NCAA Compliance at Wentworth

NCAA Recruiting Information

In order to ensure that our prospective and current student-athletes are able to engage in intercollegiate competition, the Athletics Department must be in compliance with rules set forth by both the our governing body, the NCAA, and the Institute.  NCAA compliance at Wentworth functions within the scope of the Institute’s academic guidelines to coordinate, monitor, and verify compliance with all NCAA requirements, and to educate the various constituencies of the college and the athletic community regarding NCAA and Wentworth regulations governing academic compliance.

The Department of Athletics offers prospective and current student-athletes a variety of resources concerning NCAA regulations and compliance issues.  Our function is to oversee and verify the accurate and timely completion of NCAA-required procedures.

For the most part, the NCAA is a self-regulatory body which relies on the integrity and accountability of those involved in any way with the program.  This includes, but is not limited to, an institution’s chief executive officer, chief academic officer, registrar, faculty athletics representative, director of athletics, compliance officer, and members of a sport's coaching staff.

Having said that, there are many questions regarding NCAA rules and regulations, especially those relating to eligibility for prospective and currently enrolled students who wish to become student-athletes at Wentworth.  Those students are encouraged to contact their respective coaches or the Department of Athletics at (617) 989-4655, or may refer to the list of “frequently asked questions” below. Prospective transfer student-athletes who wish to come to Wentworth from another two- or four-year collegiate institution should contact their current compliance office FIRST.  An individual representing Wentworth may not have contact with a transfer student until he/she has been granted permission by their current institution, or, in the case of transferring from Division III to Division III, a self-release form has been received by Wentworth.
Although we do try to answer basic questions regarding compliance on our website, please use the information listed here as a general guide for informational purposes only.  While many questions and issues pertaining to NCAA compliance are alike in nature, there are many unique situations that arise.

Some Commonly Asked Questions…

Who are we?
Wentworth’s NCAA Compliance Officer is Bill Gorman, Senior Associate Director of Athletics, who works closely with both Cheryl Aaron, Wentworth’s Director of Athletics, and Wentworth’s Faculty Athletics Representative (presently vacant).  Contact information for each of these individuals is listed below:

Who is considered a prospective student-athlete?
NCAA Bylaw 13.02.7 defines a prospective student-athlete as a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospective student-athlete if the institution provides such an individual (or the individual’s relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally. An individual remains a prospective student-athlete until one of the following occurs (whichever occurs earlier):

• The individual officially registers and enrolls in a minimum full-time program of studies and attends classes in any term of a four-year collegiate institution’s regular academic year (excluding summer); or
• The individual participates in a regular squad practice or competition at a four-year collegiate institution.

I am a high school junior or senior looking to play at Wentworth.  What do I do?
You can start by filling out a Prospective Student-Athlete Form located on our website or by contacting one of the head coaches located in the Staff Directory.  Please understand that some of our coaches are “part-time” at Wentworth and hold full-time jobs outside of Wentworth, so their availability may be limited.  If you are planning to visit the campus and would like to meet with a coach, make sure you contact him or her ahead of time to see if they are available.  In the event they are not, they will normally have you meet with a current player, or, at times, another Athletic Department staff member may meet with you.  Per NCAA rules, coaches may communicate with prospective student-athletes by means of the telephone and via electronic communications at any time, but can not have face-to-face contact until the prospective student-athlete has completed his or her sophomore year in high school. The definition of the conclusion of a prospective student-athlete's sophomore year in high school is July 1.

How do I know if I’ll be eligible to compete?
Unlike prospective student-athletes looking to compete at the Division I and II levels, those wishing to compete at the Division III level do not need to meet initial eligibility standards set forth by the NCAA.  Any student-athlete who wishes to compete in intercollegiate sports must carry a full-time load of course work (12+ credits) to be eligible for participation throughout the playing season.  Failure to stay above a full-time course load while in season will results in your being ineligible.

Prior to your practicing with a team for the first time, you must be cleared to play by making sure that the appropriate paperwork for both the NCAA and Wentworth has been filled out and on file as well as having a valid physical on file with the Athletic Training staff. Further questions regarding the pre-participation physical may be obtained by contacting the Athletic Training Office at (617) 989-4144.

Can I play at Wentworth on an athletic scholarship?
No.  Wentworth Institute of Technology is a NCAA Division III institution, and does not offer any athletic scholarships for play.  Academic merit scholarships are available to all prospective students and information about these can be found on Wentworth’s Financial Aid page.

Policy on Name, Image, & Likeness
This policy is intended to provide guidance to Wentworth Institute of Technology (university) student-athletes regarding their ability to benefit from their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).

I’m currently a student at Wentworth and am thinking about joining a team.  What do I do?
You should contact the head coach of the sport you are wishing to play or fill out a Prospective Student-Athlete Form located on this website.  The respective coach for your sport will contact you and give you more information concerning try-outs.  While many of our student-athletes have been recruited to play a particular sport, there are ample opportunities for “walk-ons” to compete for a roster spot.

As a student already enrolled for over a semester at the college, how do I know if I’ll be eligible to compete?
Any student-athlete who wishes to compete in intercollegiate sports must carry a full-time load of course work (12+ credits) to be eligible for participation throughout the playing season.  Returning students to Wentworth, whether they are sophomores, juniors, or seniors, must adhere to the same continuing eligibility requirements, which are set forth in the course catalog.  Freshmen must maintain a 1.75 GPA, while sophomore, juniors, seniors, and fifth-year students a 2.00 GPA.  If you are on Academic and/or Institute Probation, or if it is determined that you are not making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree, you will be ineligible to compete in Athletics. If your semester GPA does not meet the minimum requirements, you are placed on Academic Warning. You are still eligible to play under this status.

