Transfering schools question? Eligibility

most likely not if the current school that you're at is a 4 year one. For NCAA purposes you have 1 free 4-4 transfer. After that it'll cost you a year of residency at the next school you go to. Unless of course you go back to NAIA, where they have far fewer rules.

I may be wrong on this, but I don't think the NAIA school has any power over your NCAA eligibility. In fact, I know that many people have transferred from NAIA to NCAA and were immediately eligible. My questions are: why wouldn't they release you? Is there an appeals process at the NAIA school for the release? (eventhough it may be a moot point by this time).

From my experience playing NAIA, anytime you make a jump up, you must sit (ie NAIA to DI). Anytime you move down, you can play. Hence why NAIA, D2 hoops is full of DI transfers. NAIA rules are very similar to NCAA -- in fact I know they correspond so there isn't any mutiny from one organization to another. Lateral moves (NAIA to D2) I am not sure about. Probably have to sit as well or else you'd have too many kids tansfering. The biggest a really only difference between the two was in NAIA, you must be a full-time student during your sports season, whereas NCAA, you could technically take 3 credit hours and still play if that is all you need to graduate. I've seen fifth year NAIA kids have to take the fall semester off, just so they could have a full schedule come spring for baseball.

I forgot to add, that outside of hoops and football, there is a free transfer deal if you are released as mentioned by the previous poster. Not sure about the details, but I played baseball with a kid who didn't get his release from Florida State after wanting to go to Arizona State, thus he had to drop down to NAIA. Most of the times, coaches will sign it unless you are a stud and going to help a potential competitor.

In Division I the general rule for transfers in all sport except for fb, basketball and ice hockey is that you can qualify for the one-time transfer exception and be eligible immediately upon your transfer from any four year institution. However, your previous institution grants permission for that exception.

In your situatuion it all depends on what school you are currrently at. Without knowing all your details it is difficult to speculate on if you could be eligible. I strongly encourage you to call the NCAA and they can give you the advice you really need.

Best of luck

I was not released from my first NAIA school. I am at another one and have obv. not signed anything to connect me with that school running wise.

they wouldnt release me because I was going to be running for a rival school that ran against my previous school

I am not sure if I understand you based on your last statement.

You originally stated that you were at an NAIA school, changed schools and want to know if you can compete at a D1 now (based on rules of transferring).

Now you state that they will not release you because you are at a rival school. Are you looking at going to a different school that the one you are currently at?

IE

FORMERLY NAIA

NOW NAIA OR NCAA

WANT TO GO TO NCAA D1

OR

????

Aaron Gray wrote:

The biggest a really only difference between the two was in NAIA, you must be a full-time student during your sports season, whereas NCAA, you could technically take 3 credit hours and still play if that is all you need to graduate. I've seen fifth year NAIA kids have to take the fall semester off, just so they could have a full schedule come spring for baseball.

Actually, when I looked at the rules last year, the NAIA had the same rule as the NCAA that you could take whatever you needed your last semester to graduate. However, my school had a rule requiring all athletes to be full-time while competing, so I had to take a full load anyway.