Thank you for your interest in Houghton athletics. We are excited that you are considering Houghton as a possible next step in your academic and athletics journey. We hope these resources will help you in your decision and answer any questions you may have about competing as a Division III student-athlete.

Learn more about NCAA Division III rules for eligibility and review the NCAAs Summary of Regulations by downloading this useful document.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Tell me about Houghton University and its intercollegiate athletic program.
Learn more about the Houghton Highlander tradition and the department mission statement.

What is NCAA Division III?
Division III is the largest subdivision of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) with more than 450 member institutions. Division III includes a large number of smaller, private institutions; but also includes several larger public universities. The Division III philosophy is that athletics are an important part of the total university experience, but that student-athletes are treated on equal terms with the rest of the student populations.

Because of this philosophy, NCAA Division III institutions are not allowed to award scholarships based solely on athletic ability or participation.

Learn why NCAA Division III offers the purest form of being a college student-athlete.

Who is a Prospective Athlete?
A prospective athlete is a student who has started classes for the ninth grade. In addition, a student who has not started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospective athlete if a university provides you (or your relatives or friends) any financial assistance or other benefits that the institution does not provide to prospective students generally.
An individual remains a prospective athlete until one of the following occurs (whichever is earlier):
Who is a Recruited Athlete?
A "prospective athlete" becomes a "recruited athlete" at a particular university when a coach or representative of the university's athletics interests approaches you (or any relative) about enrolling and participating in athletics at that university.
Actions by staff members or athletic representatives that cause you to become a recruited athlete are:
You can start by filling out a Prospective Athlete Form located on our website or by contacting one of the head coaches located in the Staff Directory. Please understand that many of our coaches have other responsibilities within the Athletic Department, so their availability may be limited. If you are planning to visit the campus and would like to meet with a coach, make sure you contact him or her ahead of time to see if they are available. In the event they are not, they will normally have you meet with a current player, or, at times, another Athletic Department staff member may meet with you. Per NCAA rules, coaches may communicate with prospective student-athletes by means of the telephone at any time, but cannot have face-to-face contact until the prospective student-athlete has completed his or her junior year in high school.

We also recommend that you talk to a member of the Houghton admission staff to learn more about admission requirements and the application process.

How do I know if I'll be eligible to compete?
Unlike prospective student-athletes looking to compete at the Division I and II levels, those wishing to compete at the Division III level do not need to meet initial eligibility standards set forth by the NCAA. Any student-athlete who wishes to compete in intercollegiate sports must carry a full-time load of course work (12 credits) to be eligible for participation throughout the playing season. Failure to stay above a full-time course load while in season will results in your being ineligible.

Prior to your practicing with a team for the first time, you must be cleared to play by making sure that the appropriate paperwork for both the NCAA and Houghton has been filled out and on file as well as having a valid physical on file with the Athletic Training staff. Further questions regarding the pre-participation physical may be obtained by contacting the Athletic Training Office at (585) 567-9563.

Can I play at Houghton on an athletic scholarship?
No. Houghton University is a NCAA Division III institution, and does not offer any athletic scholarships for play. Academic merit scholarships and other types of aid are available to all prospective students and information about these can be found on Houghton's Financial Aid page.

I thought ALL college student-athletes received athletic scholarships?
Honestly, the vast majority of college student-athletes receive little or no financial aid from participating in athletics. In most programs, "full-ride" athletic scholarships are limited to a very few, select athletes, mostly in the major sports. NCAA Division I and II programs are allowed a limited numbers of scholarships for their programs, but most universities divide those limited funds between a number of student-athletes, and then rely heavily on non-funded "walk-ons" to fill out their rosters.

Though they receive no athletic scholarship funding, Division III student-athletes are very often just as competitive and skilled as many of those at other levels. It is certainly not a testament to a student-athlete's ability if they are not awarded an athletic scholarship.

What type of student-athlete is Houghton looking for?
It is important to us that you are a "good fit" for Houghton. We are looking for student-athletes of high moral character who are interested in a Christ-centered liberal arts education.

Secondly, you MUST be strong academically to be considered for admission to Houghton. The admission process is the same for student-athletes as it is for any other applicant. The Athletic Department receives no special admission "exceptions," so student-athletes are required to meet the same admissions standards as any other student.

This doesn't, however, mean you have to be an honor graduate with a perfect GPA to even be considered. If you feel you are a strong student who will succeed in college and have relatively good test scores, we encourage you to apply.

And, of course, you must be ready to be a part of the Highlander tradition of athletic excellence. Hard work, commitment to team and dedication to improvement have always been the hallmark of our programs. Because of the quality of our teams, you can expect a lot of competition for roster spots and playing time in most programs.

