The College Sports Glossary of Terms

Whether you want to get recruited, play for fun, or cheer from the sidelines, this athletics glossary has all the college sports terms you should know.

Woo, sports! Athletics are a big part of the college experience for student-athletes, fans, and those looking to stay active. So we put together this ultimate athletics glossary to explain all the important (and fun!) stuff you might encounter on a college campus. Whether you want to get recruited, play for fun, or cheer from the sidelines, here are a few college sports terms you should know, tips to help you during the admission process, and a little trivia too! 

For the serious student-athlete

All-American

Outstanding student-athlete recognized by the College Sports Information Directors of America in various collegiate sports. The student-athlete must be nominated by his or her head coach and meet certain academic and athletic criteria, including maintaining a high GPA and playing a certain percentage of games. 

Eligibility

Status student-athletes must maintain in order to play Division I and II sports, according to NCAA standards. High school students must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and meet certain academic requirements regarding core courses, GPA, and standardized test scores in order to compete at D-I and D-II schools. D-III schools maintain their own admission standards and do not require registration. (See "NCAA Divisions I, II, III" below for more info.) 

Full ride

Rare athletic scholarship that covers a student-athlete’s tuition and fees, room, board, and textbooks. Offered in six NCAA Division I sports (football; men’s and women’s basketball; and women’s gymnastics, volleyball, and tennis). Full-ride scholarships are not guaranteed for four years and must be renewed year to year by the institution. Full rides are not available at Division II or III schools.

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)

The two main governing boards of college athletics that control everything from student eligibility to the number of official campus visits a student may make in the recruitment process (see "Recruitment" below).

NCAA Divisions I, II, III

Classifications that indicate the level of competition and amount of money a college devotes to athletics. D-I schools offer the most scholarships to student-athletes in general, but some do not offer them at all (e.g., Ivy League schools). D-II schools offer some athletic scholarships, while D-III schools do not offer any. The NCAA is exerting greater pressure on colleges to make sure that athletes do well in class and on the field. Colleges may lose scholarships or competition eligibility if their players fail to meet the association’s academic standards.

Recruitment

Process by which a college or university woos a student-athlete by letter, phone, invitation to campus, and/or personal visit. The most serious sign of interest is a coach’s visit to a student’s home. But it’s admission departments, not coaches, who admit students. Coaches may make promises they cannot keep, and early sincere enthusiasm may wane as they land other recruits.

Recruitment services

Businesses that compile student-athlete résumé-type profiles and send them to many (sometimes up to 800) colleges for a fee (usually $300–$600). Services guarantee responses from some schools but they don’t guarantee admission to any. Students who are not heavily recruited may find these services effective, as do colleges that don’t have large recruiting budgets. And services are not the same as agents, who charge a commission for obtaining scholarships; agents are not allowed in college athletics.

Redshirt

Student-athlete who attends college, practices with the team, and is present at games but does not compete for one year at their coach’s discretion in order to further develop their skills and extend their eligibility to play at the collegiate level to five years. A redshirt freshman is technically a sophomore, academically speaking. (Also see “True freshman.”)

Self-recruiting

Process by which the student “markets” themselves to the institution. A few tips for self-recruitment:

  • Contact the college admission and athletic departments to ask for information. Write a short but personalized letter to each college coach, stating your athletic and academic accomplishments and a sincere interest in playing for the coach.
  • If a coach responds to your letter, suggest a college visit, invite the coach or his or her delegate to visit you, and/or send a short video of yourself in action.

Title IX

1972 law requiring institutions that receive federal aid to treat men and women equitably regarding number of scholarships, teams, and resources offered.  

True freshman

Student-athlete who is in their first year of college both athletically and academically; not to be mistaken for a redshirt freshman, who starts competing during their second year (see “Redshirt”).

Related: What You Need to Know About Athletic Recruitment 

For the more casual athlete

Club sports

College teams that compete against other schools but are not regulated by the NAIA or NCAA. They are often student-run, hold tryouts and practices, and do not receive funding from the school. In terms of commitment, club sports require less than varsity but more than intramural teams (see “Intramural sports”).

Co-ed/co-recreational

Club and intramural sports teams or leagues in which both males and females can play with and compete against each other. There must be the same number of each gender on a co-rec team, i.e., five male and five female players.  

