The compliance corner answers questions concerning the governance of intercollegiate athletics and its impact on our athletics department. Have a question? Please send it to inside@hokiesports.com and we’ll answer it in upcoming issues.
Now, here are a couple of questions that we’ve received from Tech alums and fans over the past few months, with responses from Tim Parker, Associate AD for Compliance:
Q: This past season, Duke lost to Miami by 27 at Miami, and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski reportedly held a practice once the team got home late that night around 1 a.m. I thought this was some type of violation. Please elaborate. Thanks, Jack in Christiansburg.
TP: “Apparently, the media reports that Duke conducted a late-night practice after that loss to Miami were inaccurate.
“But you are correct in that this would have been a violation, had it happened as portrayed. There is a stipulation in the NCAA Manual that states that, ‘Countable athletically-related activities shall not occur between midnight and 5 a.m.’
“There are, however, exceptions to this particular rule. Such activities could occur during participation in a conference championship or an NCAA championship; participation in any competition that begins before midnight and concludes after midnight; and participation in a promotional practice activity (e.g. Midnight Madness). So anything other than these exceptions would be an NCAA violation.”
Q: I saw that the NCAA suspended two of the controversial proposals involving recruiting that were supposed to go into effect Aug. 1. What is the next step in that process? Hank in Richmond.
TP: “You are correct. The NCAA Division I Board of Directors suspended two proposals: one that would have allowed any staff member to perform some on-campus recruiting tasks, and one that would have removed the existing restrictions on the size and type of printed correspondence that can be mailed to prospects.
“It is highly unlikely that the suspended amendments will come back before the NCAA membership . . . at least not in any form resembling the original versions.
“In addition to the two suspended proposals, the Board also will reconsider a proposal that would have permitted text messaging and eliminated numerical limits on phone calls. The review will occur because more than the required number of schools – 75 – requested an ‘override’ of the legislation.
“With regard to this proposal, the Board of Directors has several options. It can maintain its original approval of the proposal, which will send it to an online override vote of the entire Division I membership. It can agree with those schools requesting the override, which would rescind the proposal. The proposal could be tabled. The presidents could also amend the proposal in some way – even possibly splitting it in two – which would subject the new proposal(s) to another 60-day review/override period.”
Q: Hey, can you tell me when is the spring signing period, and what sports have a signing day in the spring? Thanks, Robbie in Radford.
TP: “The spring signing period for current high school seniors begins on April 17 and includes the following sports at Virginia Tech: baseball, basketball, golf, lacrosse, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, volleyball, and wrestling.”
