NCAA Extends Recruiting Dead Period to July 31

The NCAA has extended the current recruiting dead period for a third time, this time to July 31 for all sports.

The NCAA has extended the current recruiting dead period to July 31, the organization announced today.

"The Division I Council Coordination Committee extended the recruiting dead period for all sports through July 31. The committee will regularly evaluate the dead period, continuing to be guided by medical experts. The committee also determined that starting June 1 strength and conditioning coaches may virtually observe voluntary physical workouts for health and safety purposes, but only if requested by the student-athlete."

The current mandatory recruiting dead period was originally put in place just one day after winter & spring sport championships were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was set to last until at least April 15. However it was extended to May 31st in early April, then to June 30, and now finally to July 31.

The NBCA & WBCA had recently recommended to the NCAA that the dead period be extended out to July 31.

A dead period is a period of time where "a college coach may not have face-to-face contact with college-bound student-athletes or their parents, and may not watch student-athletes compete or visit their high schools. Coaches may write and telephone student-athletes or their parents during a dead period," according to the NCAA's official definition.

In short, coaches can still communicate with prospective recruits and transfers so long as it is not done in person. Calling, texting, DMing, emailing, Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, etc. are all permissible.

The University of Louisville has already started to bring back student-athletes for voluntary workouts via a phased plan announced by Athletic Director Vince Tyra last week.

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