The Division I men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees proposed a legislative package Friday aimed at deregulating preseason exhibitions, foreign tours, coaching limitations and summer access hours.
All bills must be approved by the Division I Cabinet before becoming official. Cabinet is expected to discuss the proposals in April.
The preseason exhibition proposal would allow teams to participate in three preseason practice games and/or exhibition games against four-year schools for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The rationale for the proposal includes helping prepare student-athletes for regular season competition.
Both committees believe the proposal provides opportunities to raise awareness of college basketball.
Currently, teams are allowed to play two preseason practice games and/or exhibition games against four-year schools.
Both oversight committees also recommended legislation allowing teams to tour overseas each year.
If approved, the measure would eliminate the restriction that schools can only tour abroad once every four years.
The committees want to give schools the flexibility to plan overseas tours and believe it can also improve the student-athlete experience.
Both oversight committees also proposed making summer access hours more flexible by eliminating the restriction that limits skills-related instruction to four of the allowed eight hours per week.
If passed, it would give coaches discretion to decide how many of the eight hours they devote to teaching skills and weightlifting each week in the summer.
Both oversight committees proposed allowing any team personnel to provide technical and tactical instruction to student-athletes.
Additionally, a school could designate up to six staff members who could contact or evaluate potential student-athletes off-campus, with a limit of four staff members per day. The head coach must be designated as one of six off-campus recruiters.
If approved, this legislation would take effect immediately for summer 2026.
Currently, only six countable coaches are allowed to recruit off campus.
Committee members believe it should be up to each school to determine which staff members can provide instruction to student-athletes during practices/competitions.
The Division I men’s basketball oversight committee has proposed allowing prospects to take unofficial visits beginning their junior year of high school. This aligns men’s basketball with the women’s recruiting rule in this area.
Currently, prospects cannot take unofficial visits until August 1 of their sophomore year of high school.
