Currently Enrolled Student-Athletes

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Academic Eligibility

Continuing Eligibility

  • You must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.
  • You must be enrolled in and pass a minimum of 24 credit hours per year.
  • You must pass a minimum of 6 credit hours during the preceding semester.
  • You must earn 18 of your credit hours during the fall and spring semesters.
  • You can earn up to 6 of your credit hours during the summer.
  • Graduate students must be enrolled full time and complete a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester.

40/60/80 Percent Rule

  • By your junior year (5th semester) of full time collegiate enrollment: You must have completed 40% of the course requirements for your major.
  • By your senior year (7th semester) of full time collegiate enrollment: You must have completed 60% of the course requirements for your major.
  • By your 5th year (9th semester) of full time collegiate enrollment: You must have completed 80% of the course requirements for your major.

Major

You must choose a major by the beginning of your junior year.

Grade Point Average

You must maintain a grade point average (GPA) if 2.0 in order to remain eligible. EXCEPTION: A student-athlete is eligible to compete and practice with a 1.70 GPA during the second semester of his/her freshman year only.

Practice

You are eligible to practice if you are enrolled in a minimum full time program of studies leading to a Bachelor's degree as defined by Villanova.

Competition

You are eligible to compete if you:

  • Have been admitted as a regular student seeking a Bachelor's degree according to the published entrance requirements of Villanova;
  • Be in good academic standing as defined by Villanova;
  • Be enrolled in a minimum full time program of studies and maintain satisfactory progress towards your degree.
If you have any questions about your academic standing or continuing eligibility, please call Jenn Brophy, Associate Direcotr of Academic Support at 610-519-7719, or Krista Chmielewski, Assistant Director of Academic Support at 610-519-5205 or visit them in their office in Jake Nevin Field House.

Amateurism

The following are rules established by the NCAA to make sure that everyone competing in intercollegiate competition remains an amateur:

Within your sport, you are not eligible for participation if you have ever:

  • Taken pay or the promise of pay for competing in that sport
  • Agreed (orally or in writing) to compete in professional athletics in that sport
  • Played on any professional athletics team as defined by the NCAA in that sport
  • Used your athletics skill for pay in any form in that sport

In any sport, you are not eligible if:

  • You accept any pay for promoting a commercial product or service
  • You allowed your name or picture to be used for promoting a commercial product or service
  • Because of your athletics ability, you were:
    • Paid at a rate higher than the going rate
    • Paid for work you did not perform
    • Paid for the value placed on your reputation, fame, or personal following
If you have any questions regarding your amateur status, please contact Gordon C. Finch Esq., Associate Athletics Director for Compliance & Student Services, at 610-519-5305 or Katie Centrella, Director of Compliance, at 610-519-6607.

Agents and Professional Leagues

If you are considering turning pro and signing with an agent, it is essential that you understand the NCAA and University rules regarding professional leagues/drafts and agents. Any violation of these rules can, and will, have a severe negative effect on your status as a student-athlete.

Agents

NCAA rules stipulate that:

  • You are not eligible in a sport if you have ever accepted money, transportation, or other benefits from an agent or agreed to have an agent market your athletics ability or reputation in that sport.
  • If you negotiate or sign a playing contract in any sport in which you intend to compete.
  • You are not eligible in a sport if your relatives or friends have ever accepted money, transportation, or other benefits from an agent or agreed to have an agent market your athletics ability or reputation in that sport.
  • Any agency contract not specifically limited in writing to a particular sport shall be deemed applicable to all sports and you will be deemed ineligible to participate in all sports.
  • Receive preferential benefits or treatment because of reputation, skill, or pay back potential as a professional athlete.
  • Retain professional services for personal reasons at less than the normal charge from a representative of Villanova's Athletics interests.
  • If an agent has attempted to contact you, you must tell your head coach and the Compliance Office immediately! Do not speak to or return the agent's call!

Professional Leagues

NCAA rules stipulate that you are not eligible:

  • If you ask to be placed on the draft list or supplemental draft list of a professional league in your sport, even though:
  • You ask that your name be withdrawn from the list prior to the actual draft;
  • Your name remains on the list, but you go undrafted, or;
  • You are drafted, but do not sign an agreement with any professional team.
  • If you have entered into any kind of agreement to compete in professional athletics, either orally or in writing, regardless of the legal enforceability of that agreement.

