The NCAA has a specific calendar for recruits and recruiters, consisting of defined periods and rules to follow. Student-athletes need to understand the recruiting calendar so they can know what to expect when going through the recruiting process. Here is a breakdown of the NCAA recruiting calendar.

What is the Contact Period?

The contact period allows for any and all types of communication between recruits and coaches. In-person contact can occur on college campuses, at tournaments and at the student-athlete’s school or home.

What is the Dead Period?

The NCAA dead period is the most restrictive timeframe on the recruiting calendar. During the dead period, coaches may not have any in-person contact with recruits or their families. However, the dead period allows for recruits and coaches to communicate through any type of digital form (phone, email, text etc.). Coaches can also reach out to student-athletes during the dead period as long as it is not in-person. The dead period usually takes place during the early signing period (for sports that have an early signing period) as well as at the beginning of the regular signing period. Division III schools do not have designated dead periods.

What is the Quiet Period?

The quiet period gives recruits a bit of a break when it comes to recruiting. During the quiet period, coaches may not have any in-person contact with student-athletes or their families unless it takes place at the college campus. Coaches may not watch student-athletes compete during the quiet period.

What is the Evaluation Period?

The evaluation period allows for college coaches to watch a recruit compete in-person and visit their school. However, coaches are not permitted to communicate with student-athletes or parents away from the college campus. It is simply a time for coaches to evaluate and nothing more. Coaches can still communicate with athletes through email, calling or texting. Sports that have specific dates for this period include Division I football, Division I men’s and women’s basketball, Division I women’s volleyball, Division I softball, Division III football and Division II men’s and women’s basketball.

When is the Evaluation Period?

For all the Division I sports not listed above, the NCAA has a basic recruiting rule for evaluations. Coaches can evaluate student-athletes seven times throughout the year and they can communicate with student-athletes and their families on only three of the seven evaluations. It is up to the coach to keep track of all of these visits.  

2021-22 NCAA RECRUITING CALENDAR BY sport

Division I Football FBS

Contact Periods: Nov. 28 through Dec. 11, 2021; Jan. 14-29, 2022. This contact period allows for six in-person off campus contacts per recruit and no more than one contact per week.

Dead Periods: Aug. 1-31, 2021; Dec. 13 through Jan.13, 2022; Jan. 31 through Feb. 28; June 27 through July 24

Quiet Periods: Sept. 1 through Nov. 27, 2021 (see evaluation period below); Dec. 12; Jan. 30, 2022; March 1 through April 14; June 1-26; July 25-31

Evaluation Periods: In September, October and November, college coaches can conduct evaluations during 56 days of their choosing. This evaluation period allows coaches to visit student-athletes on one calendar day during this time. Another evaluation period for coaches is April 15 through May 31 when they can use one day to evaluate the recruit on the field and another day to evaluate their academics.

Division I Football FCS

Contact Periods: Nov. 28 through Dec. 11, 2021; Jan. 14-29, 2022. This contact period allows for six in-person off campus contacts per student-athlete.

Dead Periods: Aug. 1-31, 2021; Dec. 13 through Jan. 13, 2022; Jan. 31 through Feb. 3

Quiet Periods: Sept. 1 through Nov. 27, 2021 (see evaluation period below); Dec. 12; Jan. 30, 2022; Feb. 4 through April 14; June 1 through July 31

Evaluation Periods: During September, October and November, coaches have 56 days to conduct evaluations. Coaches can take 168 evaluation days starting on April 15 until May 31. Recruiters can use one evaluation day to assess a student-athlete’s ability. Then they can use another day to assess a student-athletes’ academics. They can do both evaluations on the same day or chose to use two different days.

Division I Baseball

Contact Periods: Aug. 1-15, 2021; Sept. 10 through Oct. 10; March 1 through May 29, 2022; June 7-17; June 21 through July 2; July 6-31.

Dead Periods: Nov. 8-11, 2021; Jan. 6-9, 2022; May 30 through June 6; June 18-20; July 3-5.

Quiet Periods: Aug. 16 through Sept. 9, 2021; Oct. 11 through Nov. 7; Nov. 12 through Jan. 5, 2022; Jan. 10 through Feb. 28.

Evaluation Periods: There is no set evaluation period for Division I baseball.

Division I Softball

Contact Periods: Aug. 1-15, 2021; June 11 through July 31, 2022.

Dead Periods: Nov. 8-11, 2021; Dec. 8-11; May 31 through June 10, 2022.

