MM 5.14: NCAA extends recruiting dead period through June

The NCAA announced Wednesday that the ongoing recruiting dead period would be extended until June 30.

Division I schools were currently under a dead period until the end of May, but now, on May 27 the NCAA Council Coordination Committee will review the dead period situation and could further extend the period.

During a dead period, coaches are not allowed to have in-person contact with student athletes on or off campuses. This bars schools from hosting recruits on visits and holding summer camps, but does allow for other contact between coaches and athletes.

On Monday, the NCAA announced that it was lifting restrictions for coaches to contact Class of 2021 football athletes as much as they pleased through the dead period.

Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) institutions may initiate telephone calls at their discretion to any individual (or the individual’s family members) beginning April 15 of the individual’s junior year of high school through the conclusion of the COVID-19 recruiting dead period.

This waiver permits an institutional coaching staff member to make telephone calls to prospective student- athletes (e.g., high school, two-year and four-year transfer student-athletes) at their discretion rom May 2020, through the conclusion of the COVID-19 recruiting dead period.

On the basketball side, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association recommended Monday that the NCAA extend the dead period through the end of July.

Many recruits aim to commit before their senior football seasons in the fall, but generally are able to take official visits before reaching their decisions. As the dead period is extended, players will be forced to either commit without visiting some campuses or draw out the process longer than anticipated.

In other news

Lila and Matt had recent Maryland men’s basketball grad transfer commit Galin Smith on a podcast to talk about his decision to join the Terps.

Maryland athletics named its Big Ten Medal of Honor recipients Wednesday.

Maryland men’s basketball quickly became a destination mentioned by college basketball analysts for Georgetown guard Mac McClung, whose intention to enter the transfer portal was announced Wednesday.

Anthony Cowan Jr. showed off his Maryland jersey collection.

Check out this clip from Maryland football’s #UNLOCKED.

Maryland men’s lacrosse posted a throwback to 2006.

Maryland field hockey gave a shout out to one its alums.

Women’s basketball’s Kaila Charles and men’s lacrosse’s Jared Bernhardt earned the 2020 Big Ten Medal of Honor awards for success on the field and in the classroom.

Maryland athletics honored a number of student athletes who achieved high levels of success in the classroom: