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NCAA approves rule allowing prospects to take an unlimited number of official recruiting visits

Prospects were previously limited to official visits at five schools.

High school athletes will be able to take an unlimited number of official visits as part of their recruiting process starting July 1, according to new rules passed by the NCAA Division I Council on Thursday . Recruits will be limited to one official visit per school, unless there is a coaching change. 

Official visits allow schools to pay for transportation, a two-night stay, meals and "reasonable entertainment" for an athlete and up to two family members. Previously, prospective athletes were limited to five total official visits as part of their recruitment process. 

"For young people considering where to go to college, visits to campus -- both official and unofficial -- are an integral part of the decision-making process," said Lynda Tealer, chair of the Division I Council. "This was an opportunity to modernize NCAA rules in a way that provides greater and more meaningful opportunities for prospects going through the recruitment process."

The decision could provide a significant victory for schools outside of the recruiting hotbeds who often struggle to get athletes on campus. For example, 15 of Oregon's 29 high school recruits came from outside the Pacific Time Zone. With the new rules, it will be easier for Dan Lanning and his staff to bring more players to campus. 

Additionally, non-power programs could more easily treat local prospects to official visits without costing blue-chip recruits one of their visits. However, it also gives an advantage to well-monied programs that can afford to hand out numerous official visits. Georgia, for example, spent 30% more on recruiting than any other program in college football over the past three years. 

The new rule is part of a sweeping transformation to college recruiting instituted by the NCAA in April. The NCAA has shifted the recruiting calendar to allow coaches to contact recruits starting June 15 after a recruit's sophomore year of high school, moved up from Sept. 1 of their junior year. Additionally, coaches will be able to have in-person contact with recruits after Jan. 1 of their junior year, vastly increasing the number of days available, but cutting the amount of total allowable total recruiting days by 37 between the spring and fall contact periods. 

Updating the recruiting calendar has become a major priority for coaches as recruiting becomes essentially a non-stop activity . Staffs in December often deal with bowl prep, high school recruiting and navigating the transfer portal at the same time. Many of these new rules are focused at trying to ease the demands on staffs later in the year by opening the process up earlier in the year. 

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What does Wisconsin spend on official visits? Inside recruiting weekends under Luke Fickell

MADISON, Wis. — Kevin Heywood and Ryan Cory sat side by side at the front of a pontoon boat, soaking up the Saturday afternoon sun on Lake Mendota with a group of Wisconsin football recruits. The pair of offensive line prospects had done enough research and enjoyed themselves so much that they were ready to commit to the Badgers. Under one condition.

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Director of recruiting Pat Lambert, who was at the wheel, pulled up next to a second boat holding Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell, offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. and several other recruits’ parents. He declared that Heywood and Cory would commit if Fickell and Bicknell jumped in the lake right then and there.

“Honestly, before Pat said the word lake, Fick ripped his shirt off and was in full dive off the boat into the water,” said Heywood’s stepdad, Erik Dougherty, who was on the boat with Fickell.

That’s how the first weekend of Wisconsin’s official visits in the Fickell era unfolded: with a big splash. Wisconsin brought 16 recruits in for an official visit the weekend of June 2-4, 10 of whom were uncommitted. Six of those 10 prospects committed to Wisconsin either during the visit or soon after and went on to sign with the program.

In total, 13 of Wisconsin’s 22 signees in the 2024 recruiting class committed to the Badgers around last June’s official visits, contributing significantly to Wisconsin ranking No. 23 in the 247Sports Composite — its second-highest mark in the internet recruiting rankings era. It further highlighted to the staff just how important those weekends are to sell the program, the university and the city.

“We’ve got to make sure that we are hitting at a very high rate of official visits,” Fickell said in the summer. “Because that’s where you’re saying obviously you wanted this guy enough to get his whole family here. You’ve got to do a better job at closing and sealing the deal.”

Inside the Texas spending blitz that hooked Arch Manning and a No. 2 recruiting class

Achieving that level of success requires a tremendous amount of effort, organization and attention to detail. It also requires a tremendous amount of money.

According to receipts and expense invoices obtained by The Athletic via an open records request, Wisconsin spent more than $319,000 during the first two official visit weekends last June, which included 27 official recruiting visitors and their families. Costs stemmed from flights for out-of-town recruits and up to two family members under NCAA rules, as well as lodging, food, transportation and entertainment, among other categories. All costs were paid for by Wisconsin’s self-sustaining athletics department, either through UW expenses, UW Foundation expenses or “special account expenses.”

Through receipts, itineraries and interviews with attendees, here is an inside look at a Wisconsin recruiting weekend under Fickell:

Thursday, June 1, 2023 (Arrival)

Recruits and their family members who flew to Wisconsin were picked up at the airport by staff members. They arrived at the Edgewater Hotel downtown — billed on its website as “the finest in luxury hotel services and amenities” — Thursday. Round-trip flights on the first weekend booked through Anthony Travel totaled $18,820.36, according to documents. Flight costs for the second weekend were $22,366.37. In total, Wisconsin paid for 50 flights.

Inside their rooms, recruits found handwritten notes from coaches on the bed. Wisconsin purchased gift bags and supplies for $1,188.60 from the University Book Store, which included 10 packages of Badgers-branded playing cards (with two decks apiece) and dice sets. Defensive end Hank Weber , who committed at the end of his weekend visit, said staffers asked recruits before the trip for a list of their favorite snacks. He chose Chips Ahoy cookies, Nutella sticks and Uncrustables. Wisconsin spent $1,210.04 at Target on May 23 in preparation for the first weekend of official visits.

Snacks included 120 bags of Frito-Lay variety pack chips, 16 bags of trail mix and an assortment of chips, cookies, crackers, snack cakes, popcorn, protein bars, candy, chocolate and gum. An additional $531.55 was spent at Target on June 6 for the second weekend. Weber said he felt like he was “definitely treated like royalty, to say the least.” But Wisconsin wasn’t done with its snacking expenditures.

Wisconsin placed a $600 order from Nothing Bundt Cakes, including 17 custom assortments of mini bundt cakes, known as Bundtinis, plus an eight-inch red velvet cake and separate mini bundt cakes adorned with football toppers. It spent another $545.15 at Crumbl Cookies for the two weekends.

“We still have leftover snacks,” said Wayne Dunn, the father of safety Raphael Dunn , who visited on the second weekend of June and committed at the end of his trip. “I’m not even joking. There was just so much stuff. Raphael was freaking out.”

Although there were no planned activities for out-of-town guests Thursday, recruits and their families found plenty to do at the hotel. Wisconsin spent $63.29 for a 12-month subscription to PlayStation Plus Essential, allowing recruits to play video games, in addition to more than $6,000 for dinner and other expenses in a banquet hall.

Friday, June 2, 2023

9:30 a.m.: Breakfast at Pyle Center 10:30 a.m.: Depart on buses for Camp Randall Stadium 10:50 a.m.: Player development presentation with Chris Worley 11:20 a.m-1 p.m.: Position meetings, medical screenings, nutrition meetings 1p.m.: Lunch

The first full day of the official visit weekend began with breakfast at the Pyle Center, located just a half-mile from the Edgewater Hotel and next to the Memorial Union. Wisconsin rented the Pyle Alumni Lounge, which features floor-to-ceiling windows with a beautiful view of Lake Mendota and access to a veranda. The room, rented from 7:30-11 a.m., cost $600.