Agents Committee

Any agent who tries to contact a Villanova student-athlete must be registered with the University and have declared their intention to contact you. The NCAA has asked each institution to provide a career counseling panel to aid the student-athlete in avoiding the pitfalls of dishonest agents. Villanova has established the Career Counseling Committee. The members of the Committee have expertise in the area of professional agents. The Committee will:

    1. Supply information to the student-athletes regarding professional career opportunities.
    2. Screen and evaluate potential agents to represent you.
    3. Evaluate contracts.

The Chairperson of the Committee is Katherine K. Hastings, University Associate General Counsel. For more information on the Committee, you can contact her at 610-519-7857.

There are several other rules surrounding involvement with professional teams and agents. If you are considering turning pro, if an agent has attempted to contact you, or if you have any questions, please call Gordon C. Finch Esq., Associate Athletics Director for Compliance & Student Services, at 610-519-5305 or Katie Centrella, Director of Compliance, at 610-519-6607.

Employment

You must fill out all proper paper work with the Compliance Office before you begin working.

  • There are no limitations on the amount you can earn during the academic year or summer months.

    Again, you must fill out all proper paper work with the Compliance Office before you begin working!! If you have any questions regarding employment, please contact Gordon C. Finch Esq., Associate Athletics Director for Compliance & Student Services, at 610-519-5305 or Katie Centrella, Director of Compliance, at 610-519-6607.

    Financial Aid

    You are not eligible if you receive financial aid other than:

    • Aid that Villanova distributes;
    • Money from anyone on whom you are naturally or legally dependent;
    • Financial Aid awarded to you on a basis other than athletics ability;
    • Financial Aid from an entity outside your institution that meets NCAA requirements.

    If you are receiving outside aid (i.e. booster club award, high school athletics award, rotary club award, etc.) you must report this to the Compliance Office at the beginning of the academic year.

    It is permissible for a student-athlete to receive additional aid (e.g., need-based institutional scholarships, outside awards) in addition to an athletics scholarship. In some instances those scholarships are countable against the student-athlete's full grant in aid limit. If that occurs, the student-athlete may have to decline the additional scholarship due to his/her financial aid limits or the team's financial aid limit. Should the athlete choose to keep the additional scholarship, his/her athletics aid may have to be reduced in order to stay compliant with NCAA Division I financial aid rules.

    A full grant-in-aid is a scholarship which includes tuition, room and board, fees and textbooks-on-loan. A partial grant-in-aid is a scholarship covering some, but not all, of the expenses covered by a full grant-in-aid.

    Required Textbooks-on-Loan

    Some Athletic Scholarship Awards include Required Textbooks-on-Loan. It is the responsibility of those student-athletes who receive such awards to follow the regulations regarding this program. Failure to comply may result in monetary charges and/or loss of the Required Textbook-on-Loan benefit.

      1. The book slips are located in the Office of Academic Support. Student-athletes must fill out a slip for each required book.
      2. Student-athletes must have the book slip signed by the Office of Academic Support and the Compliance Office. Without both signatures the University Shop will not approve the purchase.
      3. At the end of each semester student athletes are required to return their books at the book buy back. For any additional information concerning the Required Textbook-on-Loan Program, contact Gordon C. Finch Esq., Associate Athletics Director for Compliance & Student Services, at 610-519-5305 or Katie Centrella, Director of Compliance, at 610-519-6607.

    Athletic Scholarship

    An Athletic Grant - In - Aid is a financial award given to a student-athlete based upon athletic ability or sports performance.

    A qualifying student-athlete may receive an athletic grant upon recommendations of the coach and the Director of Athletics, with approval from the Office of Financial Assistance. An offer of a financial award is contingent upon admittance to the University and the student-athlete's academic standing. Returning student-athletes must be academically eligible and making normal progress toward a degree to be eligible for an award.

    Presently, the cost of tuition and fees, room and board and use of required course related books is the maximum amount awarded under an athletic grant-in-aid. Grants for lesser amounts are also given. It is important that all textbooks be returned at the close of each semester. Students may be billed for textbooks which are not returned.

    An athletic grant is issued for one academic year and may be renewed for the next academic year. This renewal is contingent upon the attainment of academic eligibility and normal progress requirements. Continued participation in athletics is also required.

