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Thank you for your support and enthusiasm for Merrimack College Athletics! We're proud that our tradition of excellence - both on and off of the playing field - has been achieved by playing by the rules. This section will provide you with guidelines on following these rules and will help answer any questions you may have about contributing to the success of Merrimack Athletics.

Compliance with NCAA rules is vital to maintaining the integrity of Merrimack College and continuing to build a program of which we all can be proud! Violations of the NCAA rules can jeopardize the eligibility of a current or prospective student-athlete. As a member of the Merrimack community, we need your commitment to follow NCAA rules, to ask questions when you are not sure if something is or isn’t a violation, and to report violations of which you are aware. If you have any questions or feel unclear whether a specific action is permissible per NCAA rules, please contact the Merrimack Athletic Compliance Office at (978) 837-5113. WE ARE HERE TO ASSIST YOU! 

You are a representative of Merrimack College Athletics Interest (also known as a "Booster") if ANY of the following apply:

• You have participated in promoting the Merrimack College athletics program
• You have made financial contributions to the athletics department or booster organization
• You have assisted or have been requested to assist in the recruitment of prospects
• You have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student athletes or their families
• You have purchased season tickets for any Merrimack athletic program
• You are a former student or fan of Merrimack College

Once an individual, agency, corporation or other organization is identified as a “representative of athletics interest”, that person/entity retains that identity indefinitely. To further promote NCAA compliance among athletic donors and supporters, signage is placed in the Blue Line Club and in corporate suites.

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

Prospective Student-Athlete: A prospect is a student who has started the ninth grade. Student-athletes enrolled in preparatory schools and two-year colleges are also considered prospective student-athletes. A student remains a prospect until he/she has enrolled full-time at an institution.

Contact: Any face to face encounter with a prospect or prospect's relatives in which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange or greeting.

Recruiting: Any solicitation of a prospect or a prospect's relatives for the purpose of securing the prospect's enrollment and ultimate participation in Merrimack College athletics.

Only authorized Merrimack athletics department staff members may be involved in recruiting prospective student-athletes.

Recruiting Do's and Dont's for Boosters

• DO NOT telephone, write or make in-person contact with a prospect for recruiting purposes.
• DO NOT contact a prospect's relatives, coach , principal or counselor in an attempt to evaluate the prospect.
• DO NOT become involved in making arrangements for a prospect, the prospects relatives or friends to receive money or financial aid of any kind.
• DO NOT visit a prospect's school to acquire films or transcripts in an attempt to evaluate the prospect's academic or athletics eligibility.
• DO NOT provide free tickets or tickets at a reduced cost to any Merrimack athletic events to a prospect or prospect's relatives.
• DO NOT provide any material benefit (e.g., meals, cash, tickets) to the coach of a prospect, including high school, two-year college, AAU and summer team coaches
• DO NOT contact student-athletes enrolled at other four-year institutions regarding the possibility of transferring to Merrimack.

What you CAN do

• Notify Merrimack College coaching staff members about noteworthy prospects in the area.
• Attend a prospect's athletics contests, provided no contact occurs.
• Continue existing friendships, provided solicitation of a prospect's enrollment does not occur.

MORE DEFINITIONS

Enrolled Student-Athlete: A student who is enrolled at Merrimack College and is presently participating in athletics or has completed his/her eligibility but is still enrolled at Merrimack.

Extra Benefit: Any special gift or arrangement provided to an enrolled student-athlete or an enrolled student-athlete's friends, relatives or guardian that is not available to the general student body or general public. Such benefits are not permitted by NCAA rules.

Extra Benefits DO's and DONT's

• DO NOT provide gifts of clothing or equipment, cash or like items, loans or cosigning of loans, transportation, any tangible items or merchandise, free or reduced cost services, rentals or purchases, transportation, or free or reduced cost housing to an enrolled student-athlete, prospect or prospect's relatives or friends.
• DO NOT arrange employment for an enrolled student-athlete, prospect or prospect's relatives.
• DO NOT sponsor or arrange an award banquet for a high-school, preparatory school or two-year college.

What you CAN do

• Make contributions to Merrimack College athletics through the Merrimack athletic department or the office of institutional advancement. Please contact Kaytea Gibson, Director, Athletics Development and the Warrior Fund, for contribution information and procedures.
• Attend Merrimack College athletic events and show student-athletes you support their hard work.

PLEASE ASK BEFORE YOU ACT!

For questions regarding NCAA rules, please contact:

Robin Muller

Associate Athletc Director/Compliance & Administration

mullerro@merrimack.edu