To remain eligible at UMSL, it is important not to endanger your amateur athletic status. Check with your Head Coach before making decisions regarding outside athletic participation.

The following are NCAA guidelines for maintaining your amateur status:

You cannot, within your sport:
1. Accept payment or a promise of payments (in cash, prizes, gifts, or travel) for participation in your sport.
2. Enter into an agreement of any kind to compete in professional athletics. ( You cannot negotiate a verbal or written professional contract. )
3. Request that your name be put on a draft list for professional sports or try out with a professional sports organization.
4. Use your athletic skill for payment. ( You cannot be employed on a “fee for lesson” basis.)
5. Play on any professional athletics team.
6. Have your athletically-related financial aid determined by anyone other than the University.
7. Participate on teams other than those fielded by UM-St. Louis during the season. (This includes exhibition or tournament games.)

You cannot, in any sport:
1. Agree to have your picture or name used to promote a commercial product.
2. Accept gifts, meals, loans of cars, or money from athletic interest groups or individuals in the athletics program at the University.
3. Be represented by an agent of organization to market your athletic skills or reputation.
4. Receive any benefit that is not available to other students at the University.
5. Participate in a summer league not approved by the NCAA.
6. Play on a non-departmental athletic team during the academic year without permission from your head coach and faculty athletics representative.

Academic Eligibility

The procedure for obtaining and maintaining eligibility is described below.

The Faculty Athletics Representative, Registrar, Athletic Director and Head Coach are responsible for certifying that you have met the NCAA’s eligibility requirements. Your eligibility to participate in intercollegiate athletics is determined by reviewing your admission file, your registration records, and your transcript.

To maintain your eligibility you must:

1. Remain in good academic standing at the University;
2. Complete twenty-four credit hours per year or an average of twelve credit hours per semester in courses applicable toward a degree and meet GPA requirements; and
3. Declare a major no later than the beginning of your fifth semester of enrollment and, thereafter, complete the required credit hours in courses applicable toward the designated degree.
4. In your fifth semester you must have a minimum of a 2.0 GPA or be declared ineligible. Eligibility will be checked each semester.

Compliance Squad Meeting

At the annual compliance meeting you will be requested to complete and sign an NCAA Student-Athlete Statement. At this time, rules and procedures are explained and any questions you may have concerning eligibility will be answered.

Your status as a current student-athlete begins once you submit your eligibility forms for the present year. You cannot be certified to participate in intercollegiate athletics unless a signed, completed NCAA Student-Athlete Statement and drug testing form is submitted for each sport for each season in which you wish to participate. If you are participating in more than one sport you must inform your coach so that proper forms can be processed. Otherwise you will not be eligible for the second sport. Your head coach is notified if your eligibility status changes or is in jeopardy. If you have any questions about your eligibility, contact the Compliance Coordinator.

Eligibility Rules

To remain eligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics, the criteria specified below must be met:

* Ten Semester Rule

You have ten semesters in which to complete four athletic seasons in a sport. A semester is counted when the student-athlete is enrolled in a collegiate institution in at least a minimum full-time program of studies, as determined by the regulations of that institution.

* Twelve Unit Rule

NCAA rules require that you must be a full-time student in order to participate. It must also be verified that you are registered and fees are paid for at least twelve units of work. You are ineligible to practice or compete during any time:

1. Your registration falls below twelve units;
2. Your registration or admission is canceled; or
3. You withdraw from the University.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

As a student-athlete, you must meet two criteria in order to return the next academic year:

1. The NCAA requires that you pass 24 hours per academic year. Eighteen of these hours must occur during the regular academic year. All of these hours must count towards your major. If you have taken all the elective hours required of your major, you must take only required hours in your major to fulfill this requirement.
2. NCAA requires that a student-athlete must maintain the following minimum grade-point average:

a. After the completion of the first season of competition: 1.800;
b. After completion of the second season of competition: 1.900; and
c. After the completion of the third season of competition and subsequent seasons of competition: 2.00

3. The Great Lakes Valley Conference requires that a student-athlete must maintain a 2.00 GPA for any student-athlete who has been enrolled in a collegiate institution as a full-time student for four semesters or who has utilized two seasons of competition, and who has attended the member institution for at least one semester.