Completed Event: Women's Tennis versus Tulsa on February 21, 2026 , Win , 4, to, 0
W Tennis
vs Tulsa
W 4-0
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Booster Guide
FAQs
A "representative of the institution's athletic interest" (a.k.a. "booster") is an individual, independent agency, corporate entity (e.g. apparel or equipment manufacturer) or other organization that is known (or should have been known) by a member of Grand Canyon University executive or athletics administration to:
(a) Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization promoting GCU’s intercollegiate athletics program;
(b). Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of GCU;
(c) Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospects;
(d) Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
(e) Have been involved otherwise in promoting GCU's athletics program.
Note: Once an individual, agency, corporation or other organization is identified as a "representative of athletics interest", that person/entity retains that identity indefinitely.
The NCAA restricts the involvement that you may have with prospective student-athletes. Only coaches and authorized employees may be involved in the recruiting process. NCAA rules prohibit boosters from engaging in recruiting activities designed to secure a prospect’s enrollment at GCU. If a prospect contacts you regarding academic information, you may have correspondence discussing non-athletically related information at any time. Please remember any athletics recruiting conversation must be directed towards the applicable coaching staff member.
What constitutes a recruiting contact?
Any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or the prospect's parent(s), relative(s) or legal guardian(s) and a Grand Canyon University staff member or representative of athletic interests during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting. Any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged (e.g., positions himself/herself in a location where a contact is possible) or that takes place on the grounds of the prospect's educational institution or at the site of organized competition or practice involving the prospect or the prospect's high-school, preparatory school, two-year college or all-star team shall be considered a contact, regardless of whether any conversation occurs.
Permissible Activities for Boosters in Recruitment
The following list provides examples of permissible actions by boosters:
Prohibited Activities for Boosters in Recruitment
Boosters are prohibited from engaging the following activities. This list is not all-inclusive.
Employment of Prospective and Enrolled Student-Athletes
Boosters are permitted to employ prospective and enrolled student-athletes within certain parameters:
(a) Have participated in or to be a member of an agency or organization promoting GCU’s intercollegiate athletics program;
(b). Have made financial contributions to the athletics department or to an athletics booster organization of GCU;
(c) Be assisting or to have been requested (by the athletics department staff) to assist in the recruitment of prospects;
(d) Be assisting or to have assisted in providing benefits to enrolled student-athletes or their families; or
(e) Have been involved otherwise in promoting GCU's athletics program.
Note: Once an individual, agency, corporation or other organization is identified as a "representative of athletics interest", that person/entity retains that identity indefinitely.
The NCAA restricts the involvement that you may have with prospective student-athletes. Only coaches and authorized employees may be involved in the recruiting process. NCAA rules prohibit boosters from engaging in recruiting activities designed to secure a prospect’s enrollment at GCU. If a prospect contacts you regarding academic information, you may have correspondence discussing non-athletically related information at any time. Please remember any athletics recruiting conversation must be directed towards the applicable coaching staff member.
What constitutes a recruiting contact?
Any face-to-face encounter between a prospect or the prospect's parent(s), relative(s) or legal guardian(s) and a Grand Canyon University staff member or representative of athletic interests during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting. Any such face-to-face encounter that is prearranged (e.g., positions himself/herself in a location where a contact is possible) or that takes place on the grounds of the prospect's educational institution or at the site of organized competition or practice involving the prospect or the prospect's high-school, preparatory school, two-year college or all-star team shall be considered a contact, regardless of whether any conversation occurs.
Permissible Activities for Boosters in Recruitment
The following list provides examples of permissible actions by boosters:
- A booster may attend high school, prep school and two-year college athletic events at his/her own discretion (i.e., not at the direction of a university staff member), but may not have any contact with a prospect or his/her parents, relatives or legal guardians.
- An athletic representative can assist GCU by notifying the appropriate coaching staff of any student-athlete you think would be an asset to the athletic program (e.g., via newspaper clippings, telephone calls to coaching staff members, etc.) so that the coach can then make the appropriate contact with the prospect.
- An athletic representative can continue established friendships with families who have prospective or enrolled student-athletes but cannot encourage a prospect's participation in GCU athletics or provide benefits to a student-athlete (except as expressly permitted by NCAA rules).