Can a coach come see me play?
Yes. If a coach determines you will be a good fit for the university and their program, they may come see you play in person at games, tournaments or other events. However, by NCAA rule, a coach cannot make "direct" contact with you or your parents at these off-campus events until AFTER the contest is over and only after you have completed your SOPHOMORE year in high school.

If you are a sophomore in high school or younger, a coach is not permitted to visit with you or your parents in person at an off-campus location (such as a game or tournament). They may come see you play for evaluation purposes, but NCAA rules prohibit direct contact.

When can I come meet the coach and visit the Houghton campus?
Anytime. Prospects and their families can make as many self-funded visits to the campus as they want, and at any time during the recruiting process. These are called UNOFFICIAL visits. You may also consider making an OFFICIAL visit after January of your junior year, which must adhere to Houghton and NCAA guidelines. Check with the Athletics Department for more information.

If you come to the Houghton campus, we can visit with you and your parents in person regardless of your high school classification. It's also a great time to learn more about the university. Contact the coach directly to setup a visit, and you can contact the university Visit Office to arrange for a campus tour, meetings with professors, etc.

What about tryouts?
NCAA Division III does NOT allow its member universities to conduct tryouts - on-campus or off-campus - for prospective student-athletes. If another NCAA Division III school invites you for a "tryout," they are very likely in violation of this rule, and your eligibility for future competition could be jeopardized.

When do I sign a Letter of Intent & announce my "signing" to the media?
There are NO National Letters of Intent or "Signing Day" for NCAA Division III. However, NCAA Division III does allow you to complete a "Celebratory Signing Form" to indicate your intention to compete at your chosen university. Talk to your coach if you are interested in doing that. You "commit" to Houghton by completing all admission requirements to the university, making a deposit and registering for classes. If you do decide to complete the "Celebratory Signing Form" at a formal ceremony at your school, you are allowed to invite your local media, but the university or coaching staff is not allowed to officially participate in the event by NCAA Division III rules.

In dealing with your local media, it is very important for you to understand what is acceptable to say and what would be considered "out of compliance" and thus jeopardize the institution and your team. The following should serve as a guide for you as you communicate with interested parties about your decision to attend Houghton University...

Samples of what an appropriate press release might say ...
- Player X has decided to continue his/her education and athletic career at Houghton University next season.
- Player X will attend Houghton University to continue their education and athletic career for the Highlanders after graduation.

Samples of what a press release should NOT say ...
- Player X has signed a letter of intent to play Sport X at Houghton University next season.
- Player X has received an athletic scholarship to play Sport X at Houghton University.
- Player X has signed a contract in order to continue their playing career for Houghton University after graduation.

I'm currently a student at Houghton and am thinking about joining a team. What do I do?
You should contact the head coach of the sport you are wishing to play or fill out a Prospective Student-Athlete Questionnaire located on this website. The respective coach for your sport will contact you and give you more information concerning try-outs. While many of our student-athletes have been recruited to play a particular sport, there are ample opportunities for "walk-ons" to compete for a roster spot.

As a student already enrolled for over a semester at the university, how do I know if I'll be eligible to compete?
Any student-athlete who wishes to compete in intercollegiate sports must carry a full-time load of course work (12 credits), must be making satisfactory progress toward a degree and must be in good academic standing to be eligible for participation throughout the playing season. Returning students to Houghton, whether they are sophomores, juniors, or seniors, must adhere to the same continuing eligibility requirements, which are set forth in the course catalog. After their first semester at Houghton, all student-athletes must have a GPA of 1.7 or above. Following their second semester at Houghton, all student-athletes must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 and must have accumulated a minimum total of 24 institutional or approved credit hours the two immediately previous semesters of attendance. Up to 12 institutional credit hours earned during the summer and/or May term may be applied to meet the 24-hour rule.

What do I do about missed class time when I'm on a team? Do I have to miss class for practice?
Under no circumstances is a student-athlete to miss class time for team practices. Student-athletes will occasionally need to miss class for travel to and participation in approved university competition. In such cases, the student-athlete should use the forms provided by their coach to communicate that absence to their professors in advance. Student-athletes cannot miss class time for intercollegiate contests played during the non-traditional season of their respected sports (fall baseball, spring soccer, etc.).

Students are required to make up all academic work missed as a result of intercollegiate contests played in-season. Students must inform their professors of missed time no later than 48 hours prior to missing class. Every effort possible is made to ensure student-athletes will not miss excessive classroom time for intercollegiate competition; however, it is important for student-athletes to consider their academic schedules when registering for classes. Traditionally, student-athletes have a higher cumulative grade point average than the general student body, while retention rates are also higher for student-athletes in general.