There were 80 orders placed for “The Elegant Brunch”: scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, ham, a mixture of assorted pastries and donuts and hot chocolate. The food cost $2,240, and the hot chocolate came to $280, bringing the total for breakfast with room rental to $3,120.

Wisconsin used the Badger Bus service for transportation, renting two 56-seat motor coaches that operated on Friday and Saturday of both weekends. Each day cost $2,998.40.

After director of player development and engagement Chris Worley spoke in the morning for 30 minutes, recruits had individualized plans. For example, one recruit had a medical screening at 11:20 a.m., a nutrition meeting at 11:45 a.m., a position meeting with outside linebackers coach Matt Mitchell at noon and a meeting with Fickell at 1 p.m. just as lunch began. Another recruit met with Bicknell (who has since been reassigned from his O-line coach duties) and spent the last half-hour before lunch set up for a panel with Wisconsin’s offensive linemen.

Wisconsin added a few extra bells and whistles for the first official visit weekend. The Badgers literally rolled out a 25-foot by four-foot red carpet in a tunnel from the south end zone leading to the field, as lights flashed and music blared, near where lunch was held for recruits and their families in the 5th Quarter patio area of Camp Randall Stadium. There were four red velour ropes and six chrome stanchions surrounding the carpet. With delivery and pickup from Event Essentials, the cost for those rented items was $362.

“You could tell on some of the kids’ faces, they were smiling and thought it was great,” said Mark Mettauer, who was on the official visit the first weekend with his son, four-star quarterback Mabrey Mettauer . “They’ve got their phones out as they were walking into the stadium. It makes a difference. Trust me.”

Wisconsin provided two lunch options: Chick-fil-A and Casetta Kitchen and Counter. It brought in seven 30-count orders of grilled nuggets, as well as four large trays of Chick-fil-A nuggets, four large trays of macaroni and cheese and two large fruit trays for a cost of $1,251.42. The order of sandwiches, salads, chips and cookies from Casetta Kitchen and Counter cost $2,268.38. The school again ordered from those two restaurants the following week at a combined cost of $2,175.22.

After Mabrey Mettauer committed to Wisconsin, the 4-star QB's training went into overdrive

1:45 p.m.: Depart for Edgewater Hotel 2 p.m.: Rest/free time 4:45 p.m.: Depart Edgewater Hotel for Fickell family residence 5 p.m.: Dinner and hospitality at Fickell house Post-dinner: Free time for recruits with host/parent social hour at Fickell house

Coaches and their spouses were on hand to meet and greet all recruits and their families Friday night for one of the most expensive experiences of the weekend: a meal from Blue Plate Catering at the Fickell home.

Wisconsin paid Event Essentials to put up a 30-by-40-foot tent west of the pool and north of the house that remained on site for more than a week to cover the first two weekends of official visits. Other products that remained on site included tables, LED white patio lights and folding chairs for a total cost of $12,007.

Fickell’s wife, Amy, helped to pick out 16 flower arrangements from Felly’s Flowers that included roses and hydrangeas and cost $1,451.95 when delivered. An additional $971.95 was spent for eight flower arrangements for the second official visit weekend at the Fickell house.

Weber said recruits met their player hosts for the first time at Fickell’s house. He spent time with defensive linemen James Thompson Jr. and Curt Neal . Players and recruits held a dunk contest on the basketball court inside the house. There were also arcade games and a swimming pool. Recruits then left with their hosts, while the parents stayed at the Fickell home for a social hour.

The total cost of dinner for the first Friday in June was $15,363.41 with gratuity, not including alcohol. (A week later, the second Friday dinner cost $16,160.91.)

Alcohol was purchased for the party on May 30 at Total Wine, with two receipts totaling $1,169.02. That included five bottles of Marchese Dell’Elsa Moscato D’Asti, four bottles of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, three bottles of Mascota Vineyards Chardonnay, two bottles of G&J Greenall’s Gin and one bottle apiece of 3 Amigos Blanco Tequila, 3 Amigos Reposado Tequila, Meiomi Pinot Noir, Cara Mello Moscato and Woodford Reserve bourbon. There were also four 24-bottle cases of Miller Lite, four 24-bottle cases of Coors Light and four 12-packs of New Glarus Spotted Cow.

“Basically the parents closed the house down,” Mark Mettauer said. “There were like three levels of the house and there was food everywhere. They spared no expense. It was very well done for such a large crowd.”

The total cost of the two official visit Friday night events at the Fickell house amounted to $48,398.13 with catering, alcohol, flowers and tent/table setup.

Saturday, June 3, 2023

9:15 a.m.: Depart Edgewater Hotel for campus 9:30 a.m.: Academic breakfast in the Champions Club 10:35 a.m.: Strength and conditioning presentation with Brady Collins 11 a.m.: NIL presentation in the team room 11:15 a.m.: Player panel 11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.: Photo shoot, position coach meeting, academic services meeting 1:30 p.m.: Badger Bash lunch

Two highlights from the Saturday morning schedule came from listening to strength and conditioning coach Brady Collins lay out his vision, as well as hearing Fickell discuss his thoughts on players earning compensation from name, image and likeness.

Weber said Collins presented a slideshow of before-and-after photos showing his work in a few months with Wisconsin players such as running back Braelon Allen and wide receiver Will Pauling . Mark Mettauer described Fickell’s message on NIL as “the most specific I’ve ever seen,” with an emphasis on everyone, including walk-ons, being able to reap financial rewards through hard work while wanting to ensure that Wisconsin did not have a fractured locker room.

By the time recruits wrapped up their meetings and photo shoots posing for pictures in a Wisconsin uniform, the program had a massive lunch for its “Badger Bash” set up on the practice field. Wisconsin brought in Mission BBQ, Ian’s Pizza and State Street Brats to provide recruits with a taste of Madison. The barbecue order was the largest ($6,660.80) and included pulled chicken, sliced brisket and jalapeño and cheese sausage by the pound with four sauces, as well as slider rolls, cornbread halves, quarts of mac and cheese and green beans with bacon and coleslaw.

Total cost for catering from all three restaurants came to $8,972.92 on the first weekend and $5,354.90 on the second weekend. Ice cream was served for dessert, and recruits passed time playing cornhole and watching television. Wisconsin spent $14,870 each weekend for the tents, tables, benches, chairs and couches for the event.

The Badgers also spent $900 the first weekend on white helium balloons with red tassels, as well as balloons in the shape of a field goal post with a football, that were hung up across the field. Another expense for $2,202 went to Alpha-Lit Madison for marquee letters used during the first three official visit weekends. Some staffers carried party confetti poppers in their pockets — 100 of which were ordered on Amazon for $114.95 — in the event any recruits committed during the visit. Offensive lineman Colin Cubberly said staffers used them after he committed over lunch during the second weekend of official visits.

