Intramural Eligibility Policies

ARTICLE 1

Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for participation in the student Intramural Sports Program. Graduate assistants and teaching assistants may participate in the faculty/staff program if they are not participating in the student program. Any student that discontinues all ties with the University becomes ineligible for intramural sport competition at that time.

ARTICLE 2

A student, undergraduate or graduate, may participate if they are carrying one (1) or more credit hours of class work and has paid the University Programs and Facilities Fee (student fees). Extension and correspondence courses do not qualify an individual for intramural sports participation. All participants must present their current UNL photo I. D. on site prior to each participation.

ARTICLE 3

Faculty/staff members may participate in activities available to the student population in which a separate faculty/staff program is not concurrently offered. UNL faculty and staff members who have paid the Campus Recreation Programs and Facilities Fee (members) are eligible to participate in the Intramural Sports Program. Eligible faculty/staff non-members may participate only in the individual faculty/staff intramural sport activities. Alumni are not eligible unless they are current students or fee-paying faculty/staff.

ARTICLE 4

An independent team wishing to accumulate points may consist of students from all residence listings. However, to compete for the All-University Sports Award, a roster of not more than 40 names must be submitted to the Assistant Director for Intramural Sports. In addition, recognized student organizations may sign up to play in the independent student organization division and compete for the All-University Sports Award. Student organizations are not required to submit a roster as above. Team rosters must be turned in before an activity starts in order to be eligible for points in that activity.

ARTICLE 5

No player may participate on more than one team in the same sport/activity. Exceptions;

1. A player may move from a "C" team to a "B" team, or from a "B" team to an "A" team within the same organization. A player may not move from a higher division league to a lower division league;
2. If an individual is a member of a recognized student organization (fraternities and sororities are recognized student organizations) and that organization has registered a team in the student organization division, s/he may play for the recognized student organization team and also one other team. The second team may not be in the same organization.
3. If an individual is playing as a substitute as defined in Article 11

Violation of any of the provisions of Article 5 will result in the individual being suspended for the remainder of the activity in which the violation(s) occurred. In addition, the team(s) will forfeit all contests in which an ineligible player participated.

ARTICLE 6

A rostered player is defined as a player who has signed a team roster/scorecard as a regular player during regular season play. Regular season substitutes are not considered rostered players.

ARTICLE 7

If an individual changes residence during an activity season, the individual shall be permitted to compete during the remainder of that activity with the team for which they began play. However, the individual must enter subsequent activities with their new organization.

ARTICLE 8

Any player using an assumed name will be declared ineligible for the remainder of that sport and for all intramural sport activities and CRec facilities for a minimum period of 7 days (not counting University holidays). If a player is a team member, all games in which they played or plays will be forfeited by the team(s). In the event a staff assistant and/or official discovers the deception prior to the event or game, the UNL I. D. card will be confiscated and turned over to Student Judicial Affairs.

ARTICLE 9

An individual playing for more than one team illegally in an activity or event will forfeit the right to continue play in that activity. A team will forfeit any contest in which an ineligible player is used (forfeit fees will be lost accordingly).

ARTICLE 10

Players competing for their fraternity, sorority, and/or residence hall (RH) must be bona fide members of their respective units or floors. All legally processed pledges, including those living in residence halls, will be allowed to participate for their fraternity or sorority. Teams competing in the fraternity and sorority division must be in good standing with the Interfraternity Council and PanHellenic Council respectively and must be deemed eligible by those entities. Respective units for residence halls have been reviewed and designated by the Campus Recreation Advisory Council and the Intramural Sports Program; (Click HERE for a complete listing of competitive breakdowns.)

For example: to compete in the RH divisions, all players must be residents of that floor or a resident of the RH competitive breakdown units (i.e., Harper 4 or Cather 10 & 12).

