No. Once you sign an NLI, all other institutions are obligated to cease contacting you and your family members. Accordingly, you have an obligation to notify any coach from an NLI institution that you have signed an NLI. Any contact in excess of an exchange of a greeting is not permitted regardless of the conversation. The conversation does not have to result in recruiting discussion for a recruiting ban violation to occur.
Yes. A verbal commitment, stating publicly one's intentions to attend a certain institution, is a non-binding, oral agreement between you and the institution. The only binding nature of the commitment is your word and the institution's promise. The NLI program does not recognize verbal commitments. It is not uncommon for a student to verbally commit to one institution and subsequently sign an NLI with another institution. And, on some occasions, a school may accept your verbal commitment and later offer the NLI to another prospective student-athlete.
"Grayshirting" is a term used in the recruiting process to describe situations in which a student-athlete delays initial enrollment in a collegiate institution to the winter or spring term after the traditional academic year begins. Student-athletes who "grayshirt" often use the fall term to take part-time classes or choose to not enroll in college at all. "Grayshirting" is not a formal designation by the NCAA or the NLI program. If you decide to delay your initial enrollment provided you were eligible to enroll, your NLI remains binding. If a coach or the institution's admission office asks you to delay your enrollment and you were eligible to enroll, the institution is obligated to honor your athletics aid if you wish to attend the institution. Should you want to attend another NLI member institution due to the coach or institution delaying your enrollment, your NLI will be declared null and void.
The institution recruiting you will send you the NLI. It can be sent to you by express mail, courier service, regular mail, email or fax. The materials you receive must include an offer of athletics financial aid for the entire academic year (two semesters or three quarters).
No. A coach cannot be present when you sign an NLI off-campus. Pursuant to NCAA rules, any in-person, off-campus contact made with a prospect for the purpose of signing an NLI or attendance at activities related to the signing of the NLI is prohibited. A coach is also prohibited from in-person delivery of the NLI to you off-campus.
Yes. While under the terms of the NCAA and NLI program a coach or institutional representative may not hand-deliver an NLI off campus. There is nothing that precludes you from receiving an NLI while on campus for an official or unofficial visit. Please remember that you may only sign an NLI during a permissible signing period. Furthermore, signing an NLI is a big commitment. Accordingly, it is strongly suggested that you consult your parent or legal guardian in this decision-making process.
Yes, but only if you have received a complete release or the NLI recruiting ban is lifted if you submit an NLI release request. The NLI recruiting ban is lifted while your NLI release request is pending the signing institution’s decision. The NLI recruiting ban is not limited to certain institutions but to all NLI member institutions seeking to recruit you. Note this NLI recruiting ban policy is different from the NCAA Division I notification of transfer or the Division II permission to contact requirements.
No. NLI policy prohibits student-athletes transferring from one four-year institution to another four-year institution (4-4 transfer) from signing an NLI inasmuch as they are no longer prospective student-athletes.