13.8.2.1 Tryouts. A member institution may conduct a tryout of a prospective student-athlete only on its campus or at a site at which it normally conducts practice or competition beginning June 15 immediately preceding the prospective student-athlete's junior year in high school and only under the following conditions (see Bylaw 17.02.15 for tryouts of currently enrolled students): (Revised: 1/13/98 effective 8/1/98, 1/11/00 effective 8/1/00, 1/19/13 effective 6/15/13 for any prospective student-athlete entering their junior year in high school 6/15/13 and thereafter)

(a) Not more than one tryout per prospective student-athlete per institution per sport shall be permitted. This limitation applies separately to the period in which the prospective student-athlete is in high school and to the period beginning September 1 after the prospective student-athlete's completion of high school; (Revised: 1/17/15)

(1) Exception – Additional Tryout After Departure of Head Coach. After a new head coach is hired, a prospective student-athlete may participate in an additional tryout. (Adopted: 7/23/24 effective 8/1/24)

(b) The tryout may be conducted for a high school, preparatory school or two-year college prospective student-athlete at any time. For a four-year college student, the tryout may be conducted after the conclusion of the sport season, provided authorization through the notification of transfer process (per Bylaw 13.1.1.3) has been obtained; (Revised: 1/11/94, 1/9/96 effective 8/1/96, 1/12/04, 1/10/05 effective 8/1/05, 4/11/06, 1/19/13 effective 6/15/13 for any prospective student-athlete entering their junior year in high school 6/15/13 and thereafter, 7/23/13, 1/18/14 effective 6/15/14, 7/23/24 effective 8/1/24)

(c) Prior to participation in a tryout, a prospective student-athlete is required to undergo a medical examination or evaluation administered or supervised by a physician (e.g., family physician, team physician). A nurse practitioner whose state medical licensure allows for health care practice independent of physician supervision may complete the medical examination without supervision by a physician. The examination or evaluation shall include a sickle cell solubility test (SST), unless documented results of a prior test are provided to the institution. The examination or evaluation must be administered within one year prior to participation in the tryout. The medical examination or evaluation may be conducted by an institution's regular team physician or other designated physician as a part of the tryout; (Revised: 7/24/07 effective 8/1/07, 10/18/11, 1/14/12 effective 8/1/12, 1/16/13 effective 6/15/13 for any prospective student-athlete entering their junior year in high school 6/15/13 and thereafter, 7/22/14, 7/19/16, 1/22/22 effective 8/1/22, 1/17/25 effective 8/1/25)

(d) The tryout may include tests to evaluate the prospective student-athlete's strength, speed, agility and sport skills. Except in the sports of football, ice hockey, men's lacrosse, men's wrestling and women's wrestling, the tryout may include competition. In the sport of football, the prospective student-athletes shall not wear helmets or pads; (Revised: 1/10/05, 4/14/15, 1/27/20 effective 8/1/20)

(e) Competition against the member institution's team is permissible, provided such competition is considered a countable athletically related activity per Bylaw 17.02.1; (Adopted: 1/10/91, Revised: 1/11/94, 4/14/15)

(f) The time of the tryout activities (other than the physical examination) shall be limited to two hours; and (Revised: 4/16/19)

(1) Exception. In golf, the time of the tryout activities (other than the physical examination) shall be limited to five hours. (Adopted: 1/27/20)

(g) The institution may provide equipment and clothing on an issuance-and-retrieval basis to a prospective student-athlete during the period of the tryout.