ARTICLE 11

A substitute is defined as a participant playing on a team for which they are not officially rostered.  Teams in all divisions will be permitted substitutes with the following limitations:

1. The number of players for a team using substitutes may not exceed the standard number of players needed to play the game. For example, a basketball team may use substitutes as needed but only to field a team of five. The general standard number of players for Intramural team sports are as follows:

    

   4-on-4 Volleyball: 4 
   Basketball: 5 
   Broomball: 5 
   Dodgeball: 6 
   Flag Football (M,W): 7

    

   Flag Football(C): 8 
   Indoor Soccer: 6 
   Outdoor Soccer: 8 
   Softball: 10 
   Volleyball: 6

    
2. Substitutes may only be used in the regular season. Only players officially rostered to a team may participate in playoffs.
3. Substitutes must abide by all existing eligibility rules. Note: Eligibility Rule, Article 10 still applies, substitutes for residence hall, fraternity, and sorority teams must be members of their respective units.

ARTICLE 12

For an individual to be eligible for the playoffs, they must be an officially rostered player (substitutes are not allowed) and meet all other eligibility requirements.

ARTICLE 13

For an individual to be eligible for the championship game in a short-term (weekend, etc.) tournament, they must have played in at least one game prior to the championship game for their team.

ARTICLE 14

An individual/team must compete against an opponent and/or the clock to receive an award (trophy and/or t-shirt).

ARTICLE 15

Non-lettering student athletes not receiving financial aid based on athletic ability will be eligible for intramural sports competition immediately upon officially quitting or being dropped from their respective intercollegiate athletic squad.

ARTICLE 16

Any student receiving financial aid based on athletic ability shall be ineligible in the sport and/or related activities while the grant is in force. See Article 19 for related activities.

ARTICLE 17

Any person lettering from a four (4) year collegiate institution will not be eligible to participate in the sport and/or related activities until one academic year has passed since the individual was last a member of the collegiate team. The individual is considered a member of the collegiate team until the collegiate season has ended. The rule applies to transfer students as well as to UNL lettering athletes. The academic year in which the award was earned does not count as the first year of the one year waiting period.

ARTICLE 18

Professional athletes will be restricted in the same manner as collegiate lettering athletes. An athlete is deemed to be professional when they sign a contract and receives compensation with any organized professional or semi-professional team, and ends on May 31 of the corresponding school year in which they participated. Summer participation will be considered to be part of the upcoming academic year.

ARTICLE 19

Candidates for intercollegiate athletic squads (including red-shirted athletes) are not eligible for intramural sports participation in the sports in which they are practicing and related (carry-over) activities as listed below:

ARTICLE 20

A partial qualifier or nonqualifier may participate in the institution's intramural sports program (provided the intramural sports team is not coached by a member of the institution's Athletic Department staff), but during the first year of enrollment, such an individual is not permitted to practice or compete on an institutional club or on an outside (extramural) sports team. Intramural sports teams may not have more than 2 such players on their rosters in the specific or related sport in which the athlete participates.

ARTICLE 21

Intramural sport athletes are required to leave play until any bleeding is stopped, open wounds are covered, and blood-soiled uniforms/clothing are removed or treated with a bleach disinfectant.

ARTICLE 22

Members of Sport Clubs are eligible for intramural sports participation in the sport(s) in which they are Sport Club members.  A maximum of two Sport Club members may be on the playing field at any given time.  Other restrictions may be specified in the activity’s flyer or rules. Protests must be lodged at the time of the infraction and violation of this rule will result in forfeiture of the match.  Sport Club membership will be determined by the Assistant Director for Sports Clubs.

ARTICLE 23

Eligibility for co-rec intramural sports shall be the same as for the men's and women's programs with the following exceptions and additions:

NOTE: in ~A & B above, faculty, staff, and student spouses/collateral dependents must have paid their Campus Recreation Programs and Facilities Fee to be eligible to participate. See Article 3.

Responsibility for Eligibility

Campus Recreation does not assume total responsibility for checking the eligibility of people participating in the Intramural Sports Program, but any cases of ineligibility called to its attention will be dealt with according to the rules. Organization representatives are responsible for checking the eligibility of their own players and should regularly check that of their opponents.