PSA Defined – Are you a Recruit?

Prospective student-athletes (PSAs) are individuals who have started classes for the ninth grade.
The following items would cause an individual to trigger recruited status:

1. Providing the PSA with an official (expense-paid) visit;
2. Having an arranged, in-person, off-campus encounter with the prospective student-athlete or the PSA’s parents, relatives or legal guardians;
3. Initiating or arranging a telephone contact with the PSA, the PSA’s relatives or legal guardians on more than one occasion for the purpose of recruitment; or
4. Issuing a National Letter of Intent or UK’s financial aid agreement to the PSA.

Who May Recruit Me & How
With a few exceptions, only those individuals listed by UK as coaches may recruit PSAs for their participation on a varsity squad at the University of Kentucky. They may do so by evaluating PSAs competing in regularly scheduled events, have face-to-face contact with them, send them approved recruiting materials and texts as well as have phone conversations and recruiting conversations.

Official vs. Unofficial visits
PSAs may take unofficial visits to the University of Kentucky any time with the exception of a dead period. Unofficial visits are paid for entirely by the prospect (or their parents/legal guardians).  In the sport of gymnastics, an individual may not take an unofficial visit until September 1 of her junior year in high school.
Prospective student-athletes may take up to five official visits prior to graduating high school, with not more than one permitted to any single institution. Official visits are paid for by the institution.

Gifts & Benefits While Being Recruited
Per NCAA bylaw 13.2.1, if a prospective student-athlete accepts a benefit not expressly allowed by NCAA rules as an inducement to attend the University of Kentucky that was offered, arranged or provided by a UK staff member, fan or booster, such a prospective student-athlete will be ineligible to participate in intercollegiate competition at UK.
Prospective student-athletes are reminded that other than approved athletic and other financial aid from UK, neither a prospective student-athlete, their family members nor friends may accept any gifts, benefits or arrangements that were given in an attempt to secure their enrollment at the University of Kentucky.

Agents/Drug Testing/Sports Wagering
Prospective student-athletes are encouraged to pay attention to the following four items:

1. Agents.  An agent is defined by the NCAA as any individual who directly or indirectly a) represents or attempts to represent an individual for the purpose of marketing his or her athletics ability or reputation for financial gain; or b) seeks to obtain any type of financial gain or benefit from securing a prospective student-athlete’s enrollment at an educational institution or from a student-athlete’s potential earnings as a professional athlete.  An agent may include, but is not limited to, a certified contract advisor, financial advisor, marketing representative, brand manager, or anyone who is employed or associated with such persons.
   1. An individual will be ruled ineligible to participate in intercollegiate athletics if they have agreed, orally or in writing, to be represented, now or in the future, by an agent.
   2. The individual could also be ruled ineligible if they, or their family or friends, have accepted a benefit from the agent.
2. Drug Testing.
   1. The University of Kentucky and the NCAA perform random drug tests on UK student-athletes. Student-athletes are also encouraged to check with their trainer regarding any supplements they want to use.
3. Sports Wagering.
   1. UK student-athletes and staff are prohibited from placing a bet on any NCAA sport or its professional counterpart. In short, Don’t Bet on It!
4. Extra Benefits.  An institution’s staff member or any representative of its athletics interests shall not be involved, directly or indirectly, in making arrangements for or giving or offering to give any financial aid or other benefits to a prospective student-athlete or his or her relatives or friends, other than expressly permitted by NCAA regulations.  Receipt of a benefit by a prospective student-athlete or his or her relatives or friends is not a violation of NCAA legislation if it is determined that the same benefit is generally available to the institution’s prospective students or their relatives or friends or to a particular segment of the student body (e.g., international students, minority students) determined on a basis unrelated to athletics ability.  Some examples of extra benefits may include:  clothing, cash, co-signing of loans, free or reduced cost services, free or reduced cost housing, employment arrangement for prospective student-athlete’s relatives