AMATEURISM :: Involvement with Professional Teams

12.2.3.1 Competition against Professionals
An individual may participate singly or as a member of an amateur team against professional athletes

12.2.3.2 Competition with Professionals
An individual shall not be eligible for intercollegiate athletics in a sport if the individual ever competed on a professional team (per Bylaw 12.02.4) in that sport. However, an individual may compete on a tennis, golf, two-person sand volleyball or two-person synchronized diving team with persons who are competing for cash or a comparable prize, provided the individual does not receive payment of any kind for such participation.

12.2.3.2.1 - Exception -- Competition Before Initial Full-Time Collegiate Enrollment -- Sports Other Than Men's Ice Hockey and Skiing.
In sports other than men's ice hockey and skiing, before initial full-time collegiate enrollment, an individual may compete on a professional team (per Bylaw 12.02.4), provided he or she does not receive more than actual and necessary expenses to participate on the team. (Adopted: 4/29/10 effective 8/1/10; applicable to student-athletes who initially enroll full time in a collegiate institution on or after 8/1/10)

12.2.3.2.2 Professional Coach or Referee
Participation on a team that includes a professional coach or referee does not cause the team to be classified as a professional team.

12.2.3.2.3 Amateur/Professional Leagues
An individual may participate as a member of an amateur team in a league in which one or more teams are professional, provided the league is not a member of a recognized professional sports organization or is not directly supported or sponsored by a professional sports team or organization.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

INITIAL ELIGILIBILITY
This website has been set up to help educate prospective student-athletes and their families about NCAA rules and what they need to know in order be eligible to compete for SMU. Below are several links and other information important to prospective student-athletes. This information may not cover every question that arises. It is designed to give a general description and hopefully to answer some specific questions. If you have any questions about NCAA rules, please contact the SMU Athletic Compliance Office.

• NCAA Guide to College Bound Student-Athletes
• NCAA Freshman Eligibility Standards
• NCAA Guide to International Standards for Academic Eligibility

CONTINUING ELIGILIBILITY
Transfers

• A midyear transfer is able to use transferable degree credits to satisfy the requirements.
• A transfer student-athlete (foreign or domestic) who initially enrolls as a full-time student in any collegiate institution's regular academic term, will be subject to the academic requirements set forth above.

• A student-athlete is responsible to earn 18 semester/27 quarter credit hours in any academic year in which the student-athlete was full time during one or more terms. Part-time hours may be used to fulfill this requirement.
• Exception: A student-athlete who enrolls in his or her first full-time term of collegiate enrollment following the fall term will not be responsible for earning 18/27 credit hours until he or she has spent a full academic year at the institution.

• Summer credit hours may be used to satisfy the 24-credit-hour requirement when certifying a student-athlete entering his or her second year of collegiate enroll-ment. Summer hours may also be used to meet the 40/60/80-percent-of-degree requirements.

• A student-athlete may use remedial, tutorial or noncredit courses earned during his or her first year of collegiate enrollment and when certifying a student-athlete entering his or her second year of collegiate enrollment. These courses may be used to meet the 24-semester/36-quarter credit-hour requirement, but may not exceed six semester/nine quarter total credit hours.

• All student-athletes, including those currently enrolled, must successfully complete at least six (6) semester or quarter hours in the previous regular academic term of full-time enrollment to be eligible to participate in the next regular academic term.

OFFICIAL VISITS

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