- During an encounter with a prospect, if the prospect or his/her parent, relative or legal guardian asks a booster a question about GCU’s athletics program, simply direct their questions to the appropriate coach at GCU.
Prohibited Activities for Boosters in Recruitment
Boosters are prohibited from engaging the following activities. This list is not all-inclusive.
- Direct or indirect involvement in making arrangements for a prospect, the prospect's relatives or friends to receive money or financial aid of any kind.
- Providing free tickets or tickets at a reduced cost to any GCU home or away events for prospects, their relatives or friends. (Only the Athletic Department can provide complimentary admissions to prospective student-athletes at home athletic events.)
- Providing any transportation of any sort to prospects (or their parents/guardians/relatives/friends) including transportation to campus to attend athletic events.
- Paying or offering to pay registration fees for summer sports camps for a prospect.
- Contacting a prospect's coach, principal or counselor for the purpose of recruiting the prospect (e.g., meeting with the counselor, picking up a videotape of the prospect, etc.)
- Providing cash or loans in any amount, or signing or co-signing for a loan.
- Providing gifts of any kind, including birthday cards and holiday gifts.
- Providing special discounts for goods and services (e.g., movie tickets, car repairs, clothing, haircut, meals, legal services).
- Providing the use of any transportation (e.g., car, moped, motorcycle, etc.)
- Providing free or reduced-cost rent/housing.
- Entertaining prospective student-athletes, their friends or relatives.
Employment of Prospective and Enrolled Student-Athletes
Boosters are permitted to employ prospective and enrolled student-athletes within certain parameters:
- You may employ or arrange for the employment of a prospective student-athlete, but you must first obtain the approval of the Office of Athletics Compliance. Prospective student-athletes may not begin employment with a booster until they have completed their senior year in high school or withdrawn from their two-year college/completed their two-year college graduation requirements.
- You may employ or arrange for the employment of an enrolled student-athlete (during the summer or the academic year), but you must first obtain the approval of the Office of Compliance.
- You may not provide transportation for prospects or enrolled student-athletes that you employ (unless it is the company's established policy to transport all employees to the job site).
- NCAA rules require that compensation may be paid to a prospective or enrolled student-athlete only for work actually performed and at a rate commensurate with the going rate in that locality for similar services. Such compensation may not include any remuneration for the value or utility that the individual may have for the employer because of publicity, reputation, fame or personal following that he/she has obtained because of athletic ability.
Occasional Meals
NCAA regulations permit a GCU booster to provide a student-athlete or an entire team with a meal on an occasional basis. These meals must take place at the booster's home, on-campus or at a facility that is regularly used for home competition. Boosters may provide transportation to the meal only if it takes place at their home. Meals provided may be catered.
Please remember all occasional meals must be approved by the Office of Athletics Compliance prior to the meal taking place.
Please remember all occasional meals must be approved by the Office of Athletics Compliance prior to the meal taking place.
Social Media
GCU Athletics appreciates the support and loyalty from the best fans in college athletics.
We appreciate and understand your passion to enhancing our sports programs. With the quick advancement in technology and rule interpretations from the NCAA regarding social networking, it is important we address fan websites, message boards, and social networking sites. The internet has provided a platform for supporters from all over the world to display and communicate their passion for college athletics and their alma mater.
The following regulations regarding the internet are important for all Grand Canyon University supporters:
(1) Websites: The NCAA does not consider Grand Canyon University boosters/supporters/student groups who run fan Web sites to be members of the media. Therefore, when the administrators of such sites contact prospective student-athletes (an individual who has started classes for the seventh grade in men’s basketball and ninth grade for all other sports), interview them, and place the interview on their website, GCU is responsible for the impermissible contact.
Recently, a Division I BCS institution had a situation where prospective student-athletes were interviewed by the administrator of such a website, which resulted in a NCAA violation for the institution. As a result of this violation, the University had to declare both prospective student-athletes (who eventually signed with the institution) ineligible and appeal to the NCAA to have their eligibility reinstated.
