Making the cut: Student athletes and admissions

Before she became wife of one of the world's best tennis players, Brooke Shields '87 already had an inclination toward racket sports. She was the Princeton squash team's secret recruiting weapon while she was dating the team's captain, Thomas Shepherd '86.

"For a number of months we encouraged that relationship," said men's squash coach Bob Callahan '77. "For one short period, we had all these high school recruits going gaga for these visits."

With Shields no longer here to attract boys to the University Princeton's 38 varsity teams struggle to draw athletes who can keep up with the University's academic rigor.

Although many students get their first exposure to Princeton sports at a young age, and coaches may find out about young athletes through national rankings, sports camps and videos and letters sent by students, the recruiting process does not officially begin until after the junior year of high school. According to NCAA rules, college coaches cannot call high school athletes until July 1 of the summer going into their senior year.

Once coaches identify recruits based on academic and athletic merits, they invite the students to visit the campus.

NCAA regulations allow recruits to make one official visit per school at up to five schools, though unofficial visits are unlimited. On official visits, which can last 48 hours, usually from Saturday to Monday morning, team members shepherd the recruits, taking them to parties, classes and other activities. Within NCAA limits, Princeton pays for transportation, meals and entertainment.

"A visit allows them the opportunity to see the interaction of the kids," men's lacrosse coach Bill Tierney said. "One of the things we stress here is that the kids are very good friends."

The NCAA prohibits recruits from practicing with the team on these visits, at least in front of the coach. While rules cannot stop a basketball player from taking part in a pickup game, practice in front of the coach could be construed as a tryout, coaches said.

Recruited athletes who decide on Princeton then go through the same application process as any other applicant, coaches said, in contrast to non-Ivy schools where recruits may follow a markedly different process.

For early decision, which Princeton coaches recommend for their recruits, coaches submit a list of their choices to the admission office in mid-November. For regular decision, they submit the list in mid-February.

Coaches and admission officials said that a position on the list does not guarantee admission, but is treated like any other special skill such as dancing or playing the oboe.