2:15 p.m.: Depart for Edgewater Hotel 2:30 p.m.: Boats available on Lake Mendota 4 p.m.: Rest/free time 5:40 p.m.: Meet in Edgewater Hotel lobby 5:50 p.m.: Depart for dinner (Recruits and recruit families departed for two different dinner locations) 6 p.m.: Dinner at Rare Steakhouse for families of recruits 6 p.m.: Dinner and entertainment at Camp Randall Stadium for recruits Post-dinner: Red Crown parent and coaches social at the Edgewater Hotel Post-dinner: Free time with host for recruits

The afternoon commitments of Heywood and Cory while on the lake sent a ripple effect of good vibes into the night. Coaches, spouses and families of recruits convened for dinner at Rare Steakhouse downtown on the Capitol Square for the fanciest meal of the weekend. The program reserved a section of the restaurant, and parents sat where their nameplates were placed, typically at tables with the position coaches who were recruiting their sons. Parents said Fickell intermingled from table to table.

Attendees ordered six-ounce filet mignons, New York Strip steaks and Capitol Cuts. There were 15 orders of crab cakes, nine sweet chili shrimp orders and nine cheesecake orders, as well as salads, mashed potatoes, tuna poke, prosciutto profiteroles and bone marrow appetizers, among others.

Wisconsin spent $9,744.75 on food and ran up an additional beverage tab of $2,010.56. The most popular drink was 20 orders of the watermelon smash mojito. The rest of the beverage tab included 14 summer flings, 11 fruity business mocktails, 10 smoked old-fashioneds, nine Brandini Moscato d’Astis, six lemondrops, six Long Meadow Cabernets, five Woodford Reserves, five Provenance Merlots, four Catena Malbecs, four Fantasy Factory IPAs and four espresso martinis. Mark Mettauer said the smoked old-fashioned was a particular hit because it arrived inside a glass box that released the smoke when opened, and parents took photos on their cell phones. Dinner and drinks on the second June weekend came to a combined cost of $8,399.70.

Recruits, meanwhile, ate dinner from Mr. Hibachi Catering outside Gate 1 of Camp Randall Stadium near the statues of Barry Alvarez and Pat Richter. The meal was supposed to be on the field, but members of the fire department were fearful of the fire risk. The dinner cost $4,638.75 each week, plus an additional $500 overtime cooking fee, which brought the two-week total to $9,777.50.

Afterward, Wisconsin set up a one-hour pop-up portable laser tag on the field for recruits at a cost of $2,000 through UltraZone Laser Tag. Wings Over Madison delivered a 7:45 p.m. snack of 100 mild wings, 100 garlic parmesan wings, 100 honey barbecue wings and 100 spicy teriyaki wings, along with two trays of plain waffle fries, at a cost of $671.93. The recruits finished their nights with time alongside their player hosts, who received $140 each for their services.

Parents returned to the Edgewater Hotel for more drinks with coaches in the Red Crown Club, an impressive space that overlooks Lake Mendota. Wisconsin spent $1,257.50 on the nightcap, which included 25 orders of Tito’s vodka, 19 Miller Lites, 13 Trinity Oak pinot noirs, 11 mineral waters, eight orders of Stella Artois Cidre and six Spotted Cows. In total, Wisconsin spent $8,390.84 on alcohol and other beverages both weekends when combining purchases for the Fickell house parties, the Rare Steakhouse dinners and the afterparties at the Edgewater Hotel.

Sunday, June 4, 2023

8 a.m.: Breakfast at the Edgewater Hotel 9:30 a.m.: Depart for airport and home

Every recruit met with Fickell in a private space at the hotel Sunday morning during breakfast to touch base before the end of the visit. Weber had made up his mind and informed Fickell of his commitment to Wisconsin, which set off another celebration. Afterward, Weber said defensive line coach Greg Scruggs walked him toward the breakfast area where the players were seated and proclaimed: “We got another one!” It was a fitting way to cap a triumphant weekend.

Wisconsin paid for 40 hotel rooms on Friday and Saturday night, with room charges ranging from $279-$289, plus an additional $21 resort fee charge. Recruits and their family members each had their own rooms. Other charges included banquet room rentals, banquet food, banquet service charges, banquet AV rentals and parking. The largest bill of the weekend came to $60,313.29, with $54,172.49 spent at the hotel on the second weekend. When including a $15,547.74 bill for other official visits later in the month, Wisconsin spent a total of $130,033.52 at the Edgewater Hotel in June.

By the time checkout arrived, Wisconsin recruits and their families had been treated to a memorable weekend that forged bonds and, in many instances, served as the final piece that allowed players to feel comfortable making their college commitment. Other players continued to take official visits in June. But the Badgers had done their part to create what they believed was the best experience they could offer.

They footed the bill that proved it.

“We had a great time,” Mark Mettauer said. “They did a great job, and I bet it’s going to be even better this year.”

(Top photo: Courtesy of Erik Dougherty)

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Jesse Temple is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Wisconsin Badgers. He has covered the Badgers beat since 2011 and previously worked for FOX Sports Wisconsin, ESPN.com and Land of 10. Follow Jesse on Twitter @ jessetemple

TRINITY KICKING

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• Oct 11, 2018

The Ultimate Guide to Football Visits, Official and Unofficial

Who should you call? Ask for the individual in charge of recruiting (Usually the Recruiting Coordinator). Ask them what would be the best time to visit campus on an unofficial visit for a kicker or a punter. How do I get their number? GOOGLE IT! How do you do anything in life? Usually go to the athletic page and find an email and send an email to the coach or find a phone number to the athletic department. Chances are, you will get a secretary who can connect you to the correct person. If they are rude and unhelpful, be polite, and then call every single day or week and hope that your kindness and effort pays off.

What Questions should you already have answers for?

What position you play

What's your grade point average

What town are you from

What school do you go to

What are your stats

What do you want to major in

What to Know and Expect when taking a college visit

Unofficial Vs. Official Visits

Unofficial Visits:

Unofficial Visit - is any visit prior to your senior year.

You are more scouting out the school than the football program: Make sure that you are comfortable with the campus, class size, distance from home, etc.

You have unlimited unofficial visits.

You are entirely responsible for all costs: i.e. Travel, lodging, food, etc.

Coaches can coordinate travel but cannot pay.

Athletes may stay with a player/member of the team or with any other student or family.

You may be invited to a practice.

You cannot tryout or participate in practice.

Official Visits:

You are limited to only 5 Official Visits your senior year.

You are in the market to find your home for the next 4 years of your life or more. Make sure that: you are comfortable with the campus, class size, distance from home, etc.

You are comfortable with the facilities and try to get to know your teammates as they will be your family for a big chunk of your life.

You cannot take more than 1 official visit to a single school, make it count and learn as much as you can about life as a student athlete on that campus.

You will be given a host to show you around and introduce you to the team. This host will be a player on the team. Ask them questions! Everything and anything.

Do not do drugs or get into any kind of trouble or do anything to hurt your chances of being on this team. Your host is responsible for you and will be asked to give a full report to the head coach and position coaches about your Character and if you are a good fit for their team.

Official Visits do not last longer than 48 hours.

You will usually get one free ticket to a game on an official visit (often times sideline passes).

You will be invited to see practice or a walk through practice.