(2) Message Boards: Supporters participating on a message board are not permitted to write, call, instant message, text, chat with, or e-mail a prospect or their parents/family members. Sometimes we will read on a message board that someone thinks it is okay to contact a prospect once they sign a National Letter of Intent with GCU. However, that signing does not change the fact he or she is still a prospect. Rules still exist for these individuals. We often also hear comments that because a person is not a graduate of GCU or a season ticket holder, they believe they are not a booster/supporter and it is okay for them to contact a prospect. However, part of the NCAA's definition of a booster includes anyone who contacts a recruit on behalf of the institution. Therefore, as soon as someone on a message board e-mails or sends a message out to a recruit, they automatically become a Representative of Athletics Interest and are subject to the NCAA rules prohibiting such contact.
(3) Social Networking: Boosters or fans are not permitted to use social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter, etc… to contact or otherwise attempt to correspond with prospects or their parents/family members. This includes, but is not limited to, posting on a wall, using the inbox/e-mail feature, instant messaging, "@replies", "mentions", or direct messaging. There have been multiple cases where institutions have issued cease-and-desist letters to students who formed a Facebook group urging a prospect to come to the university. The university saw the group as a fan's attempt to recruit the prospect, thus violating NCAA rules.
As electronic communication technology continues to advance, the opportunity for boosters of an athletics program to have impermissible contact with a prospect or prospect's family is greatly increased. However, the school's responsibility for that contact remains the same. To protect Grand Canyon University and our recruits, we ask all boosters, who enjoy access to the type of websites described above, to assist us in following the guidelines that govern those sites.
If you have questions at any time, or if you have knowledge of a possible violation, you should immediately contact the Office of Athletics Compliance at 602-639-7455 or at athleticscompliance@gcu.edu.
We appreciate and understand your passion to enhancing our sports programs. With the quick advancement in technology and rule interpretations from the NCAA regarding social networking, it is important we address fan websites, message boards, and social networking sites. The internet has provided a platform for supporters from all over the world to display and communicate their passion for college athletics and their alma mater.
The following regulations regarding the internet are important for all Grand Canyon University supporters:
(1) Websites: The NCAA does not consider Grand Canyon University boosters/supporters/student groups who run fan Web sites to be members of the media. Therefore, when the administrators of such sites contact prospective student-athletes (an individual who has started classes for the seventh grade in men’s basketball and ninth grade for all other sports), interview them, and place the interview on their website, GCU is responsible for the impermissible contact.
Recently, a Division I BCS institution had a situation where prospective student-athletes were interviewed by the administrator of such a website, which resulted in a NCAA violation for the institution. As a result of this violation, the University had to declare both prospective student-athletes (who eventually signed with the institution) ineligible and appeal to the NCAA to have their eligibility reinstated.
(2) Message Boards: Supporters participating on a message board are not permitted to write, call, instant message, text, chat with, or e-mail a prospect or their parents/family members. Sometimes we will read on a message board that someone thinks it is okay to contact a prospect once they sign a National Letter of Intent with GCU. However, that signing does not change the fact he or she is still a prospect. Rules still exist for these individuals. We often also hear comments that because a person is not a graduate of GCU or a season ticket holder, they believe they are not a booster/supporter and it is okay for them to contact a prospect. However, part of the NCAA's definition of a booster includes anyone who contacts a recruit on behalf of the institution. Therefore, as soon as someone on a message board e-mails or sends a message out to a recruit, they automatically become a Representative of Athletics Interest and are subject to the NCAA rules prohibiting such contact.
(3) Social Networking: Boosters or fans are not permitted to use social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter, etc… to contact or otherwise attempt to correspond with prospects or their parents/family members. This includes, but is not limited to, posting on a wall, using the inbox/e-mail feature, instant messaging, "@replies", "mentions", or direct messaging. There have been multiple cases where institutions have issued cease-and-desist letters to students who formed a Facebook group urging a prospect to come to the university. The university saw the group as a fan's attempt to recruit the prospect, thus violating NCAA rules.
As electronic communication technology continues to advance, the opportunity for boosters of an athletics program to have impermissible contact with a prospect or prospect's family is greatly increased. However, the school's responsibility for that contact remains the same. To protect Grand Canyon University and our recruits, we ask all boosters, who enjoy access to the type of websites described above, to assist us in following the guidelines that govern those sites.
If you have questions at any time, or if you have knowledge of a possible violation, you should immediately contact the Office of Athletics Compliance at 602-639-7455 or at athleticscompliance@gcu.edu.