The NCAA issued a clear message on Monday regarding transfer rules and tampering. In short, until a player’s name appears in the transfer portal, conversations about a possible move are off limits, even if initiated by a third party.
In a memo issued to schools, the NCAA said “communications of any kind” are prohibited before a player’s official entry into the portal. That restriction applies not only to coaches and athletics staff, but also to boosters and other representatives of a school’s interests.
“Communications of any kind are not permitted with a student-athlete at another school — or any other representatives of their interests, including agents — before that student-athlete enters the NCAA Transfer Portal,” the memo read, according to a copy obtained by USCHO. “If a coach is contacted by an agent of a student-athlete who is not in the Transfer Portal, any further communication of that discussion is considered a rules violation. That includes a coach or a booster expressing interest in or suggesting the possibility of a roster spot opening for a student-athlete should the individual enter the Transfer Portal.”
The guidance underscores the NCAA’s ongoing concerns about tampering in the portal era, where player movement has accelerated amid expanded transfer freedoms and name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities.
In recent years, it has become common for athletes to enter the portal with a likely destination already emerging, fueling speculation about back-channel recruiting conversations.