All glossary terms
    Recruiting Periods & Visits

    Recruiting Calendar

    The NCAA recruiting calendar defines when coaches may contact, evaluate, or visit recruits, divided into contact, evaluation, quiet, and dead periods. The calendar is sport-specific and changes yearly, so families should check the current cycle before planning outreach.

    Understanding the calendar prevents wasted outreach — messages sent during a dead period may go unanswered until it lifts.

    Each sport has its own calendar, so a soccer recruit's timeline differs from a basketball recruit's.

    Last reviewed 2026-08-31

    Related terms

    Dead Period
    No in-person contact between coaches and athletes.
    Quiet Period
    In-person contact only on the college campus.
    Contact Period
    Coaches may meet athletes in person off-campus.
    Evaluation Period
    Coaches may watch athletes compete but not talk off-campus.