Intramural sports

Recreational leagues and teams for all students, regardless of skill level. Teams are organized within the institution, and participation is not required. Many students join intramurals to meet new people on campus, stay active, and have fun. Common programs include basketball, flag football, soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, kickball, etc.

Related: What's the Difference Between Intramural and Club Sports? 

For the super-fan

Fight song

A school song chanted by fans to cheer on a team. Some college fight songs are over 100 years old; the oldest, Boston College’s “For Boston,” was written in 1885.

March Madness

Nickname for the annual NCAA Division I men’s college basketball tournament held during the month of March. Fans go “mad” with excitement watching teams play in the bracket-style competition. Also called “The Big Dance.”

Tailgate

Social event where fans gather together outside, typically in a parking lot next to a stadium, before a big game. Food and drinks are served from the back of vehicles, yard games are played, and school spirit is required!

Whiteout

Annual game (often for college hockey, basketball, or football) where fans dress in white to show their spirit/solidarity and intimidate the opposing team.

Related: 15 Colleges with the Most School Spirit 

Are you ready for some football (or basketball, or tennis, or whatever your sport may be) now?? Whether you're a serious student-athlete, a diehard fan, or somewhere in between, you can enjoy the sport you love on campus—and now you know all the lingo too. Go team! 

Find schools with all your favorite sports using our College Lists & Rankings

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:

About CollegeXpress

CollegeXpress

Welcome to CollegeXpress, your one-stop college shop! We’re a free college planning website used by millions of college-bound students, parents, and counselors—anyone who needs help navigating the college search and application process, financial aid opportunities, and more. You’ll find comprehensive College Search and Scholarship Search tools, tons of articles and expert advice, unique college lists and rankings, and lots of other resources to help make your life easier. Teen Vogue even named us one of the 7 Best College Search Websites! But current college students and recent grads also love CollegeXpress for our Graduate Program Search and endless information on student life, internships, and beyond. We really have something for everyone, no matter where you are in your college journey. 😊

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress
Josiah Kegg

Josiah Kegg

High School Class of 2021

I want to sincerely thank you all for this amazing website that's legitimately helped me find so many different scholarship opportunities. I've been stressing out for the longest time about paying for college since I would rather stay out of debt and have been working days trying to find any scholarship opportunity. When I found CollegeXpress, I discovered many easy scholarships that have given me hope for the future. Thank you and God bless!

Lorena Bacallao

Lorena Bacallao

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress was the foundation of my college search process. Because of CollegeXpress, I was able to make a more informed and confident decision as to where it was best to pursue my higher education. I have recommended this website to fellow peers and for first-generation students like me. It’s a website I will continue to promote because of how simple it was to use and how many opportunities were offered to me at my fingertips!

Alexandria

Alexandria

High School Class of 2021

For a long time, I've been searching everywhere to find the perfect website I can get scholarships and information from. Needless to say, I could never find the right one. That was, until I found CollegeXpress. Through my journey of finding the right scholarships for me, I was able to find articles about different things. They've all been helpful, especially in times like this! I was even able to connect with some of my favorite colleges! I love CollegeXpress. Thank you!

Hannah Nelsen

Hannah Nelsen

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has helped me look at colleges that fit my interests by taking my profile and matching it to colleges that have the programs I'm looking for. It has the ability to connect me to colleges so I can be contacted by them and look at them more in-depth to find what's right for me. Additionally, the scholarship database is super beneficial for getting scholarships for college. Not only does it help lift the financial burden of college but it shows all the opportunities available. Overall, CollegeXpress has been very helpful to me.

Joseph Johnsly

Joseph Johnsly

High School Class of 2021

It's an honor for me to be writing to share a little about my experience with CollegeXpress. I've been using CollegeXpress for about a year now, and the reason why I chose it is because it provides astonishing scholarships for every student around the globe. Besides that, this organization dispenses all the information necessary to help students get to college. CollegeXpress has helped me have an easier experience with applying to colleges and choosing the best fit for myself.

College Matches
X

Colleges You May Be Interested In

Hillsdale College

Hillsdale, MI

Union University

Jackson, TN