As Summer Nationals near each year, NCAA fencing coaches begin receiving questions from prospects about what they can and can’t do at this annual tournament when it comes to recruiting.
To help high school fencers avoid violating any recruiting rules, Zach Moss and the U.S. Fencing Coaches Association's Collegiate Committee has offered some timely guidance.
Here's what each group needs to know:
- Rising seniors (high school graduation year of 2025): All NCAA coaches are allowed to talk to you about their schools and recruiting.
- Rising juniors (high school graduation year of 2026)
- Division I NCAA coaches are not permitted to talk with you in person until August 1st. This means that they are not allowed to meet with you at Summer Nationals. They are permitted to exchange emails, phone calls, etc.
- Division II NCAA coaches are permitted to talk with you in person. The rule states that in-person contact is allowed after June 15th, preceding your junior year, and Summer Nationals falls after that date.
- Division III NCAA coaches are permitted to talk with you in person once you have completed your sophomore year.
- Rising sophomores or younger (high school graduation year of 2027 or later): NCAA coaches in all divisions are not permitted to talk with you at Summer Nationals.
One other reminder: When meeting with coaches, these meetings must take place either on a day when you're not competing or once you're done competing on a given day. This means you can't meet with coaches the morning before you compete.