Quiet Periods: Nov. 22 through Dec. 7, 2021; Dec. 12 through Jan. 1, 2022 

Evaluation Periods: Aug. 16 through Nov. 7, 2021; Nov. 12-21; Jan. 2 through May 30, 2022.

Division I Men’s Basketball*

Contact Periods: Nov. 12 through March 30, April 7 through 20, April 25 through 28.

Dead Periods: Aug. 6-15, 2021; March 31 through April 7, April 11 through 14, May 19 through 27, July 6 through 31.

Quiet Periods: Aug. 1-5, 2021; Aug. 16 through Sept. 8; April 21, 2022; April 29 through May 18; May 28 through June 17; June 19-24; June 26 through July 5.

Evaluation Periods: April 8-10 and April 22-24, 2022 are evaluation periods for NCAA certified events only. Recruits may also be evaluated at the NBA Draft Combine and the NBPA Top 100 Camp, with dates for those events to be determined. In addition, there are two evaluation periods for approved scholastic events on June 17-19 and June 24-26 and an evaluation period for NCAA certified events, institutional camps and permissible governing body events on July 7-10. The last evaluation period during the 2021-22 recruiting calendar is July 26-31 for the NCAA College Basketball Academy, an invite-only developmental academy designed to give prospective student-athletes a sample of the college basketball experience.  

Recruiting Periods: In-person, off-campus recruiting contacts and evaluations may take place on the following dates: Sept. 9 through Nov. 7, 2021; Nov. 12 through Dec. 23; Dec. 27 through Mar. 30, 2022; April 7; Apr. 15-20; Apr. 25-28.

*According to the NCAA, an updated 2022 summer recruiting calendar will be posted once it has been finalized.

Division I Women’s Basketball

Contact Periods: Sept. 9-29, 2021; March 1-30, 2022.

Dead Periods: Nov. 8-11, 2021; Dec. 24-26; March 31 through April 7, 2022; April 11-14; July 13-20. Along with a dead period, Division I women’s basketball also has a recruiting shutdown period from May 2-8. No form of recruiting is permitted during this time.

Quiet Periods: Aug. 1-15, 2021; Aug. 21 through Sept. 8; April 8-10, 2022, April 20-21; April 25 through May 1; May 9-19; May 23 through July 5; July 26-31.

Evaluation Periods: Sept. 30 through Nov. 7, 2021; Nov. 12 through Dec. 23; Dec. 27 through Feb. 28, 2022; April 15-19; April 22-24; May 20-22; July 6-12; July 21-25.

Division II Football

Contact Periods: Nov. 29 through Jan. 9, 2022; Jan. 13-31; Feb. 2 through Mar. 7.

Dead Periods: Dec. 13-15, 2021 for JUCO transfers; Jan. 10-12, 2022, Jan.31 through Feb. 2.

Quiet Periods: June 1, 2021 through the first regularly scheduled practice at the beginning of the recruit’s season; March 8 through April 14, 2022; All Sundays in May and Memorial Day.

Evaluation Periods: From the first regularly scheduled practice through Nov. 28, 2021; April 15 through May 31, 2022 excluding all Sundays in May and Memorial Day.

Division II Men’s Basketball

Contact Periods: Sept. 7 through Oct. 14, 2021; March 1-30, 2022; April 5 through May 16.

Dead Periods: Nov. 8-10, 2021; March 31 through April 5, 2022.

Quiet Periods: June 1-14, 2021; Aug. 2 through Sept. 6; Oct. 15 through Nov. 8; May 17-31, 2022.

Evaluation Periods: June 15 through Aug. 1, 2021; Nov. 10 through Feb, 28, 2022; Evaluations are also permitted during any high school all-star game that occurs within the state in which the member institution is located.

Division II Women’s Basketball

Contact Periods: Sept. 7 through Oct. 14, 2021; March 1-30, 2022; April 6 through May 15.

Dead Periods: Nov. 8-10, 2021; March 31 through April 6, 2022.

Quiet Periods:  June 1-14, 2021; Aug. 2 through Sept. 6; Oct. 15 through the recruit’s first game.

Evaluation Periods: June 15 through Aug. 1, 2021; The period between the recruit’s fist and last game; Evaluations are also permitted at any high school all-star game that occurs within the same state as the member institution.

All other Division I and Division II Sports

All other sports do not have official recruiting calendars, but dates for dead periods are established on the NCAA website.