Progress Rule: GPA requirement

Changes to the Progress Rule

Article V, Section C, Item 9

Progress Rule – GPA Requirement

May 1, 2022 as applied to eligibility decisions for competition in August 2022 or beyond:

To participate in a second, third and/or fourth season in a sport, all students must have and maintain a total cumulative GPA of at least 2.000 on a 4.000 scale.

EXCEPTION: A student is exempt from this requirement during their second season of competition in a sport if the previous season of competition was charged for non-intercollegiate participation.

Amended Bylaw Article V, Section C, Item 9

Prior to this change athletes were not required to have a specific collegiate GPA until they were a junior academically or athletically. Now an athlete must have at least a 2.000 GPA before they compete in their second season of competition and from then on. The progress rule, where this GPA requirement is found, is sport specific and tied specifically to seasons of competition charged. If a student is going into their second season of competition in baseball but is competing in their first season in football they would need to meet the GPA for baseball and not football. This means a student could be eligible for one sport and not be eligible for a subsequent sport.

With this new change also comes a new exception. A student is exempt from meeting this GPA requirement for their second season of competition if their previous season that was charged was for non-intercollegiate competition. For example, an international student competed in a chargeable league prior to coming to the NAIA and was charged for that competition. This student would not be expected to have a 2.000 GPA to compete in their second season of competition. On the other hand if a student was charged a season at a junior college and came to the NAIA for her second season of competition, they would have to meet the 2.000 GPA.

This amendment was proposed by the Council of Faculty Athletic Representatives and will go into effect on May 1, 2022, as applied to eligibility decisions for competition in August 2022 and beyond.