NCAA
University sports overseer
The NCAA is the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the organization that governs college sports in the United States.
It sets rules for eligibility, recruiting, and competition across three divisions.
NCAA basketball and NCAA football draw massive audiences, with March Madness—the annual basketball tournament—being particularly prominent in American sports culture.
Adhering to requirements
- recruitingEnlisting new members
- transfer portalAthletic recruitment database
- amateurismNonexpert or unpaid status
- redshirtAthlete held back a year
academic standards · clearinghouse · violations · infractions · sanctions · probation · roster · signing day
Team sport with hoops
- footballField sport with goals
- baseballBat-and-ball team sport
- soccerField sport with goals
- volleyballCourt game over net
lacrosse · wrestling · gymnastics · swimming · diving · tennis · golf · softball
NCAA tournament season
- bracketSupport or category
- Final FourChampionship tournament semifinalists
- Elite EightNCAA tournament's third weekend
- Sweet SixteenTournament's remaining sixteen
seed · upset · Cinderella · buzzer-beater · Selection Sunday · at-large · regional · College Football Playoff
Second-tier collegiate athletics
- Division IIINCAA tier without scholarships
- Big TenMajor collegiate athletic conference
- SECStock market regulator
- ACCEastern collegiate division
Pac-12 · conference · realignment · reclassification · independent · affiliate · subdivision
One balancing academics and sports
- scholarshipEducational funding or erudition
- walk-onSmall nonspeaking role
- recruitNew member sought
- signeeOne who commits formally
prospect · blue-chip · five-star · commit · verbal · letter of intent · captain · draft prospect
compliance
Adhering to requirements
- recruitingEnlisting new members
- transfer portalAthletic recruitment database
- amateurismNonexpert or unpaid status
redshirt · academic standards · clearinghouse · violations · infractions · sanctions · probation · roster · signing day · commitment
basketball
Team sport with hoops
volleyball · lacrosse · wrestling · gymnastics · swimming · diving · tennis · golf · softball · hockey
March Madness
NCAA tournament season
- bracketSupport or category
- Final FourChampionship tournament semifinalists
- Elite EightNCAA tournament's third weekend
Sweet Sixteen · seed · upset · Cinderella · buzzer-beater · Selection Sunday · at-large · regional · College Football Playoff · bowl game
Division II
Second-tier collegiate athletics
- Division IIINCAA tier without scholarships
- Big TenMajor collegiate athletic conference
- SECStock market regulator
ACC · Pac-12 · conference · realignment · reclassification · independent · affiliate · subdivision
student-athlete
One balancing academics and sports
- scholarshipEducational funding or erudition
- walk-onSmall nonspeaking role
- recruitNew member sought
signee · prospect · blue-chip · five-star · commit · verbal · letter of intent · captain · draft prospect
- sports leaguesNFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, WNBA
- Lacrosselacrosse stick, lacrosse ball, goal, goalie, attack
- Basketball LeaguesNBA, WNBA, EuroLeague, NBL, CBA
- sports governancegoverning body, regulatory body, FIFA, UEFA, IOC
- basketballbasketball, rebound, dunk, basketball camps, dribble
- college sportscollege athletics, college basketball, college football, college baseball, varsity teams
NCAANFL
Pro football organization
NBA · MLB · NHL · professional sports · MLS
Organized paid competitive sports
club sports · youth sports · AAU · high school athletics · intramural sports
- NCAA athleticsOrganized university-level competition
- NCAA championshipsPeak university sports competitions
- NCAA Division ITop-tier collegiate athletics