FIGURE 17-2
2002-03 Academic Year
Playing and Practice Seasons

Sport	First Practice Date	First Contest Date or
Date of Competition	End of Regular
Playing Season	
Archery, Women’s	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	Conclusion of the national governing body championship	
Badminton, Women’s	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	Conclusion of the national governing body championship	
Basketball	Preseason conditioning:
Beginning of institution’s academic year
On Court:  The Saturday nearest October 15	November 22
(Exceptions: see Bylaw 17.5.3.1)	NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship game	
Bowling, Women’s	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	Conclusion of the national governing body championship	
Cross Country	Date that permits 21 “practice opportunities” before first date of competition	September 1 or the preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday	Last day of final exams for academic year	
Field Hockey	Date that permits 21 “practice opportunities” before first date of competition	Eleven weeks prior to the start of the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship, except that an alumni contest may be played the weekend prior to the first scheduled contest	Last day of final exams for the academic year	
Football	Date that permits 29 “practice opportunities” before first contest	Not prior to the Thursday preceding Labor Day
(Exception: see Bylaw 17.11.3)	Second Saturday or Sunday in December (Exception: see 17.11.4)	
Golf	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first
(Exception: see Bylaw 17.12.2.1)	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first
(Exception: see Bylaw 17.12.3.1)	Conclusion of the NCAA Division I Golf Championships	
Ice Hockey, Men’s and Women’s	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	Last day of final exams for academic year	
Soccer, Men’s	Date that permits 21 “practice opportunities” before first contest	September 1 or the preceding Friday if September 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday except that an alumni contest may be played the weekend prior to September 1 when September 1 does not fall on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday as provided in Bylaw 17.19.5.1.1	Last day of final exams for academic year	
Soccer, Women’s	Date that permits 21 “practice opportunities” before first contest	The Friday prior to the eleventh weekend prior to the start of the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer championships except that an alumni contest may be played the previous weekend.	Last day of final exams for academic year	
Squash, Women’s	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	Last day of final exams for academic year	
Synchronized Swimming, Women’s	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	Last day of final exams for academic year	
Team Handball, Women’s	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	Conclusion of the national governing body championship	
Volleyball, Women’s
	(Championship
	Segment)	Date that permits 29 “practice opportunities” before first date of competition (excluding the early alumni match and NCAA Volleyball Classic permitted in Bylaw 17.27.2	September 1 or preceding Friday if September 1 falls on Saturday, Sunday or Monday, except that an alumni match may be played the weekend prior to September 1 when September 1 does not fall on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday. (see Bylaw 17.27.3 for NACWAA Volleyball Classic exception)	NCAA Division I women’s Volleyball championship game	
	(Other Segment)	January 1	January 1	Last day of final exams for academic year	
Water Polo, Men’s	Date the permits 21 “practice opportunities” before first date of competition	The first Saturday in September	Last day of final exams for academic year	
Water Polo, Women’s	September 7 or the institution’s first day of classes for the fall term, whichever occurs first	September 7 or the institution’s first day of classes for the fall term, whichever occurs first	Conclusion of the National Collegiate Women’s Water Polo Championship	
Other Team Sports
	Baseball
	Lacrosse
	Rowing, Women’s
	Softball
	Volleyball, Men’s	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	Conclusion of the NCAA Division I or national collegiate championship game in sport, whichever is applicable	
Other Individual Sports
	Equestrian, Women’s
	Fencing
	Gymnastics
	Rifle
	Skiing
	Swimming
	Tennis
	Track and Field
	 (Indoor and Outdoor)
	Wrestling	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	September 7 or the first day of classes, whichever occurs first	Conclusion of the NCAA Division I or national collegiate championship game in sport, whichever is applicable in gymnastics, tennis and track and field

Last day of final exams for academic year in equestrian, fencing, rifle, skiing, swimming and wrestling