Transferring from a D-2 to a D-1

Vince,

Go to NCAA Bylaws and download the D1 Manual. Read Bylaw 14.5. In that section you will find that the rules are divided into three possibilities: 4 year college to D1, 2 year college to D1, and 4 to 2 to D1.

So, a current D2 student who transfers to a D1 is subject to the same rules as a D1 to D1 transfer.

Also see the NCAA 2008-09 Transfer Guide.

Thanks 3 very much for the help.

I am confused.
I realize the Transfer Guide talks about 4-4 transfers and 4-2-4 transfer and the guide applies to D1 D2 and D3.
The guide refers to exceptions to the residence rule and sitting out a year. And it also mentions a one-time transfer exception. The exception can be used by all sports EXCEPT Basketball in D1, men's hockey in D1, football in D1 and baseball in D1. The start of the exception states:
"Be PLAYING a sport other than...." [the sports mentioned above].

Here is where I think the language can be parsed....define playing. The Transfer Guide defines play as "competing against a team from another school or participating in a contest, game, match, meet against another school's team or player."

If I play D2 baseball, and want to transfer to D1, I have not yet "played" D1 baseball. Therefore, why couldn't I use the transfer exception? Or for that matter, why not D3 to D1? It was my understanding the INTENT of the rule was to prevent D1 to D1 transfers. Why would one want to prevent the athlete who want to move to a higher level:
D3 to D2
D2 to D1
D3 to D1
????

Again, I fully understand the transfer rules for D1 to D1.

I just find it difficult the NCAA would prevent guys "from moving up"......................

jbbaseball,

The Transfer Guide is just a guide, and its value is that it is easy to understand and has examples. The actual rules are contained in the D1 Manual, and if parsing is to be done, it should be done on the rules.
So from the D1 manual (14.5.5.2.10 (a)): "The student is a participant in a sport other than baseball....."

The D1 Manual does not directly define participation, but one of the transfer exceptions refers to nonparticipation or minimal participation, and for that exception, practice is one kind of participation. So it is reasonable to assume that participation in a sport includes practice.

If we want to try to define participation as meaning only competing, the rule still wouldn't allow participation/competing. Basically the rule says that a transfer student isn't eligible to compete until one year of residency has elapsed unless he qualifies, by not participatingcompeting in baseball, for a one-time transfer exception. So it becomes circular: the player is only eligible to compete if he doesn't compete.

The intent of this rule, as described in the proposals, was to improve the rate of academic progress. The NCAA believes (or so I infer) that a transfer typically retards academic progress, regardless of which division the previous school is in. The rule only (so far) applies to transfers into D1, but if the NCAA perceives it to be successful, it will probably find its way into D2.

Thanks