Prospective Student-Athlete

So you want to be a Patriot! George Mason University appreciates your interest in our athletics programs. On this page you will find important links to information on what you need to do in order to join the Patriots tradition. Please do not hesitate to contact our office if you need further guidance. We wish you success in your quest to pursue a career in college athletics!

Important Definitions

Representative of Institution's Athletics Interest - A representative of George Mason athletics interests is an individual, business, organization that is known (or should have been known) to:

(1) Have participated in or is a member of an agency or organization promoting the institution's intercollegiate athletics program;
(2) Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of the institution;
(3) Assisting or have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospects;
(4) Assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes

Prospective Student-Athlete - A 'prospect' is student who has started classes for the ninth grade. A student who has not started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospect if the student receives any benefits that the institution does not provide to prospect students in general.

Contact - A contact is any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or the prospect's parents or legal guardian and an institutional staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting. Any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged or that takes place on the grounds of the prospect's educational institution or at the site of organized competition or practice involving the prospect or the prospect's high school, preparatory school, two-year college or all-star team shall be considered a contact, regardless of the conversation that occurs.

Evaluation - An evaluation is that period of time when it is permissible for authorized athletics department staff members to be involved in off-campus activities designed to assess the academic qualifications and playing ability of prospects. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts are made with prospects during an evaluation period.

Quiet Period - A quiet period is a period of time when it is permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts only on the institution's campus. No in-person, off-campus recruiting contacts or evaluations may be made during the quiet period

Dead Period - A dead period is a period of time when it is not permissible to make in-person recruiting contacts or evaluations on or off the institution's campus. The provision of complimentary admissions to prospective student-athlete during a dead period is prohibited, except for a prospective student-athlete who visits an institution as part of a group. During a dead period, a coaching staff member may not serve as a speaker at or attend a meeting or banquet at which prospective student-athletes are in attendance and may not visit a prospective student-athlete's educational institution. It remains permissible, however, for an institutional staff member to write or telephone a prospective student-athlete during a dead period.

NCAA Initial Eligibility Center

NCAA Amateurism Certification

Guide for College Bound Student-Athlete

National Letter of Intent

NCAA Banned Drug List

Patriot Club