Policy: NAC Policy Section IX
“When competition in a sport is separated by gender, a mixed team is an intercollegiate team on which at least one individual of each gender participates.
a. Mixed teams are considered as a men’s team for sponsorship and postseason qualification purposes. If a mixed team qualifies as a team for postseason competition, a woman must participate in the men’s postseason tournament with her team.”
Interpretation
If an institution has both a men’s and a women’s team in the same sport, it is permissible for a female student-athlete to play on the men’s team in as many or as few games as desired during the regular season. The student-athlete is not prohibited from also participating on the women’s team in the same sport during the regular season. However, if a mixed team qualifies for the national championship, any woman who competed as part of the men’s team during the regular season may only compete on that men’s team in the national championship. In other words, this interpretation prevents a top female student-athlete player from playing on the men’s/mixed team during the regular season and then swithcing to compete on the women’s team in the national championship.
Application
A school has both a men’s and a women’s soccer team. Midway through the season, the men’s team loses it’s only goalie to injury, so a female student-athlete steps in to play goalie for the men’s team. Both the men’s team and women’s teams qualify for the national championship. Around the same time, the male goalie returns from his injury and is able to play again. Because the female goalie has participated on the men’s team that qualified for postseason, the only way for her to compete for a national championship is to do so as a member of the men’s team.
Related Bylaws
Article I, Section H, Item 1: Frequency of Play
NAC Interp – Creation date unknown. Current as of: September 2015