    Athletic Scholarship Policy

    1. The total amount of financial aid (excluding bona fide loans and aid from family) for athletes receiving athletic grants or other University designated financial aid (such as student employment, college work study, SEOG, University Scholarships or Grants, etc.) may not exceed the cost of tuition and fees, room and board, and the cost of required, course related books. However, an athlete receiving a PELL Grant may receive the maximum award for miscellaneous expenses as permitted under the PELL Grant program.
    2. An athlete who fails to meet academic eligibility and normal progress requirements relative to the athlete's sport season by the first competition or the first day of classes, whichever comes first, may lose his/her athletic grant.
    3. If a student-athlete is injured during practice, competition, or University sponsored travel to or from competition under Intercollegiate Athletics auspices, that student's athletic grant can be continued until the athlete receives his/her baccalaureate degree or through the athlete's fifth year of enrollment, whichever comes first. During the student-athlete's enrollment at the University, approved medical expenses can be covered under this policy. The University's obligation to provide medical care and financial aid under this policy will terminate immediately if appropriate University medical staff certify that an injured athlete has recovered sufficiently to permit competition and the athlete voluntarily chooses not to participate in athletics.
    4. An athletic grant may be withdrawn if the student-athlete:

    • Fails to meet academic eligibility and normal progress requirements as defined by the student-athlete's sport season,
    • Voluntarily quits the team,
    • Loses amateur status in the student-athlete's sport,
    • Fraudulently misrepresents any information on an application, letter of intent or tender, or engages in serious misconduct warranting substantial disciplinary penalty.

    5. If a student-athlete's grant is withdrawn for any reason, the student-athlete has a right to a campus review of the action. Information regarding the procedure is available from the Office of Financial Assistance.
    6. Pregnancy is considered an illness and is not a basis for withdrawal of athletic aid.
    7. Graduate School. The decision to further athletic scholarship awards for athletes who have attained his/her baccalaureate degree and still have remaining eligibility shall be at the discretion of the coach.

    Charges Not Paid By the Athletics Department

    The types of expenses listed below are not covered and must be paid by the student-athlete:

    1. All phone charges.
    2. Cost of treatment for non-athletically related injuries.
    3. "Consumable" charges (i.e. lab fees for breakage, non-required field trips, etc.).
    4. Library fines, parking fines or fines for damage to University property, including residence halls.
    5. Key deposits or the cost of key replacements.
    6. Replacement costs for lost Student I.D.'s.
    7. School supplies, dictionaries, reference books, pens, notebooks, paper, art supplies, etc. not required by the course.
    8. Vehicle registration fees or parking stickers.
    9. University breakage deposit
    10. Use of institutional phones to call off campus is strictly prohibited.
    11. Use of institutional copy machines is prohibited.

    Non Scholarship Student-Athletes:

    As a non scholarship student-athlete, both recruited and non recruited (walk-on), you are entitled to all the benefits of a scholarship student-athlete, except for the Athletic Grant-In-Aid and benefits arising from these awards. The following benefits are available to all student-athletes:

    1. Academic advising assistance (i.e.: tutoring, career counseling, etc);
    2. Training Room treatment for an athletically-related injury;
    3. Strength and Conditioning facility use;
    4. Referrals for vacation and term time employment;
    5. Team travel and equipment use;
    6. Training table meals during the season.

    If you have any questions regarding financial aid, please contact Gordon C. Finch Esq., Associate Athletics Director for Compliance & Student Services, at 610-519-5305 or Katie Centrella, Director of Compliance, at 610-519-6607.

    Gambling

    You are not eligible to compete if you have knowingly:

    • Provide information to individuals involved in organized gambling activities concerning intercollegiate athletics competition;
    • Solicit a bet on any intercollegiate team;
    • Accept a bet on any team representing the institution;
    • Participate in any gambling activity that involves intercollegiate athletics through a bookmaker a parlay card or any other method employed by organized gambling.

    You are not eligible to compete if you knowingly participate in any gambling activity that involves intercollegiate or professional athletics, through a bookmaker parlay card or any other method employed by organized gambling. [Bylaw 10.3] Sports that cannot be bet on include: All sports sponsored by the NCAA including: Baseball, Basketball (including all NCAA Tournament Pools), and Bowling; Professional Sports.

    Sports that can be bet on if you are of age (21) include: Horse Racing and Casino Games.

    If you have any questions about gambling, or you think someone has a gambling problem, please call Gordon C. Finch Esq., Associate Athletics Director for Compliance & Student Services, at 610-519-5305 or Katie Centrella, Director of Compliance, at 610-519-6607.

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