After playing D3 baseball for his freshman year, is a player is able to transfer to a D1/D2 school to play baseball? Are there any rules where the player must sit out one year? The player has no scholarship.
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No player coming from any program except Juco can transfer to D1 and play without sitting out a year, but there are exceptions.
A kid transferred from my son’s D3 to a pac 12 D1 and played right away — so it can be done. Don’t know the ins and outs. This is a question for Rick
The NCAA does have a one-time transfer exception that may work this player. I second SD's recommendation to contact Rick Allen.
And has the player found a D1 to transfer to where he would not lose credits in the process?
Rick is a great resource, and hopefully he'll chime in.
Additionally, I'd call the NCAA @ 317-917-6222, and read their transfer guide (link below) so I'm asking the right questions. http://www.ncaa.org/sites/defa..._4_Year_20170721.pdf
Good luck.
I have seen it several times in the last couple of years, but I have no specifics. Contacting Rick is your best bet.
Or calling the NCAA.
My son transferred from D3 to D2 in a different sport - did not have to sit a year.
First thing he did was contact the NCAA.
Then he contacted the NCAA compliance officer at the D3.
The he talked to the D3coach - was up front as to why he wanted to transfer. (it was NOT sports related)
Had to get D3 schools permission to allow D2 schools to talk to him.
Once he picked his school worked out the necessary paperwork and NCAA notifications through both the D2 and D3 compliance officers.
We (the parents) were not involved except to guide him with the questions to ask, advised him to make sure all communication and in writing and copies kept.
He was 18 - 19 at the time - a man - he was the one responsible for the decision and the consequences of any missteps. Came through it with flying colors. Other than visiting the school he finally picked, we had no communication with the coach, AD, or anyone else in the program before his decision and minimal interaction since then. And that has been just pleasant conversation at an event.
My apologies for being late on weighing in with a comment. TPM is right in that the baseline rule to start with for a transfer to NCAA Division I, or frankly to any NCAA division, is that an athlete is not eligible to compete in their first year at the new school, UNLESS they satisfy one of the exceptions that allows that athlete to be immediately eligible.
Those exceptions are common in Division II and III, as well as in Division I sports other than baseball, basketball, football, and men's ice hockey. While not as common in those 4 Division I sports, exceptions are available. In addition, certain conditions must be met for an athlete to take advantage of those exceptions, so a simple "yes or no" answer to the original question isn't appropriate until those conditions are explained and discussed.