During which period is in-person contact with prospective student-athletes prohibited or severely limited?

• A. A period when in-person contact is completely unrestricted with no rules.
• B. A window when colleges can only communicate via email.
• C. A time when in-person contact with prospective students is prohibited or severely limited.
• D. A period when students can be recruited only for scholarships.

Answer: (C)

In the NCAA recruiting calendar, the period described by the phrase “in-person contact with prospective student-athletes is prohibited or severely limited” is the dead period. This is the time when coaches cannot meet with recruits face-to-face, whether on or off campus, so personal in-person recruitment is halted. Communications outside of in-person meetings, such as email or phone calls, are typically the only allowed channels, which is exactly what the description emphasizes.

The other scenarios do not capture this strict restriction on face-to-face interaction, since they imply some form of in-person contact or a different, nonstandard arrangement for communication. Thus, the period that best fits the statement is the dead period.