Lacrosse NCAA Transfer Rules

College lacrosse players interested in transferring from one NCAA institution to another NCAA institution must abide by the NCAA transfer rules. Each year, the NCAA publishes a transfer guide for student-athletes interested in potentially seeking a transfer. A successful transfer depends on the student-athlete's ability to meet a number of criteria set forth by the NCAA, including a primary emphasis placed on good academic standing.

  1. Definition of a Transfer Athlete

    • A transfer athlete is considered any player who enrolled at a school and participated in a school's lacrosse program. The amount of participation is irrelevant with regard to transfer status, as attending practice, practicing or participating in games are all considered participation.

    Types of Transfers

    • The NCAA considers transfers as one of three categories: qualifiers, partial-qualifiers and non-qualifiers. A determination is made based upon an athlete's credentials coming out of high school. Qualifiers meet all minimum NCAA eligibility requirements, including grade point average, SAT/ACT scores and core curriculum classes. A partial qualifier meets some of the NCAA requirements and cannot participate at the Division I level. Partial qualifiers may receive scholarship money and practice at the Division II level, but not participate in games. A non-qualifier athlete must sit out the first year of eligibility, including practices and games and cannot regain that year of eligibility.

    Intra-Division Transfers

    • Lacrosse athletes enrolled at Division I or Division II schools, must first ask for a release from their scholarships from the school's athletic director or office of compliance. While an athlete may initiate contact with another school, the school may not respond unless permission is received from the school where the athlete is enrolled. After transfer, an athlete must sit out one academic year. In Division III, lacrosse athletes may transfer without the consent of their current school and may be eligible to play immediately, if academically and athletically qualified.

    Inter-Division Transfers

    • In most cases, transferring between divisions does not require a player to sit out a year, unless that player does not meet minimum academic requirements. Thus, a player going from a two-year Division II school to a four-year Division I school would not have to sit out a year. Conversely, a player who transfers from a four-year Division I school to a two-year Division II would not have to sit out a year either. In the case of Division III, any athlete who transfers into a Division III school must only have met the previous academic and athletic requirements of their previous school to obtain immediate eligibility.

    Five Year Clock

    • The NCAA implemented a five-year clock which begins as soon as an athlete enrolls in college. The rule states that any player has five years to complete four years of eligibility. For example, consider a college lacrosse goalie who plays as a freshman, but decides to transfer after the season. If that goalie had to sit-out a full academic year, the player would lose the ability to play as a sophomore, but could play as a fifth-year senior to utilize the final year of eligibility.