You cannot tryout or practice with the team.

Meeting with a Coach

You may meet with a coach on either type of visit (Unofficial and Official)

This is your chance to get to know this coaching staff and learn what to expect when you report. Take everything with a grain of salt as coaches are in sales mode. Go with your gut feeling.

Be confident, humble, respectful, and grateful.

Look the coach in the eye, shake hands firm, and remember that coaches want Confidence when looking for a kicker (different than cocky).

What to look for on Official Visits:

Try to stay in a dorm. This is where and how you will be living for the first few ears. Try not to stay in off campus housing with one of the players.

Do NOT be too cool for school! This is an interview of you! Coaches will ask your host and other players about rather or not you will be a good fir for the program.

Try and sit through a class. It is easy to view this as a vacation, but you are there making a decision on the next 4+ years of your life. Make sure that the classes area good fit for you and your academic needs. (No sense in going to a great football team only to flunk and not be eligible to play.)

Try to eat in the dinning hall during your stay. (It ain't mama's cookin' no more).

Take a campus tour to meet other people and ask questions to those who aren't on the football team.

Go out with the boys, see how the football team spends their off-time. Don't be a wet blanket but also, Do Not try to become a legend either.

What Not To Do:

Do not ask the coaches information you should have already looked up. i.e: What conference are you in? What division is this, etc.

Do Not Lie about offers from other schools. Coaches talk to each other, EVEN THE RIVALS. This is a big No, NO and can lead to a lot of bad issues. If you do have scholarships however, feel free to let schools know, if they ask.

Do not lie about stats or measurements. They will check and it is a big RED FLAG when you lie.

Focus on yourself and don't talk about other recruits that you are competing against.

Do NOT POST alcohol, drinking, smoking, cussing, using racial slurs, talk politics, etc. Schools check and have teams dedicated to checking SOCIAL MEDIA for recruiting and during your duration on the team. Even if it's set to private, DELETE ALL NEGATIVE OR HARMFUL CONTENT ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS! Your life is bigger than your likes and your goals and plans are more important that what your high school buddies thought was funny months ago. Move on!

Finally Remember , Have fun! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity so enjoy this process. It will be stressful but remember that life is good, you've earned these opportunities, and most of all you get to play the game you love on a stage you have been dreaming of since you've been a little kid around the yard. ENJOY and BEST OF LUCK! -Trinity Kicking

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Media Center 10/27/2022 6:14:00 PM

Council introduces proposals related to official visits, coaching limits

If approved in january, prospects will not have limit to official visits.

The Division I Council Thursday introduced several proposals into its legislative cycle at the recommendation of the Modernization of Rules Subcommittee, including recommended changes to coaching limits and recruiting visits. 

The Council is expected to vote on these proposals in January. If approved, most of the changes will take effect July 2023. Additionally, members approved a recommendation from the Student Athlete Experience Committee to introduce legislation into the Council's legislative cycle that would bring mid-year softball transfer rules in line with those in baseball. The Council introduced the proposal for an April vote and, if approved, an effective date of August 2023. 

The Council also approved a request from the  Football Oversight Committee to make adjustments to the football recruiting calendar , effective immediately.

Official and unofficial visits

If the recruiting proposal is adopted in January, prospects will no longer have a limit to the number of official visits they can make to NCAA member schools. Prospects would be limited to one official visit per school, unless there is a head coaching change after an official visit, in which case prospects would be able to complete a second official visit to the same school.

Schools would be permitted to cover travel costs, transportation, meals and reasonable entertainment for up to four individuals accompanying a prospect on their official visit. Those guests could include family members, their high school or club coach, or any other individual who helps the prospect with the college decision-making process.

During unofficial visits, schools would be permitted to provide complimentary admissions to a home athletics event to prospects and up to four guests.

Coaching limits

The proposals for coaching limits would remove the voluntary coach designation and proportionately increase countable coach limitations so that schools can maintain the comparable number of coaching staffs. In FBS football, graduate student coaches would be redefined.

Another proposal would increase the number of permissible countable coaches in baseball, softball and ice hockey to five.

The Council also will consider allowing schools to employ two individuals in basketball who could provide tactical or technical instruction to student-athletes but would not recruit off-campus.

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NCAA lifts restrictions on athletes' official visits

Prospects no longer will have limits on the number of schools they can officially visit during their college selection process.

that its Division I Council approved the policy change that will take effect on July 1. Prospects previously could make official visits to five schools. Official visits are defined as visits that are paid for by the college.

Prospects can make one official visit to each school, unless that program has a head coaching change. In that case, a prospect could make a second official visit to the same school.

In men’s basketball, prospects will be permitted to make two official visits to the same school, as long as the visits don’t occur in the same academic year.

“For young people considering where to go to college, visits to campus — both official and unofficial — are an integral part of the decision-making process,” Lynda Tealer, executive associate athletics director at Florida and chair of the Division I Council, said in a statement. “This was an opportunity to modernize NCAA rules in a way that provides greater and more meaningful opportunities for prospects going through the recruitment process.”

Official visits can’t last longer than a two-night stay. Schools are allowed to pay for transportation, meals and what the NCAA defines as “reasonable entertainment” for up to two family members accompanying the prospect on that visit. ___

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25

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Michigan state football: 2023 official visit tracker, share this article.

The 2024 recruiting class will be a pivotal class in Mel Tucker’s continuing tenure at Michigan State. Securing a strong class to keep the positive momentum he has built will be of the upmost importance.

In order to put together a strong 2024 recruiting class, the Spartans will have to have a strong performance throughout their host of official visits.

With official visit season starting in June, fans are starting to gain clarity about who will be visiting East Lansing.

Check out who will be officially visiting East Lansing with Spartans Wire’s official visit tracker:

4-star LB Dylan Williams

East Lansing. pic.twitter.com/3T6OEuyAow — Dylan Williams (@Dwill_2024) April 24, 2023

3-star TE Eric Karner

One of the top TEs in the 2024 recruiting class is coming to East Lansing on an official visit https://t.co/l6s4Y5CxTp — SpartansWire (@TheSpartansWire) April 24, 2023

4-star WR Jordan Ross

2024 four-star WR Jordan Ross will take an official visit to #MichiganState on the first weekend of June, he tells me. @Jordan__Ross1 , a top-175 prospect from California, has offers from Notre Dame, Washington, Auburn & others. Article w/ quotes (VIP): https://t.co/MngF5Owb1a pic.twitter.com/5NoSOjoCvg — Justin Thind (@JustinThind) April 16, 2023

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Pitt QB Commit Announces Official Visit

The Pitt Panthers have a quarterback commit making an official visit this weekend.

• Author: Dominic Campbell

In this story:

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers quarterback commit Mason Heintschel is continuing to build relationships with the program, as he announced his official visit this summer.

Heintschel committed to the Panthers back on March 24 , becoming just the second recruit in the Class of 2025, along with defensive end Trevor Sommers from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He will visit from June 6-8, joining a number of recruits who come to the program during that month.