What do I do about missed class time when I’m on a team?  Do I have to miss class for practice?
Student-athletes can only miss academic classroom time for intercollegiate competition.  Under no circumstances is a student-athlete to miss class time for team practices, whether or not the team is in its traditional season of play.  Student-athletes cannot, in addition, miss class time for intercollegiate contests played during the non-traditional season of their respected sports (fall baseball, spring soccer, etc.).

Students are required to make up all academic work, as deemed appropriate by their professors, for classroom time missed as a result of intercollegiate contests played in-season.  Students must inform their professors of missed time no later than 48 hours prior to missing class, and a signed Class Excuse Form, signed by the Director of Athletics, must be presented to the instructor, on each missed occasion.  Every effort possible is made to ensure student-athletes will not miss excessive classroom time for intercollegiate competition; however, it is important for student-athletes to consider their academic schedules when registering for classes. Traditionally, student-athletes have a higher cumulative grade point average than the general student body, while retention rates are also higher for student-athletes in general.

How does co-op factor in to playing sports at Wentworth?
Since co-op is a graduation requirement, the two (or three, if an optional co-op is used) semesters that students are doing their co-op are treated as full-time semesters.  Much like establishing a relationship with a professor regarding missed class time for athletic competition, students need to establish that same relationship with their co-op supervisors and work out a schedule that is workable for all parties.  A countless number of our student-athletes have gone on to work for companies they did at least one co-op for.

What happens if I’m struggling with my classes or life in general?  Who can I contact?
Wentworth has many resources to assist students during their collegiate years.  The Wentworth Counseling Center offers a safe, confidential environment where students can share thoughts and feelings, explore issues of concern, and gain awareness and insight into their lives.  Wentworth also offers many services through academic and student support.  In addition, many of our teams have either mandatory study halls or study halls designed for student-athletes who coaches feel need extra assistance.

If I get hurt during the season, do I lose that season of eligibility?
A student-athlete who plays in a single contest is considered to have used an entire year of competition in that respective sport.   Should a student-athlete get injured or have a personal affect which forces them to step away from the sport prematurely during the season, a student-athlete may have the opportunity to have this year of competition stricken from their record by filing a Medical Hardship Waiver.  In order for a Hardship Waiver to be granted there must be an incapacitating injury or illness which forces the student-athlete to miss the rest of the playing season.  There must be medical documentation (trainers, doctors, hospital receipts) that states the nature of the injury and establishes the student-athlete’s inability to compete.  The injury must have occurred during the first half of the playing season AND the student-athlete must not have competed in more than three contests or one-third of the total number of scheduled contests (whatever number is greater).  The waiver request is generated through the Compliance Office and is processed through the conference office.  The conference office will either grant or deny the request based on the application presented.

I’m thinking about transferring out of Wentworth, but I’m hesitant about what to do.  What is the process?
If you are seeking a transfer, you should contact your head coach or the Associate Director of Athletics.  If you seek a transfer via the Associate Director of Athletics, you should understand that your head coach will be informed of your intentions, should you ultimately decide to contact other institutions regarding a possible transfer.  However, if you wish to leave Wentworth for another NCAA Division III institution, you do not need authorization via our athletic department for permission to contact.  The NCAA has issued a “Self-Release Transfer Form” specifically for Division III athletes, which will allow release to other NCAA Division III institutions.  Normally, the institution in question will contact us to inquire about your eligibility status, so we recommend coming to us first.

Current Wentworth student-athletes who have intentions of transferring to Division I and Division II institutions MUST have permission through our athletic office to contact such schools and vice-versa.  Should you seek a transfer to a NCAA Division I or II institution, you should inform your coaching staff and the Senior Associate Athletic Director of Athletics at once.  Impermissible contact between a student-athlete and an institution that has not been granted permission to contact can lead to eligibility implications for the student-athlete.  Therefore it is advised that student-athletes make every effort to comply with these standards.

Wentworth Institute of Technology wishes the best for all of its student-athletes.  If it is in your best interests to transfer away from Wentworth, we will do our best to provide a smooth transition the entire way.  Don’t be afraid to talk about a transfer!

I’m currently at a different college, and want to learn more about Wentworth and possibly transfer.  What do I do?
Student-athletes wishing to attend Wentworth via a transfer from another institution can do so along the same guidelines as those leaving Wentworth (see above).  Our head coaches are advised NOT to communicate with ANY current students at another institution without first receiving a “Self-Release” (if the student is currently at a NCAA Division III institution) or a release through the compliance office (prepared for the head coach by the Associate Athletic Director).  So, it is certainly in your best interest to contact your compliance office first.  If that is not possible, then contact Wentworth’s Compliance Office at (617) 989-4147, and we will be happy to help you through the process.

I’ve gotten my transfer clearance out of the way, now how do I know if I can play at Wentworth?
Eligibility for transfer student-athletes follows guidelines set forth by the NCAA governing Division III transfers.  Student-Athletes must “sit-out” (spend one full-time academic year in residence) unless they meet one of the following criteria:

• The student has never participated in collegiate athletics in ANY sport, at any other division level, and still has semesters of eligibility remaining. (Note:  as of August 1, 2013, there is an exception to this rule as it pertains to tryouts and participation in a non-traditional season)
• The student would have been academically eligible to participate has he/she remained at the institution which they are transferring from, and still has semesters of eligibility remaining.

Of course, as in all cases, the student’s must be registered in a full-time course of study, and must be academically eligible to play at Wentworth, once this criterion is met.  If a transferring student does NOT fall into one of these two broad categories, they will NOT be eligible to participate.

I have a question, but it hasn’t been answered here, and I don’t know who to contact.
Below is a list of key contacts at Wentworth who may be able to help.  Feel free to contact these departments, and ask the question that fits your needs: