Athletic Eligibility

Lakeland University is a member of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) and follows National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) policies and procedures. In order to participate in athletics, full-time undergraduate students (students enrolled in twelve (12) semester hours or more and designated as traditional on-campus students) must maintain satisfactory academic progress towards completion of the college degree by earning at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA and by having earned a minimum of twenty-four (24) semester hours during their last two full-time terms of attendance. Credit earned during part-time terms which occur between the student’s last two (2) full-time terms of attendance or immediately following the student’s last full-time term of attendance may be counted toward this 24-semester-hour rule. Also, summer courses qualify as hours earned during the previous spring term. 

• All students who have completed fewer than nineteen (19) semester hours and who have been enrolled at Lakeland University for only one fall or spring academic term will be allowed to remain academically eligible with a cumulative GPA of 1.75 or above. 
• A student-athlete may be on probation for a term, due to a low term GPA, but for athletic eligibility purposes is still regarded in good academic standing providing his/her cumulative GPA is 2.0 or better. 
• A student athlete may repeat a failed course; however, any repeated courses previously completed with a passing grade do not count towards satisfactory academic progress or eligibility requirements, nor is additional credit awarded.

If a student-athlete withdraws from a full term of attendance after the add/drop period, that term will be counted for eligibility purposes. For example, a student completes the fall 2024 term and earns sixteen (16) semester hours but withdraws from all of their twelve (12) semester hours of classes following the add/drop period of the spring 2025 term. The fall 2024 and spring 2025 terms demonstrate the student’s last two (2) full-time terms of attendance. Since student-athletes must earn twenty-four (24) semester hours during their last two (2) terms of full-time attendance, this student is short eight (8) semester hours for eligibility purposes. The student must earn at least eight (8) semester hours during the summer term to be eligible athletically. Note: If there are extenuating circumstances that led to the complete withdrawal from a term, the individual’s circumstance may be taken to the Athletic Appeal Committee for review. 

Transfer Students: Upon entry to Lakeland University, a transfer student-athlete must be in good academic standing at the transferring institution and must be confirmed as eligible to participate by that institution in order to participate immediately at Lakeland. Confirmation of athletic eligibility must be verified by the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference tracer report.

• The transfer student must have earned a 2.0 cumulative GPA and twenty-four (24) semester hours within the last two (2) terms of full-time attendance.
• Upon completion of one full-time term of attendance (enrollment in at least twelve (12) semester hours), the student’s grade-point-averages from Lakeland and the transfer institutions are combined to determine if the student has a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better.
• The semester hours from the last full-time term of attendance at the transfer institution will be combined with the number of semester hours earned during the student’s first full-time term of attendance at Lakeland to determine if the student meets the 24-semester-hour rule.
• After two (2) full-time terms of attendance at Lakeland, the transfer credit and GPA will not be included in the determination of athletic eligibility; however, the transfer terms will be counted to determine if the student is within their first ten (10) semesters of full-time enrollment.
• A student who transfers to the certifying institution shall be immediately eligible if the student has never practiced or competed in intercollegiate athletics. The Athletics Tracer Report must confirm this. 

Graduate students who have not exhausted their eligibility must adhere to the NCAA guidelines. 

• Student participation in athletics is limited to ten (10) terms of full-time enrollment, and/or four (4) seasons of participation, whichever occurs first. 
• Contingent upon approval of the Athletic Director, a student-athlete who is in their last term before graduation may be enrolled in fewer than twelve (12) semester hours as long as they are enrolled in the courses which will enable them to graduate at the end of that term.
  • Furthermore, a student-athlete may be enrolled less than full-time if carrying (for credit) the courses necessary to complete their degree requirements other than the outstanding full-time experiential learning requirement (co-op, internship, practicum, and student teaching).
  • For example, a student-athlete entering their ninth (9) semester in fall 2024 needs six (6) semester hours of coursework plus twelve (12) semester hours of experiential learning to complete the degree. The student may be part-time in fall and full-time in spring 2025, while maintaining athletic eligibility for both semesters. 

Academic eligibility requirements may be adjusted based on institutional, conference, and NCAA legislation updates.