The NCAA awards nearly $1 billion dollars in athletic scholarships to undergraduate athletes each year to Division I and II schools -- Division III schools are not eligible for scholarships. Included in these scholarship funds are multiple full or partial rides for soon-to-be college baseball players. Since competition for baseball scholarship is fierce, the NCAA set several rules regarding receiving a baseball scholarship.
Number of Scholarships
The NCAA issues 900 baseball scholarships per year. These scholarships can be full or partial rides. Full scholarships cover the entire cost of a baseball player's tuition as well as room and board. Full scholarships are often given to the best baseball players to ensure a school is able to recruit some of the top baseball players. Partial rides cover a portion of a player's college education costs. Division I schools are permitted to distribute 11.5 scholarships each year to the entire baseball team. Division II teams are given nine scholarships each year to distribute. With approximately 20 players per team, it is very common for schools to split scholarships and provide more partial than full scholarships for baseball players.
Recruiting
Recruiting rules are limited and strictly enforced by the NCAA. Recruiters can not send recruiting information and materials to potential baseball recruits until September 1 of a player's junior high school year. After July 1 -- the summer between a player's junior and senior year -- recruiters are allowed to make in-person and telephone contact with potential recruits. This rule is followed by Division I schools. Division II schools are eligible to make contact via phone and in-person as of June 15, which is two weeks earlier than the Division I date. In Division III, there are no recruiting requirements. Players abide by the admission standards of a typical college student.
Eligibility
Possible scholarship recipients must also be in good academic standing. According to the NCAA, students must receive their high school diploma. A potential baseball player must have graduated with a GPA of at least a 2.0 in the core courses -- maths, sciences and English. Division I schools require a minimum of 16 academic subjects -- four years of English, three years of science and three years of math classes. Division II schools require 14 academic subjects.
NCAA Eligibility Center
The NCAA Eligibility Center allows potential baseball recruits to register at the beginning of their junior year of high school. Players can send in transcripts as well as SAT or ACT scores. Registration costs $65, as of 2010. The NCAA Eligibility Center allows college recruiters and coaches to determine if their prospects are eligible without having to make contact with the player.
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