Student-Athlete Award Limitations
Who May Receive Awards?
All members of a team may receive participation awards and special attainment awards (i.e. scholar-athlete, team leader award). However, only student-athletes who were eligible to compete in conference, NCAA or other post-season tournaments or events may receive awards in conjunction with those events.
Timing of Awards
Participation awards, awards for winning a regular season conference championship and awards given by a conference for participation in a conference championship may be given to student-athletes at the conclusion of the regular playing season. Awards for winning a conference or NCAA championship may not be provided until the conclusion of the championship.
Awards for Participation in Special Events
NCAA rules permit the management of an established meet or tournament and/or the institution to provide an award or combination of awards that do not exceed $350 in value to participating student-athletes. For example, if RMU’s women’s basketball team was participating in a four-team holiday tournament, it would be permissible to provide the participating student-athletes with an award such as a winter coat.
Value of Awards
Only retail value may be used in calculating the value of an award provided to a student-athlete, even if the awards were received free of charge or at a reduced price.
Exception - If a vendor offers a volume discount that would be offered to all purchasers of similar volume, the value of the student-athletes’ awards may be based on the discounted price.
Student-Athlete Contributing to Award Purchase
Any arrangement in which a student-athlete contributes money, even voluntarily, to the cover the cost of an award would not be permissible.
Source of Awards
At RMU, an award not purchased by the NCAA or member conference must be purchased by the University. It is permissible for a booster club or other outside organization to donate funds to the University for purposes covering the cost of specified student-athlete awards.
What Must be Included in Award Limits?
Most things provided to a student-athlete by coaches or the institution that are not expressly authorized in NCAA legislation must be included in award limitations. Examples include a game ball given to a student-athlete for an exceptional performance in a specific game or a framed picture given to a graduating senior as a memento of his participation.
May Award Categories be Combined?
No. Award categories must always be treated independently. Thus, it would not be permissible to combine the value of a $325 participation award with a $175 MVP award to purchase a student-athlete a $500 award.
How Does RMU Monitor Student-Athlete Awards?
All award orders must receive prior Office of Athletic Compliance approval. Prior to purchase of any awards coaches must submit a Team Award Purchase Approval Form to the Office of Athletic Compliance. All proposed awards for purchase must be indicated and individuals receiving said awards listed.
Uniformity of Awards
NCAA rules require that all awards provided to members of a team be the uniform. An exception to this rule allows more than one type of award to be provided to groups of student-athletes within a team (i.e. all seniors get rings, all underclassmen get watches). In this case, all awards within each category must be the same (all watches must be identical).
Do Scheduled Annual Gifts from the Department Have to be Counted?
Yes.
May Student-Athletes Sell Award or Equipment/Apparel Items?
No, student-athletes are not permitted to sell or exchange any item they have received through their participation in intercollegiate athletics, even if the item is not personalized.
May Student-Athletes be Awarded Game Balls?
The NCAA has issued the following interpretation regarding the provision of game balls:
- Awarding of Game Balls: The legislative services staff confirmed that it is not permissible to award game balls to student-athletes for specialized performances in particular contests or events or during a limited time period (e.g., "player of the game" or "player of the week"); however, an institution may provide a game ball to a student-athlete only on an occasional basis to recognize an extraordinary achievement (e.g., career achievement, establishing an institutional record).
ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY
COOPERATION, CONSCIENCE, COMPLIANCE... COLONIALS!
