Clarion University

Wendy Snodgrass - Associate Athletic Director /Compliance
wsnodgrass@clarion.edu

Phone: (814) 393-1989

Clarion University

One of the most important objectives of the Clarion University Athletic Department is for strict compliance with NCAA rules and regulations. NCAA rules cover all aspects of intercollegiate athletics, including prospective student-athletes and boosters.

The following information is posted at this site to educate supporters of Golden Eagles athletics and families of potential players with regard to NCAA regulations involving important rules and regulations where student- athletes are concerned. We ask all supporters of Clarion University athletics to become more informed by reading the following material presented here.

Prospective Student-Athletes

Who exactly is a prospective student-athlete? According to NCAA rules, prospective student-athletes are individuals who have started their ninth grade year of school or have been recruited by an institutional staff member or a representative of the school's athletic interest.

NCAA rules prohibit Clarion University and all NCAA Institutions from specifically naming prospective student-athletes that are being actively recruited. Therefore, no names of prospects will be found at this site, or mentioned by any school sponsored publication, until they have signed a national letter-of-intent to attend Clarion University and their names have been released by the school's Sports Information Department. 

Division I & II Academic Eligibility Requirements

Visit NCAA Eligibility Center Website: https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/common/index.html

The initial eligibility requirements for incoming freshman are as follows:

Division I only - 16 core courses

• 4 years of English                   
• 3 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher)                   
• 2 years of natural/physical science (one must be a lab science if offered by your high school)                   
• 1 year of additional English, math or science                   
• 2 years of social science                   
• 4 years of additional core courses (from any area listed above, or from foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy)
• Earn a minimum grade-point average in your core courses; and
• Earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches your core-course grade-point average and test score sliding scale (for example, a 2.400 core-course grade-point average needs an 860 SAT.)

Division II, 2008-2013 - 14 core courses

The initial eligibility requirements will change for prospective student-athletes enrolling in a Division II institution on or after August 1, 2013. 

Division II, 2013 and Later - 16 Core Courses

• 3 years of English
• 2 years of math (Algebra 1 or higher)
• 2 years of natural/physical science (one must be a lab science if offered by your high school)
• 3 additional years of English, math or natural or physical science
• 2 years of social science
• 4 years of extra core courses ( from any area listed above, or from foreign language, nondoctrinal religion or philosophy)
• Earn a 2.0 grade-point average or better in your core courses; and
• Earn a combined SAT score of 820 or an ACT sum score of 68.

Division I & II Amateurism Certification Process

The amateurism certification process is the process for determining the amateurism eligibility of domestic and international freshman and transfer prospective student-athletes for initial-athletics participation at NCAA Divisions I and II member institutions. 

Prospective student-athletes may register with the Eligibility Center via the Internet at the beginning of their junior year in high school.  As part of the amateurism certification process, each prospective student-athlete will be asked to answer several questions regarding his or her sports-participation history.  Early registration with the Eligibility Center and the completion of the athletics participation questions will allow institutions to have preliminary information regarding a prospective student-athlete's amateurism status, which will promote consistency in the recruiting process.  Final certifications of amateur status will occur at the end of the prospective student-athlete's senior year of high school or approximately two to three months prior to initial full-time enrollment at an NCAA Division I or II institution.

Selected amateurism rules to be certified by amateurism certification include: 

• Contracts with a professional team (Division I);
• Salary for participating in athletics (Division I);
• Prize money above actual and necessary expenses (Division I);
• Play with professionals (Division I);
• Tryouts, practice or competition with a professional team (Division I);
• Benefits from an agent or prospective agent (Divisions I and II);
• Agreement to be represented by an agent (Divisions I and II); and
• Organized-competition rule (Divisions I and II).

For additional information regarding the amateurism certification process please visit the NCAA Eligibility Center website: https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/common/index.html

Division I & II Progress Toward Degree Academic Eligibility

After a student-athlete is initially eligible and begins to compete, Clarion University is committed to a strict adherence to NCAA rules while providing assistance and guidance to students in order to maintain their NCAA eligibility.  To maintain eligibility at Clarion University student-athletes must complete 24 new credit hours at a cumulative GPA of 2.0. Division I is also required to meet a specific percentage of degree completion each year to achieve continuing eligibility. For more information about NCAA administration and governance visit the NCAA website: http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?ContentID=273

Any questions?

Whenever you have questions regarding NCAA or Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference legislation, please call the Clarion University Athletic Compliance Office at (814) 393-1989, via e-mail: wsnodgrass@clarion.edu or by contacting the NCAA at (317) 917-6222.