OV 🔒in!! H2P🔵🟡 @CoachDuzzPittFB @Kb1Raw @Pitt_FB @CHS_EaglesFB @ClayCoachO @CoachSibb pic.twitter.com/AliE9J8p6P — Mason Heintschel (@mason_heinch06) April 26, 2024

He starred for Clay High School in Oregon, Ohio, a suburb of Toledo, throwing for 3,080 yards and scoring 33 total touchdowns. Standing at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Heintschel has great pocket presence and the mobility to evade defesnive players. He also has a strong, accurate arm, that allows him to make great throws, but also with precision.

Full Junior Season Highlights QB Class of 25’ Clay High School (Oregon, OH) 3,080 Total Yards 33 Total Touchdowns League OPOY @ClayCoachO @CoachSibb @CHS_EaglesFB @BradMaendler https://t.co/REGqY2UfBO — Mason Heintschel (@mason_heinch06) November 21, 2023

Heintschel also had a good showing at the Elite 11 Regional in Columbus, Ohio this past weekend. Allen Trieu of 247Sports complimented his performance and said he was one of the best players there.

"Coming in, we knew that Heintschel was a very productive player and a mobile quarterback prospect given what he has done the past few years at Oregon (Ohio) Clay, but he exceeded our expectations as a passer. His accuracy and general arm talent were on display all afternoon and we felt he was one of the top performers in the top group of seniors," Trieu wrote.

Heintschel holds a three-star rating from Rivals, 247Sports and On3 Sports and will likely raise his rankings with better play. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 65 quarterback and No. 46 recruit in Ohio, while On3 has him as the No. 72 quarterback and No. 41 recruit in Ohio in the Class of 2025, respectively.

He chose Pitt, his only Power Four offer, from schools like Akron, Bowling Green, Coastal Carolina, Eastern Kentucky, Kent State, Liberty and Toledo.

Heintschel has visited Pitt twice prior on unofficial visits, on March 8 prior to his commitment and the Spring Game two weeks ago.

Make sure you  bookmark Inside the Panthers  for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!

• Pitt Basketball Stands Strong in the Transfer Portal
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• Pitt Volleyball's Rachel Jepsen Taking Absence From Team
• Pitt Football Contacts FCS DL Transfer

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Trent oiler is set to take a june official visit to rutgers football, share this article.

Wisconsin tight end Trent Oiler is locked in for an official visit to Rutgers football in June.

Oiler was offered by Rutgers football in January. He currently holds offers from Boston College, Central Michigan, Coastal Carolina, and Missouri in addition to Rutgers.

In the class of 2024, Rutgers landed two players from Wisconsin in Sam Pilof and Carter Kadow . A three-star linebacker who had offers from Penn State and Wisconsin , Pilof was among the first commits in the Rutgers class  a season ago.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Oiler plays his high school football for Brookfield East (Brookfield, Wisconsin). He is the No. 25 tight end in the country according to On3 , where is also ranked as the fifth-best recruit in the state.

Oiler is also a standout sprinter, He recently ran an impressive 6.67 time in the 55 meters.

It is an especially impressive performance given that Oiler is a solid 225 pounds.

Per source, former Rutgers center Cliff Omoruyi has three scheduled visits with more to come in the transfer portal

Jordan derkack joined rutgers basketball in the transfer portal to be a leader on a 'mega-talented roster', watch rutgers football commit jyon simon run the 100 meters last month (it is pretty impressive).

Locked in🔒 @CoachValloneRU @Coach_Hewitt86 @RFootball @TGurley81 pic.twitter.com/0oAhSJUdQJ — Trent Oiler (@OilerTrent) April 22, 2024

In addition to being a standout tight end, Oiler also lines up as a defensive end.

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Top recruits schedule official visits

By DJ Cadden May 11, 2023 11:29 am

By DJ Cadden | May 11, 2023 11:29 am ET

Throughout the past week, a handful of highly rated recruits announced their plans to take official visits to Clemson during the first weekend of June, what will be a big official visit weekend for the Tigers.

Five-star Central (AL) wide receiver Cam Coleman headlined the group of announced visitors. He is ranked as the No. 21 overall recruit and No. 7 wide receiver in the class of 2024, per 247Sports.

The official visit will mark just his second visit to Clemson. The Tigers offered Coleman after his first visit in March.

Tampa Catholic (FL) star TJ Moore will also take his second visit to Clemson. He is the No. 126 overall recruit and No. 21 wide receiver in the class of 2024, according to 247Sports.

Moore took his first visit to Clemson in January, which is when the Tigers offered the 6-foot-3, 190-pound receiver.

Among the current Tiger commits who will join the two star receivers for an official visit are running back David Eziomume and kicker Nolan Hauser. Both guys have held strong in their commitment to the Tigers and have shown no signs of wavering from their pledge.

Dear Old Clemson has added the Tiger Sack Pack to our online store.  Save by getting the Two Pack of signed cards from two of the nation’s top defensive ends, Myles Murphy and Xavier Thomas.

Dear Old Clemson  is doing NIL the ‘Clemson way’, but we need your help to make sure we build a sustainable, repeatable model that will help keep Clemson competitive with the other top programs around the nation.

Dabo Swinney: “We need your assistance more than ever to provide meaningful NIL opportunities. Tiger Impact, Dear Old Clemson and other collectives allow student-athletes to utilize their voice and platform to maximize their NIL opportunities and strengthen their impact in the community.”

Graham Neff: “Tiger Impact, Dear Old Clemson and other collectives need your support to help provide meaningful NIL opportunities for our student athletes. We are doing things the right way, the Clemson way with integrity as a non-negotiable and we fully support the mission of these groups.”

Cam Coleman , Clemson football , Clemson recruiting , David Eziomume , Nolan Hauser , Terrance "TJ" Moore , TJ Moore , Football , Recruiting

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Four-star receiver changes official visit date, share this article.

A four-star wide receiver has changed the date for his official visit. Cortez Mills will visit the Lincoln campus on April 26.

Mills is a 6-1 170-pound wide receiver from Homestead High School out of Homestead, Florida. The four-star prospect made 53 catches in 11 games for 1,136 yards and two touchdowns last season.

The Huskers are not the only school that Mills is planning to visit. The class of 2025 will visit Clemson on May 31, Florida on June 7, and Miami on June 21.

Mills is projected by On3 to be leaning toward the Miami Hurricanes.

2025 Top247 WR Cortez Mills has moved around official visits and will see the #Huskers this weekend, via @TomLoy247 https://t.co/6io3zvMv4W pic.twitter.com/9ZFsksgpEr — Nebraska Cornhuskers on 247Sports (@Nebraska247) April 22, 2024

Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.

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What Is The Difference Between An Official And Unofficial College Visit?

Going on visits to colleges is an important part of the recruiting process that allows for prospective student-athletes to a get a better idea of what different schools have to offer. It’s important to know what the varying rules are and what to expect based on the type of visit it is you’re dealing with.

There are actually quite a few differences between unofficial and official visits, but the primary distinction is based on who pays for the visit itself. On an unofficial visit, the recruit and his family are responsible for paying for all of the expenses related to their trip and time on campus. An official visit on the other hand is funded by the school who is hosting the prospective student-athlete and his family.

When Are You Allowed To Go On An Official Visit?

