SPORT	CURRENT COMPETITION START DATES traditional segment	PROPOSED COMPETITION START DATES trad seg (2002-03 SELECTION DATE)	CURRENT PRACTICE START DATES traditional segment	PROPOSED PRACTICE START DATES traditional segment	CURRENT CONTEST LIMITATIONS (PROPOSED LIMITS)	CURRENT SCRIMMAGES (PROPOSED SCRIMMAGES/DATES OF COMPETITION)
F A L L S P O R T S (12 week-traditional segment; 5-week nontraditional segment)
Cross Country	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday, except for an unlimited number of scrimmages may be conducted on one date and shall count as one DOC	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday (November 18)	Date that permits 16 practice opportunities before first DOC or September 1, whichever is later	No change	9 (9)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Field Hockey	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday, except for an unlimited number of scrimmages may be conducted on one date and shall count as one CON	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday (November 10)	Date that permits 16 practice opportunities prior to first intercollegiate CON	No change	20+4 (18+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Football	11 weeks before the first round of the DIII football championship	No change (November 17)	Date that permits 27 practice opportunities prior to first intercollegiate CON	No change	10 (10)	One preseason exempt (1 preseason exempted)
Soccer	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday, except for an unlimited number of scrimmages may be conducted on one date and shall count as one CON	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday (November 10)	Date that permits 16 practice opportunities prior to first intercollegiate CON	No change	20+4 (18+4)	Three preseason non-exempt (2 preseason exempted)
Volleyball (W)	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday, except for an unlimited number of scrimmages may be conducted on one date and shall count as one DOC	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday (November 10)	Date that permits 16 practice opportunities prior to first intercollegiate DOC	No change	22+4 (18+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Water Polo (M)	First Saturday in September	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday (November 30)	Date that permits 21 practice opportunities prior to first intercollegiate CON	Date that permits 16 practice opportunities prior to first intercollegiate CON	21(18+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)
W I N T E R S P O R T S (19-week season)
Basketball	Friday immediately before Thanksgiving.	No change (March 2)	October 15	19 consecutive weeks prior to selection date*	25 (25)	Two exempt (2 preseason exempted)
SPORT	CURRENT COMPETITION START DATES traditional segment	PROPOSED COMPETITION START DATES trad seg (2002-03 SELECTION DATE)	CURRENT PRACTICE START DATES traditional segment	PROPOSED PRACTICE START DATES traditional segment	CURRENT CONTEST LIMITATIONS (PROPOSED LIMITS)	CURRENT SCRIMMAGES (PROPOSED SCRIMMAGES/DATES OF COMPETITION)
Fencing	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (March 13)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	11 (11)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Gymnastics	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (April 1-M; March 31-W)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	13 (13)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Ice Hockey	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (March 9)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	25-M (25-M); 34-W (25-W)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Rifle	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (TBD)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	13 (13)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Skiing	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (February 25)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	16 (16)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Swimming and Diving	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (Feb. 28-W; March 7-M)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	16 (16)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Track and Field, Indoor	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (March 10)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	9 (9)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Wrestling	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (N/A)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 19 weeks prior to selection date**	16 (16)	None (2 preseason exempted)
S P R I N G S P O R T S (14-week traditional segment; 5-week nontraditional segment)
Baseball	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (May 11)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 14 weeks prior to selection date**	40+5 (36+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)

SPORT	CURRENT COMPETITION START DATES traditional segment	PROPOSED COMPETITION START DATES trad seg (2002-03 SELECTION DATE)	CURRENT PRACTICE START DATES traditional segment	PROPOSED PRACTICE START DATES traditional segment	CURRENT CONTEST LIMITATIONS (PROPOSED LIMITS)	CURRENT SCRIMMAGES (PROPOSED SCRIMMAGES/DATES OF COMPETITION)
Golf	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term [September 1 or preceding Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, except for preseason scrimmages, if TS is in the fall]	No set date (May 1-M) No set date (May 5-W)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term [August 24, if TS is in the fall]	No set date. Season includes 14 weeks prior to selection date**	20 (20)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Lacrosse	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (May 4)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Season includes 14 weeks prior to selection date**	17 w/max of 4 in the NTS (18 +4)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Rowing	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No change (May 13)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date. Institution may use more than 5 of 19 weeks during nontraditional segment.**	20 (20)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Softball	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (May 4)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	14 weeks prior to selection date**	40+5 (36+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Tennis	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term [September 1 or preceding Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, except for preseason scrimmages, if TS is in the fall]	No set date (May 5-W) No set date (April 28-M)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term [August 24, if TS is in the fall]	14 weeks prior to selection date**	20 (20)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Track and Field, Outdoor	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (May 19)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	14 weeks prior to selection date**	9 (9)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Volleyball (M)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (April 27)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	14 weeks prior to selection date**	28 (18+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)
Water polo (W)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	No set date (April 28)	September 7 or first day of classes for fall term	14 weeks prior to selection date**	21 (18+4)	None (2 preseason exempted)

Special Notes:

1. * Vacation, final-examination period or holiday periods may not be excluded in the sport of basketball.
2. ** An institution may exclude full weeks that include a vacation, final-examination period or holiday period during which no practice or competition occurs.
3. In the sport of rowing, institutions may use more than five consecutive weeks in the nontraditional segment due to safety concerns. Institutions are still limited to a total playing and practice season of 19-weeks.
4. For emerging sports (archery, badminton, bowling, squash, synchronized swimming, and team handball), practice and competition start dates and contest limitations remain the same. However, each emerging sport receives the two preseason exempted scrimmage opportunities that are proposed for other sports.
5. In the sports of golf, tennis, and rowing, contest limitations remain the same in consideration of weather-related issues.
6. The proposed contest limitations for women’s ice hockey is consistent with 2003 Proposal No. 48 (Playing and Practice Seasons—Number of Contests—Ice Hockey) that decreases the women’s ice hockey contest limitations from 34 to 25.
7. Length of season limitation for combined indoor and outdoor track and field programs will initially be 26 weeks pursuant to 2003 Proposal No. 50. However, the Playing and Practice Seasons Subcommittee will continue to review this issue.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association

October 21, 2002 MUE/LZ