. Contact the Compliance Office for regulations pertaining to your sport.
Outside Competition
In sports other than basketball, a student-athlete that participates during the academic year as a member of any outside team in any non-collegiate, amateur competition (e.g., tournament play, exhibition games) except while representing the institution in intercollegiate competition shall be ineligible for intercollegiate competition unless eligibility is restored by the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement.
In the sport of basketball, a student-athlete that participates during the academic year as a member of any outside team in any non-collegiate, amateur competition (e.g., tournament play, exhibition games) except while representing the institution in intercollegiate competition shall be permanently ineligible for intercollegiate competition.
It is permissible for a student-athlete to participate in outside competition as an individual during the academic year in the student-athlete's sport, as long as the student-athlete represents only himself or herself in the competition and does not engage in such competition as a member of or receive expenses from an outside team. Student-athletes wishing to participate in outside competitions during the academic year must first receive permission by filling out the Unattached Competition Form or the Exempted Outside Athletic Competition Form.
General Exceptions
- High School Alumni Games
- Olympic Games
- Official Pan-American Games (Tryout and Competition)
- U.S. National Teams
- Official World Championships, World University Games and World Cup tryouts and competition
Soccer Exception
After May 1, soccer student-athletes may compete as a member of an outside soccer team provided only five or less student-athletes from any single NCAA institution participate, the competition is approved in advance by the Compliance Office, and no class time is missed for practice activities or competition.
Volleyball Exception
After May 1, volleyball student-athletes may compete as a member of an outside volleyball team provided only two or less student-athletes from any single NCAA institution participate, all practice/competition is confined to doubles tournaments in outdoor volleyball, the competition is approved in advance by the Compliance Office, and no class time is missed for practice activities or competition.
Summer Leagues
Student-athletes should check with the Compliance Office prior to participating in non-collegiate, amateur competition during the summer period. Each sport has specific regulations regarding permissible summer activities.
Summer Leagues - Basketball
In order to ensure that basketball student-athletes participating in certified summer leagues receive written approval from institution's Athletic Director prior to participating and that leagues comply with all NCAA regulations, the student-athlete or coach intending to compete in summer activities must complete the Summer League Participation Form and turn the form in to the Compliance Office. This should be completed at least two weeks before summer league participation begins. The Athletics Director's signature must be obtained by the Compliance Office prior to the start of league participation.
Student-athletes in the sport of basketball are required by NCAA rules to obtain written permission from the Athletic Director prior to engaging in any summer league activities. Student-athletes must participate in NCAA-certified leagues, and no more than two University of Wyoming basketball players may compete on any certified summer league team. Please see the Summer Basketball Rules for more information.
Note: Only two student-athletes may participate on the same team in the sport of basketball.
See NCAA Bylaw 30.15 for a complete list of summer basketball regulations.
