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NCAA Division 1 Progress to Degree Rule - Please Help

B Brickhouse100+ posts
My son is a 2009 HS graduate who went to a division one school his freshman year. He was injured most of the season but did not receive a medical redshirt. His second year of college, he went to a junior college away from home, did not play as he was a medical redshirt. Last summer, 2011, he had surgery requiring six months of therapy. He was cleared for play in January. We had him go to the community college close to home so that he could be close to his doctor and therapy and also play there. He already received his Associates Degree from the school that he went to his second year but figured that he could get healthy and take more classes that were applicable to his major. He had a successful season and is having a nice summer.

Now, he has a few Division I teams that are interested in him, but there is one problem, the NCAA Progress to Degree Rule. I never heard of this rule before and it seems irrelevant to my son's situation but it is preventing him from getting a D1 deal. We have been told that he needs to have completed 60% of his major to be able to play division one. He has a cumulative GPA of 3.1 and two associates degrees. He, of course, could not have completed 60% of his degree because he can only complete 200 level classes at a community college. We felt that he needed to go back to a community college for his third year because he was a redshirt at a community college his second year. In addition, no school would have taken him knowing that he was having surgery just a month before attending their school. He is very much on schedule to graduate in the five years that is required by taking classes full time at his new school.

I don't believe that this rule was created for students who are in solid academic standing who just happened to be injured his second year of eligibility at a community college. Does anyone know a way around this rule so that he can be eligible to take advantage of a D1 offer? He is healthy and ready to help his new team. He has been through enough already. He doesn't need red tape to be the reason that he cannot pursue his goal. Thanks for any advice.
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F 3FingeredGlove1,000+ posts
I'm a little surprised that the Progress Toward Degree requirement was unfamiliar. There have been literally dozens of threads here about the dangers of a third year of JC. However, that's water under the bridge now.

I'm not aware of any good way to get around the rule. While it may seem to you to be "red tape" and not applicable to your son's situation, I think the NCAA rule is in fact intended to apply to situations like your son's. Of course, a D1 college can request a waiver for any situation, but I think the likelihood of success is very low. If D1 coaches thought that a waiver request would be granted, they'd presumably be more interested.

D2 schools have more leeway, but D2 rules also require progress toward a degree. Any credits earned during the first two years are usable (if they transfer), but your son must have a declared degree program, and his third year credits only count if they are transferable and accepted toward his degree program. He needs either an average of 12 hours per full time term, or 24/36 hours in his third year.

Of course, whether he can fit into a particular school depends on the requirements of the college and the details of his academic history to date. That's probably beyond the scope of this forum.
Last edited by 3FingeredGlove
Lefty's DadLefty's Dad100+ posts
My older son got caught in the 60% rule the first year it went into effect. Went juco out of high school, redshirted freshman year, then played two. Transferred to a D1, made the team as a walkon but was not eligible that year because he was not 60% toward his degree. He had to load up pretty good that year to catch up and be eligible by the following fall. The % goes up each year. He had to be like 80% by the next fall.
Rick at Informed AthleteRick at Informed Athlete5,000+ posts
Brickhouse, without going into detail that wouldn't be appropriate in this forum, here's a couple of thoughts.

1. Has your son talked directly with the academic support person for the baseball team at the schools that have shown interest? They usually know the degree programs frontwards and backwards at their schools, and may be able to find a degree that might work for your son. The fact that your son was at a Div. I school his freshman year may help.

2. Depending upon how close your son is to the 60% mark, can he take a couple of four-week courses online before the Fall term starts that will get him there (or get him closer)? Be sure to ask the academic support person to make sure he takes the proper courses and to make sure they will properly transfer to the Div. I school. In fact, a discussion with both the academic support person and the compliance administrator at the same time to make sure they both are in agreement with the plan is best.

3. I agree somewhat with 3FG that the likelihood of a successful waiver is low, but it may still be a possibility. I can discuss specifics with you if you want to PM me, or contact me directly through our website.

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