The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a membership-driven organization dedicated to safeguarding the well-being of student-athletes and equipping them with the skills to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom and throughout life. NCAA oversees three divisions (DI/DII/DIII), 24 sports, and nearly half a million college athletes.

They support learning through sports by integrating athletics and higher education to enrich the college experience of student-athletes. NCAA members – 1098 college/universities and 102 athletic conferences – work together to create the framework of rules for fair and safe competition.

Those rules are administered by NCAA national office staff, which also organizes national championships and provides other resources to support student-athletes and the schools they attend. The NCAA membership and national office work together to help more than 460,000 student-athletes develop their leadership, confidence, discipline and teamwork through college sports.

Incoming student-athletes in Divisions I and II are subject to academic initial-eligibility standards, which take into account SAT/ACT test scores, number of core courses taken in high school (must take 16 NCAA core courses) and the grades earned in those core courses. Click here for more information about these academic requirements. In addition to NCAA requirements, they also must also meet the unique acceptance requirements of the university they plan to attend (those requirements may exceed NCAA standards).

2. If you are being actively recruited by a Division I or II school, you need to register for a Certification Account with the NCAA Eligibility Center. A Certification Account costs $90. Once registered, NCAA will review your academic record (transcript), SAT/ACT scores, and amateur status to ensure conformity with NCAA rules.

If you are being recruited by a Division III school or are uncertain about which division you will be recruited by, create a free Profile Page and transition to a $90 Certification Account if you decide to play Division I or II sports.

Send your SAT scores from this link or your ACT scores from this link directly to NCAA. Think of NCAA as another college you are applying to. Anytime you send scores to colleges, make sure to include NCAA. When sending scores, you can just search NCAA or use the SAT shortcut code 9999.

Work with your Clovis High or travel ball coach to contact college coaches and fill out online recruiting questionnaires through college websites in order to get your name on the radar of various college teams. College coaches are limited by recruiting calendars in how much they can contact you, but you can always send emails, highlight reels, etc. to coaches. Getting recruited will take effort on your part. Don’t wait for coaches to come find you. Reach out to them first!

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics. The student-athlete is the center of all NAIA experiences. Each year more than 65,000 student-athletes have the opportunity to play college sports at NAIA member institutions. NAIA Guide for a College Bound Student Athlete.

The seed of the NAIA began in 1937 with the tipoff of a men's basketball tournament in Kansas City that has become the longest running event in college basketball. Out of the tournament grew the NAIA, an association that has been an innovative leader. The NAIA was the first collegiate athletics association to invite historically black institutions into membership and the first to sponsor both men’s and women’s national championships.

In 2000, the NAIA reaffirmed its purpose to enhance the character building aspects of sport. Through Champions of Character®, the NAIA seeks to create an environment in which every student-athlete, coach, official and spectator is committed to the true spirit of competition through five core values. In 2010, the association opened the doors to the NAIA Eligibility Center, where prospective student-athletes are evaluated for academic and athletic eligibility. It delivers on the NAIA’s promise of integrity by leveling the playing field, guiding student-athlete success, and ensuring fair competition.

To be academically eligible, the eligibility center requires that incoming freshmen meet two of the following three criteria. 

*These test score requirements are for any athletes taking standardized tests from March 1, 2016 – May 1, 2019. After May 1, 2019, the test score requirements will be an 18 ACT or a 970 SAT.