Eligibility of Athletes

2.1 NCGA Requirements for Athletes

NCGA athletes are limited to a total of 4 years of competition (consecutive or not) in the NCGA while the wrestler is enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program.

Student-athletes must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 credit hours each semester while competing (6 hours for Graduate students) and maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA after their first year of eligibility in order to be eligible to compete.

Graduating seniors are exempt from the 9-unit requirement if they will complete their graduation requirements at the end of the current semester.

Only NCGA athletes who have been properly registered and cleared for competition may participate with their team. the NCGA does Not recognize individual or unattached athletes. All athletes must be directly connected to their university program. If an individual college eligible athlete, unconnected to an NCGA team participates in a grappling, wrestling or Jiu Jitsu event other than with the NCGA during the college grappling season without being properly registered with the NCGA they shall lose eligibility for the remainder of that semester.. and will not be eligible to participate within the NCGA until reinstated by the judicial council.

A student who is enrolled at an NCGA member institution and participates in an open tournament or team competition (dual or individual tournament) after the start of the NCGA season, without being properly registered and cleared for competition with the NCGA, will be subject to immediate suspension from the NCGA UP TO a time period of the remainder of the season and retroactive to the date of infraction OR a calendar year suspension depending upon the timing of the infraction. Team fines for this violation may also apply. The suspension of the athlete may be challenged utilizing Section 6 of this document. The final determination of suspension/eligibility of the athlete if challenged will be adjudicated by the NCGA Judicial Council as set forth in this document and is based upon the pertinent facts of each individual case.

An institution shall not permit any athlete to represent their team in collegiate competition within the NCGA unless that athlete maintains the minimum academic eligibility requirements of that institution. It is the responsibility of the individual wrestler, and his coach, to monitor academic status. The NCGA does not track individual academic performance, however, will uphold the academic institution’s decisions regarding eligibility if the standards are higher than that set forth by the NCGA.

To compete in the Conference Championships, a athlete must have a Cumulative Overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or better after 1 year of eligibility, as verified by the school’s Registrar on the Conference Academic Eligibility Form**.**

To certify eligibility, all Student-Athletes must register online with the NCGA Clearinghouse. Only properly registered athletes are eligible to compete on, or for, any NCGA member institution during the competition season. No athlete may practice, compete, or travel in any NCGA event until their online Individual Athlete Registration and their Waiver and Release of Liability have been properly completed, submitted, and received by the NCGA. The deadline for submitting the online Individual Wrestler Registration is September 25th of each season.

Any NCGA team that enters an ineligible athlete in a competitive event during the season will be sanctioned according to their Conference Board. Additional penalties may be determined for the Head Coach and/or coaching staff for the violating team including but not limited to suspension for a time period determined by the Judicial Council. Additional violations may result in additional sanctions and fines above and beyond that written in Section 6, including but not limited to, a team being banned from competition within the NCGA for a calendar year or longer as determined by the Judicial Council.

2.2 Individual Athlete Registration

Step # 1: “Individual Athletes must register on the NCGA Website.

Individual Athletes must register on the NCGA Website to be added onto their respective teams Roster.

Athletes should register for their team by clicking the "Register Button" and then choosing athlete registration and completing all NCGA Clearinghouse questions. This process once completed will add the athlete to their respective teams roster. Only the coach or team Admin will see the athlete in the roster at this time.

No athlete may participate in any practice, competition, nor travel as part of an NCGA team before the completion of the Clearinghouse process. Only after the online registration, dues, and Waiver and Release of Liability agreement are received, and the athlete has progressed through their 10-day required practice window will the athlete’s name appear on the official team roster as “cleared for competition.”

Individual Athlete Online Registration opens February 15th and ends October 25th of each season. Online registration fees apply for each individual wrestler.

The Individual Athlete Step by Step Registration Process:

1. On the online registration portal, the individual athlete must enter their first and last name onto the registration as they want it to appear on all brackets, awards, and rosters. Do not enter names in all CAPS. Use upper/lower case letters. Note that if the athlete is a returning athlete, this step does not have to occur a second time. The athlete can be paid for and all information uploaded onto the existing roster.

2. All athletes must have a head shot photo wearing the school uniform, logo shirt or warmup. All apparel should be consistent. Photo must be uploaded by their Head Coach or Team Admin using the roster page of the Team’s web page.

3. Individual athlete dues payment may be made at the time of the registration, or later by the athlete, the coach or the sponsoring school and will only be payable by credit/debit card on the NCWA website.

Once ALL STEPS provided above have been completed, the athlete enters their required “10-day practice” window, during which time it required that each athlete participates in a minimum of 10 days of mat practice. Coaches can view the athletes progress through the 10-day competition blackout period in their password protected roster webpage.

Only athletes who have submitted their online individual Athlete Registration, have submitted agreed to the Waiver and Release of Liability, paid their annual dues, and have progressed through the 10-day practice window, will appear on the team’s public roster.

NCGA member institutions may assume that athletes who appear on a team’s public roster within the NCGA website have met all the proper Clearinghouse requirements and are eligible for competition.

As new members join a team, they may not practice, travel, or compete in any NCGA event until their on-line Individual Wrestler Registration, Dues Payment and Waiver and Release of Liability Form have been properly completed and submitted to the NCWA.

2.3 Team and Athlete Information

Contact Information: Each member team must always maintain its contact information on the official NCGA website (www.thencga.org). It is the responsibility of the Head Coach, or in the absence of a Head Coach, the Team President, to keep all email addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses current. This will include accurate, up-to-date contact information, current athlete records and biographical information including an appropriate individual photo, a schedule of events and competition results. Failure to do so could result in fines from the NCWA enforced by the Conference Compliance Officer.

The NCWA is not responsible to communicate with any individual Coach, Athlete or Team who is not properly listed on the NCGA website.

Athlete & Coach Photo – All athletes, and all Coaches, are REQUIRED to upload an appropriate head shot photograph in team uniform, shirt, or warm-up for each season.

Head shots only – no group photos. Coach’s head shot is required at the coach’s registration at the National Championships. An appropriate athlete’s photo is required before an athlete satisfies all Clearinghouse requirements to become eligible.

Athlete Photos and Videos: All athlete photos and video images captured by the NCGA or its representatives during competition at any NCGA event are the property of the NCGA and may be used in any way deemed appropriate by the NCGA without compensation to the athlete or the school they represent.