Milwaukee Athletics

WHO IS A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETE?

A prospective student-athlete is any student who has started classes for the ninth grade.

In addition, a student who has not yet started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospective student-athlete if the University provides such an individual (or the individual's relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits that the University does not provide to prospective students generally.

ARE YOU A BOOSTER?

Boosters (which the NCAA calls "representatives of athletics interests") are individuals that...

• Have made financial contributions to the Athletics Department.
• Aid or have assisted in the recruitment of prospects.
• Provide or have helped arrange employment for enrolled student-athletes.
• Participated as a varsity student-athlete of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
• Have been involved in promoting Milwaukee Athletics in any other way.

Once an individual has been identified as a booster, that individual is a booster for life. The NCAA holds the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee responsible for the conduct of all "representatives of athletics interests."

ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY

Initial Eligibility
Please visit www.eligibilitycenter.org for more information!

A prospective student-athlete must be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center to participate for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as a freshman. The Eligibility Center ensures consistent interpretation of NCAA initial eligibility requirements for all student-athletes at all member institutions.

Your Responsibilities

• Meet with your Guidance Office to ensure that your high school's List of Approved Core Courses has been updated and approved by the NCAA Eligibility Center within the past year.
• Meet with your Guidance Office to ensure that you are taking a sufficient number of NCAA-defined core courses to meet NCAA initial eligibility requirements. Do not assume that courses are "core courses" simply because they satisfy graduation requirements!
• Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center online at www.eligibilitycenter.org  
• Ensure that all of your high school transcripts are sent directly from the educational institution to the Eligibility Center. Be sure to send transcripts from all high schools you may have attended, and - most importantly - your final high school transcript listing proof of graduation.
• Ensure that your SAT/ACT scores are sent directly from the testing agency to the Eligibility Center.

Once all your materials have been submitted to the Eligibility Center, the NCAA will determine your academic eligibility to compete at NCAA schools. The Eligibility Center will send you written notice of your status. Do not assume that you are eligible!

UW-MILWAUKEE ADMISSIONS

In addition to meeting NCAA and Horizon League eligibility requirements, an incoming student-athlete is required to be admitted to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as a degree-seeking student subject to the University's regular admissions procedures.

To check the admissions standards you need to meet, visit the UWM Admissions website at uwm.edu/admission/

AMATEURISM

The NCAA's Principle of Amateurism dictates that only amateur student-athletes are eligible for intercollegiate athletics participation in a particular sport. By contrast, any person that receives any kind of payment for athletics participation, except as specifically permitted by the NCAA, is a professional athlete and is not eligible for intercollegiate competition.

Below is a short list of possible activities that may jeopardize the amateur status of a prospective student-athlete. Please be aware that this is not an exhaustive list. If you have any questions regarding your status, please contact the applicable head coach.

Professional Teams
A prospective student-athlete is rendered permanently ineligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics by participating on a professional team. Under NCAA legislation, a professional team is any organized team that either:

A. Declares itself to be professional, or

B. Provides any of its players more than actual and necessary expenses for participation on the team, except as otherwise permitted by NCAA legislation. Actual and necessary expenses are limited to the following, provided the value of these items is commensurate with the fair market value in the locality of the player(s) and is not excessive in nature:

• Meals directly tied to competition and practice held in preparation for such competition;
• Lodging directly tied to competition and practice held in preparation for such competition;
• Apparel, equipment and supplies;
• Coaching and instruction;
• Health/medical insurance;
• Transportation (i.e., expenses to and from practice and competition, cost of transportation from home to training/practice site at the beginning of the season and from training/practice site to home at the end of season);
• Medical treatment and physical therapy;
• Facility usage;
• Entry fees; and
• Other reasonable expenses incidental to participation.

ADDITIONAL AMATEURISM ISSUES

In addition, an individual jeopardizes his/her amateur status by:

• Accepting direct or indirect salary, gratuity or comparable compensation for the individual's participation on a team;
• Receiving preferential treatment, benefits, or services because of the individual's athletics reputation or skill (other than expressly authorized by NCAA rules);
• Accepting expenses to participate in competition, except as expressly provided in NCAA amateurism legislation; or
• Competing on any professional athletics team even if no pay or remuneration for expenses was received.

Agents
Under NCAA rules, an individual loses amateur status if he/she agrees (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. In addition, an individual is not permitted to accept transportation or other benefits from an agent.

The term "agent" includes actual agents, runners (individuals who befriend student-athletes and frequently distribute impermissible benefits), and financial advisors.

It is not a violation of NCAA rules if an individual merely talks to an agent (as long as an agreement for agent representation is not reached) or socializes with an agent (as long as the individual receives no tangible benefits). For example, a football prospective student-athlete could go to dinner with an agent, provided the prospective student-athlete provides his own transportation and pays for his own meal.

NATIONAL LETTERS OF INTENT

Most incoming Division I student-athletes that receive athletically-related financial aid participate in the National Letter of Intent Program, which is administered by the Collegiate Commissioners Association. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is a member of the National Letter of Intent Program.

Prospects should become familiar with the procedures and implications of the National Letter of Intent before signing.

VISITING UW-MILWAUKEE

Official Visits
An "official" campus visit by a prospective student-athlete ("prospect") is a visit that is financed in any way by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Official visits are only permitted during specific times and vary by sport, so please contact the coach recruiting you to get further information regarding timing of visits.

The NCAA limits each prospect to a total of five official visits and only one visit may be made to any NCAA institution. This restriction applies even if a prospect is being recruited in more than one sport. Five additional visits may be used after October 15 following the prospect's senior year of high school.

In order for a prospect to take an official visit to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the prospect must provide the University with:

• A copy of a high school or two-year college transcript.
• For high school students, a copy of a PACT, ACT, PSAT, or SAT score from an official examination taken on a national testing date under national testing conditions.
• The prospect must also be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center.

An official visit to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee may not last longer than 48 hours, which starts when the prospect arrives on campus or entertainment of the prospect begins at any site. The prospect must then depart the University’s campus within 48 hours from the beginning of the visit.

During the official visit, the University may provide a prospect (and the prospect's parents/spouse) with meals, lodging, and complimentary admissions to University athletics events. Complimentary admissions to University athletics events are issued through a pass list

While on an official visit to Milwaukee, it is not permissible for a booster or other non-staff representative of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Athletics Department to have any contact with a prospect.

Unofficial Visits
An unofficial visit by a prospective student-athlete ("prospect") is a visit that is financed entirely by the prospect. On an unofficial visit, Milwaukee may not provide a prospect with lodging, off-campus transportation, or meals. It is permissible for the University to provide a prospect up to three complimentary admissions to a home athletics event. Admission may only be provided through a pass list and seating is restricted to the general seating area.

A prospect may take an unlimited number of unofficial visits to UWM.  For sports other than baseball and basketball, unofficial visits may occur only after August 1 prior to your junior year of high school.  For baseball, unofficial visits may occur starting September 1 of your junior year. Men’s basketball unofficial visits may begin August 1 prior to your sophomore year.  And women’s basketball unofficial visits can occur at any time.

In addition, and similar to an official visit, a booster or other non-staff representative of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Athletics Department may not have contact with a prospect during an unofficial visit.

For more information on recruiting, financial and initial eligibility, checkout the NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student-Athlete which is available HERE.