The dates that a recruit is allowed to go on official visits varies across the different sports. For men’s basketball, recruits are allowed to begin going on official visits on January 1st of their junior year of high school.

For women’s basketball, recruits are allowed to begin going on official visits the first Thursday after the conclusion of the Women’s Basketball Championship of their junior year of high school. For football recruits, the earliest they are allowed to begin going on official visits is April 1st of their junior year in high school.

For all other sports not mentioned above, the earliest a recruit can go on an official visit is September 1st of their junior year of high school.

When You Are Allowed To Go On An Unofficial Visit?

For all sports other than men’s basketball, women’s basketball and football, an unofficial visit can be taken at any time after September 1st of the prospective student-athlete’s junior year of high school.

For women’s and men’s basketball, prospective student-athletes are not permitted to make their visits during July or during the dead period unless they have already signed their National Letter of Intent.

For football, prospective student-athletes are not permitted to take an unofficial visit during the dead period unless they have signed a National Letter of Intent.

How Long Do Visits Last?

Official Visits: According to the NCAA rules, an official visit is allowed to last for no more than 48 hours. Many times, they will end up being much shorter than this, as two full days is simply the absolute maximum amount of time the visit is allowed to last.

Unofficial Visits: An unofficial visit does not have a strict time limit the same way that an official visit does, but they will generally be shorter since the burden of paying for meals and lodging falls on the prospective student-athlete and his family.

How Many Visits Are You Allowed To Take?

Official Visits: A recruit is allowed to take up to 5 official visits to different Division 1 or Division 2 schools. Prospective student-athletes are also limited to one official visit per D1 or D2 school. There is no limit to the number of official visits a recruit can take to Division 3 or NAIA school. They are still restricted to only taking one per school, however.

Unofficial Visits: There is no limit to the number of unofficial visits a prospective student athlete can take.

Things That Can Be Provided On An Official Visit:

During an official visit, the host school will typically be doing their best to convince a recruit to commit to joining their program, as these types of visits are almost always reserved for the prospective student-athletes that the school considers to be a high priority for them. Because of this, the host school is allowed to pay for different aspects of the recruit’s visit.

Transportation: For recruits that live further away this can be done by paying for a roundtrip airline ticket. For recruits who are within a reasonable driving distance of the campus where the visit is being held, the school can reimburse the recruit for the gas money spent to get there and the cost of a rental car if needed.

Housing: Once the recruit arrives on campus for the visit, the host school can provide housing for the recruit to stay in during the duration of their visit if it is going to last more than one day. If the recruit chooses to bring family along with them on the visit, they will have to make arrangements for their own place to stay.

Food And Entertainment: The school can also provide 3 meals for the recruit, and up to four family members, on each of day of their visit. They also are allowed to provide snacks for the prospective student-athlete in between meals. For entertainment, schools are allowed to provide three tickets to a home sporting event during the visit.

Each Visit Is Different: Even though all of these things are allowed to be provided to potential student-athletes during an official visit, what is actually paid for can vary on a school by school basis. Not every athletic department will have money in their budget to provide all of the things that the NCAA permits. Especially at smaller schools and among lower division participants, it may be asked of the visiting recruit to pay for parts of their visit even if it is technically allowed to be paid for by the college.

Things That Can Be Provided On An Unofficial Visit:

As we mentioned before, the main difference in the two types of visits is that the school is not allowed to provide nearly as much for the recruit on visits considered to be unofficial. Because of this, the only thing that a recruit will receive for free on their unofficial visit is up to three complimentary tickets to a home sporting event at the school. The responsibility of paying for transportation, food and lodging all falls on the recruit and his family. The host school can help to set up some of this for the recruit and his family though, as things such as staying in the dorm and eating on campus are permissible as long as they are paid for.

How Should You Decide Where To Take An Unofficial Visit?

Explore Your Options: Because there is no limit to the number of unofficial visits that a recruit can go on, they are a great option for potential student-athletes who are not sure about what they are looking for in a college yet. Since taking one of these types of visits does not prevent you from going to see other schools, going to as many as possible in your local area could be a good idea to help narrow down the schools you’re choosing between. It’s also a good idea to try and set up some unofficial visits at schools that are further away if you have separate plans to be in that area anyway such as playing in an out of town AAU tournament for example.

Be Realistic: One important thing to remember when setting up unofficial visits is to be realistic. Even though it is generally a great idea to go on a lot of them to get a better idea of what different schools have to offer, you still don’t want to waste your own time and money visiting at places that won’t have any interest in you as a recruit. For example, it may not be a good use of your resources to try and set up a visit with an Ivy league school if you’re just barely above the NCAA minimum grade requirements, or to visit a dominant Power 5 program if you are only getting interest from division 3 schools.

How Should You Decide Where To Take An Official Visit?

With official visits, the considerations behind making the decision on where to go are different than they are for unofficial visits. Since often times these visits are fully paid for, factors like how much it costs to get there and whether or not you will already be in the area near the school are far less relevant than they are for unofficial visits. Unlike unofficial visits, there is a strict limit to how many official visits you are allowed to go on, so it is important to use them only on schools and programs who you have a legitimate interest in becoming a part of. The strategy of using visits as an exploratory way to find out about programs of which you are unfamiliar is certainly not recommended for official visits the way it is for unofficial ones. Instead, official visits should be taken as a way to make final determinations about schools that you already have a decent understanding of.

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What happens on a game day unofficial visit, share this article.

USA TODAY High School Sports has a weekly column on the college recruiting process. Here, you’ll find practical tips and real-world advice on becoming a better recruit to maximize your opportunities to play at the college level. Jason Smith is a former NCAA DIII athlete and college coach at all three division levels. Jason is just one of many former college and professional athletes, college coaches, and parents who are part of the  Next College Student Athlete  team. Their knowledge, experience, and dedication along with NCSA’s history of digital innovation, and long-standing relationship with the college coaching community have made NCSA the largest and most successful athletic recruiting network in the country.

It’s that time of year. Pumpkins are everywhere, leaves are changing, and fall sports are in full swing. College coaches are inviting some student-athletes on game day visits to soak up campus life and be a part of the season. Here’s everything you need to know about attending a game day visit this year.

What are game day visits?

Game day visits are considered unofficial visits, meaning you’re required to pay for travel, accommodations and food during the trip. However, the school provides you with three tickets to attend the game. While they’re most popular in football recruiting, other sports conduct game day visits as well.

College coaches use these visits during their season as an opportunity to get recruits on campus. Student-athletes can watch the team in action, get excited about the school’s atmosphere, and tour the facilities.

Read more: Your guide to unofficial visits

Should you attend a game day visit?

Seeing your top college choices in person almost always helps with your decision—either one way or the other. Maybe being on campus completely validates your assurance in attending, or it makes you realize you’re looking for a different experience. That being said, you have to keep in mind that game day visits are unofficial, so they can get costly. If it isn’t practical for you to visit all of your top choices, you should be strategic in your selection.

Most importantly, you want to visit the schools where you know the coach has real interest in you as a recruit. Some programs will target seniors for game day visits and have the athlete meet with a position coach, and possibly even receive an offer. But in other cases, college coaches may invite several (even hundreds) of recruits in their database on game day visits. Not to mention that unlike official visits, your one-on-one time with the coach is cut short (or you may never have any at all) because they need to focus on the game. So when you’re sifting through your game day visit invitations, start with the coaches you’ve already been in contact with, or you know they’ve conducted an initial evaluation of your skill set. That way, you’re maximizing your chances of getting recruited.

Read more: How to contact college coaches

Then, when you’re ready to attend, here are a few tips to help you leave a great impression.

Look presentable, but don’t get too dressy

It’s worth stating that you don’t need to overdo it on game day visits. On an official visit, you would probably dress up a bit—maybe khakis and a collared shirt, or a dress. But game day visits are a little bit more casual (It’s not a job interview, so wear something practical, and comfortable while cheering in the crowd). For example, something you would wear on a Friday night out—clean and presentable, like dark jeans (no sweats and hoodies.)

Follow the code: Only talk to the coach who invited you

You could find yourself in a position where more than one coach is recruiting you. Sounds great, right? But when it comes to game day visits, there’s proper protocol you should follow. For example, let’s say you were invited to the game by the home team, but you know the visiting coach has also shown interest in you and is actively recruiting you. The unwritten rule is: priority always goes to the home team/the coach who invited you on the visit. Even if you are interested in both schools, you should respect the coach who invited you (and supplied you tickets) by focusing on their program and college.

“Talking to the other coach is like going on a date and flirting with other people at the bar,” says Joe Leccesi, an NCSA Recruiting Manager and former NAIA football player and coach.

Always follow up with a thank you note

Don’t forget to send an email to the coach and staff thanking them for the chance to watch their team play in person. Even if you didn’t meet with the coach personally, you should still follow up, especially if you’re interested in the program. You want to continue to proactively reach out to the coach and update them on your progress as you continue through your recruiting journey. Plus, you want to ask about next steps and feel confident about where they are in their recruiting timeline.

Example game day visit schedule

To help you prepare for what to expect, here is a typical game day schedule for a D1 football program.

Hawks vs. Wildcats

• Arrive at Game Day Center
• Registration
• Game Day Presentation
• Recruiting – Bob Smith, Recruiting Coordinator
• Tour the Hall of Legends
• Walk to Smith Arena and experience the pre-game excitement
• Address by John Jackson, Head Football Coach
• Walk through the famous Hawk Tunnel
• Pre-game warm-ups on the floor of Hawk Stadium
• Prospects and their guests: Return to the tunnel entrance of Smith Arena. Visit with the Hawk coaches on the floor of Smith Arena.
• Follow up with thank you emails

Game day visits are just like unofficial and official visits, in that you want to make a good impression with the coach and team. You should always be respectful to your parents, the coaches and people around you, and you should be engaged and interested in the school while you’re there. Don’t look at your phone the whole time, or stare at the floor when a coach asks you a question. Instead, feel confident and excited to evaluate the program. College visits are a chance to picture what life would be like on campus and as a college-athlete. Even if it doesn’t work out, it’s one step closer to finding the right college for you.

Read more: What coaches look for on official and unofficial visits

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Golden state ol sets official visit with florida football this summer, share this article.

The list of top prep recruits planning on making an official visit with the Florida football program this summer continues to grow.

Three-star offensive lineman John Mills out of San Francisco (California) St. Ignatius College Preparatory in the 2025 cycle recently revealed his plans for an OV with the Gators on the weekend of June 7-9 to Swamp247 .

The 6-foot-6-inch, 330-pound tranch warrior’s summer decision comes ahead of his second visit to campus this year, which is planned for this coming Saturday. The coveted prospect made his prior stop during one of the team’s junior day events, from which he came away impressed with what the Orange and Blue have to offer.

“It was awesome,” he gushed. “I’ve seen photos of Gainesville and Florida’s facility and things like that, but it just was so crazy. Being in Gainesville, it’s an awesome town.

“The facilities they have are crazy,” Mills continued. “The coaches showed a ton of hospitality. They have so many different staffers, all the way down to their interns. They all were walking up talking with us, and made us feel at home. It was awesome seeing how much they cared, and it meant a lot coming all the way from California to that.”

Current itinerary

Mills already made an unofficial visit with the California Golden Bears this spring and has this weekend’s swing through Gainesville set. The Texas Longhorns , Nebraska Cornhuskers ,  USC Trojans  and Washington Huskies are also on his upcoming agenda.

The high school junior’s official visit slate — in addition to Florida — has a stop in Berkeley for the weekend of May 23, followed by Seattle the weekend of May 31, Austin the weekend of June 14, and Los Angeles the weekend of June 21.

Recruiting summary

Mills is ranked No. 721 overall and No. 51 at his position nationally according to the 247Sports composite while the On3 industry ranking has him at Nos. 683 and 51, respectively.

Texas is well in the lead for his commitment, holding an 85.3% chance of signing, followed by Florida (4.8%), USC (3.1%) and Washington (2.6%).

Follow us  @GatorsWire  on Twitter and like our page on  Facebook  to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

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Your Guide to Unofficial Visits

Unofficial visits are a great way for student-athletes to get a feel for different college campuses.

What is an unofficial visit?

Unofficial visits are college visits which are not paid for by the school. These visits are entirely financed by the recruit’s family. Unofficial visits are unlimited, but some rules do apply.

Athletes in most sports and their families are not allowed to arrange unofficial visits with a school’s athletic department (including the coach) until August 1 of the athlete’s junior year.

Families can still go on unofficial visits before August 1 before junior year, but they aren’t allowed to have any recruiting conversations with the coach while on campus. Stay current with the NCAA recruiting calendar .

Insider Tip : Check the school calendar and steer clear of homecoming weekend and other busy dates to avoid paying premium hotel rates.

A key reason to go on unofficial visits is to evaluate if a college is the right fit for you, especially if you’re not yet a junior in high school. Get a campus tour, check out the dorms and get a feel for if you could live there for four years. The best part: Unofficial visits are unlimited and can be taken at any age and at most times throughout the year.

Quick Links

Unofficial visits will be a little different based on your age, desired division level and recruiting journey.

There’s a lot to consider  before you start planning your unofficial visits. How you plan your unofficial visits will be different depending on your goals for the visit, your age and the division level of the school. If you’re visiting DII, DIII and NAIA schools, you won’t be impacted by recent NCAA recruiting rule changes—they are only applicable for DI schools. This means that, no matter your age, you can arrange the unofficial visit with the athletic department or coach, and you can speak with the coach while you’re on campus.

If you’re interested in visiting DI schools, you can’t arrange the visit with the athletic department—or talk about recruiting with the coach while you’re there—until August 1 of your junior year of high school. Men’s hockey can begin scheduling unofficial visits as early as January 1 of sophomore year.

If you’re an upperclassman visiting D1 schools, or a recruit visiting schools at the other division levels, you can use your unofficial visit as a chance to advance your recruiting with the coach at that school. To do so, you need to make sure that the schools you’re visiting offer real recruiting opportunities. Ask yourself each of the following questions before you set up the visit:

• Have you already been communicating with the coach?
• Has the coach approached you or your high school/club coach about setting up an unofficial visit?
• Has the coach reviewed your academic information?
• Has the coach seen your highlight video?
• Have you reviewed the school’s information and determined that it might be the right fit for you?

If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, you’re in a great position. Most importantly, you want to ensure that you have been in communication with the college coach. You don’t want to waste your time visiting a school that may not be a realistic recruiting opportunity for you. To set up your visit, call the coach and let them know you’re interested in seeing the campus. Ask them what dates they would be available to meet you and your family. Some recruits lean heavily on their high school or club coach to help them set up unofficial visits with college coaches.

If you’re an underclassman interested in D1 schools, there are a few different routes you can go. First, you can take unofficial visits to those D1 schools as if you were a regular student. Tour the library and the campus at large. Check out the town. Ask questions, take notes and determine what you like about the campus. This can help you better understand what you’re looking for in a school, so you can refine your target list. Don’t forget to check out some DII, DIII and NAIA schools—you never know what your best fit will be until you explore the different options available!

Insider Tip : There are a few different ways unofficial visits can “pay for themselves.” First, schedule back-to-back visits with schools that are located close to each other. Second, set up visits with schools in cities you’re already visiting. For example, if you have a tournament in the Kansas City area, consider visiting the University of Kansas in Lawrence if you have been in communication with that coach.

Read more: How to Maximize Your Summer Visits

What happens on an unofficial visit

While every school is a little bit different, most coaches will take some time to speak with you and your parents/guardians about the school and their athletic program. Come prepared with questions for the coach and use this opportunity to get them answered. Then, the coach may take you on a tour of the athletic facilities. The rest of the time will be up to you to arrange a tour of the campus and possibly meet with an academic adviser. You and your family may also be invited to attend a home sporting event.

While unofficial visits are a great way to get to know a coach and the athletic program better, they also give you a chance to really experience the college campus. Can you picture yourself living there for four years? Here are a few ways to familiarize yourself with the college campus during your visit:

• Check out the library and sit in on a class.
• Visit the different housing options, both on and off campus.
• Meet your future training staff.
• Eat in the school cafeteria or food court.
• Set up a meeting with an academic adviser.
• Hang out on the campus grounds.

As you’re checking each of these spots off your list, take a couple minutes to write down your thoughts. It might seem trivial in the moment, but as you visit schools throughout the year, they can all start to blend to together. You can always refer to your notes later on when you’re working on narrowing down your target list of schools.

How to schedule unofficial visits

To schedule unofficial visits, you will want to choose which campuses you would like to visit most, pick out free days to make your visits, and then contact coaches directly to schedule your unofficial visits.

Below we expand on our tips for how to schedule unofficial visits with college coaches: 

• Brainstorm which campuses you would like to visit most. Most athletes cannot afford to go on multiple unofficial visits across the country. Therefore, think about 2-3 campuses that you would like to visit that are either within driving distance or a quick flight away. 
• Look at your calendar and pick out some free days. Once you have picked out some free days that you and your guardian(s) are able to go on unofficial visits, try to pair visits together. For example, if you are going to visit the University of San Francisco, then it is also wise to pair that visit with the University of California, Berkeley and see both campuses in one day or in the same weekend. 
• Contact the coaches and schedule unofficial visits. If NCAA rules prohibit coaches from emailing you back or calling you back, then it is time to pick up the phone. Call coaches on the phone and speak to them directly about scheduling an unofficial visit. Remember, if they do not pick up then keep calling back! Notify coaches that you will be near the campus on XYZ dates (the dates you have already picked out) and would like to visit then. Once you have locked down a time to visit one campus, you can move onto the next campus and see if you can schedule two campuses for the same day or for the same weekend. 

Although the recruiting process becomes more serious for juniors and seniors in high school, it is never too early to tour campuses and meet coaches in person.

The more unofficial visits you take, the more likely you will be able to get a sense of the school, team, and coaches. Unofficial visits are a free pass to gain insight into how you feel about coaches and their program as well as how coaches feel about you. View this video to learn more about how to schedule your visits. 

What are the NCAA unofficial visit rules?

According to the NCAA unofficial visit rules, you are allowed to stay on campus with an enrolled student, but there are some specific rules the institution must follow based on its division level. For DI and DII schools, recruits can stay in an enrolled student’s dorm; however, the athlete must pay the regular institutional rate for that lodging. DIII recruits can stay with currently enrolled students in their dorm if that housing option is available to all students who visit the school, athletes and non-athletes alike. DIII schools can also pay for a student-athlete’s housing during an unofficial visit if they provide housing for every prospective student. Your parents/guardians will still need to find their own accommodations.

Questions to ask the coach during your unofficial visit

When you go on your unofficial visit, one of your top priorities should be to ask the coach any questions you have about the school and the program. Before you go, write down your questions and keep adding to the list throughout your visit. When it’s time to talk to the coach, you’ll have your list ready to go, rather than trying to come up with questions on the spot. Here some examples of questions you might want to ask:

• What are the athletic and academic requirements?  You’re probably well-versed in eligibility requirements—if not, read more about  NCAA eligibility requirements . But each coach will have slightly different criteria that they look for in their athletes.
• What kind of academic support does the athletic program offer?  Being a successful student is the most important part of your college career. Make sure that you’ll be set up with the tools you need.
• What commitments do you expect from athletes in the off-season or during holidays?  If going home over the holidays and for summer break is important to you, then you need to know what commitment level is expected during these times.
• What is your coaching and training style?  By this point, you’ve probably played for a few different coaches with various coaching styles. And you probably know what kind of approach works best for you. Remember: The coach has to want you on their team, but you also can choose a team that best fits what you’re looking for.
• Will I be able to meet any current athletes?  It’s important to see the team dynamics, if possible. Do they joke around or are they more serious? Do they hang out on the weekend or do they have separate friend groups?
• What are the training facilities like?  To stay healthy and in shape throughout your tenure as a college athlete, you’ll need access to the right facilities and people.
• What are you looking for in a recruit?  This is your opportunity to find out what spots the coach is trying to fill and ultimately who they want on their team to fill these positions.

What to wear on an unofficial visit

A lot of recruits ask us what to wear, and our best piece of advice is to err on the side of overdressing, rather than underdressing. You want to look neat and clean throughout your entire trip. For men, bring a collared shirt with nice jeans or khakis. For women, skirt, dress, nice slacks or jeans are acceptable. Avoid wearing sweatshirts, sweatpants, hats, flip flops and ripped jeans.

Bring athletic clothes and shoes in case you get invited to work out with the team. For all D1 sports—minus men’s basketball—athletes are not allowed to try out for a team during a visit; however, the team captain can organize a team workout, which recruits can join if the coach is not present. Similarly, at DIII schools, recruits can join in an unofficial team workout. For Division I men’s basketball and all DII sports, recruits can take part in tryouts during visits.

After your unofficial visit: The coach follow-up

When you get home, write the coach a “thank you” note. Tell the coach what you liked about the school and thank them for their time. You can also include a brief list of where you’ll be playing next so they can watch you in person. Not only does this show the coach that you are a thoughtful, courteous athlete, but it will keep you top-of-mind as the coach works on creating their roster.

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