St. Lawrence University Athletics

DIVISION I

The playing season (practice and competition) for men's and women's ice hockey is the period of time between the date of an institution's first officially recognized practice session and the date of the institution's last practice session or date of competition, whichever occurs later.  The playing season for a particular sport is the only time within which an institution is permitted to conduct countable athletically related activities. 

A student-athlete's participation in countable athletically related activities shall be limited to a maximum of four hours per day and twenty hours per week.  Daily and weekly hour limitations do not apply to countable athletically related activities occurring during an institution's official vacation period and during the academic year between terms when classes are not in session. 

17.14.1 Length of Playing Season: The length of an institution's playing season in ice hockey shall be limited to a 132-day season, which may consist of two segments (each consisting of consecutive days) and which may exclude only required off days (see Bylaws 17.1.7.4, 17.1.7.6 and 17.1.7.7) and official vacation, holiday and final-examination periods during which no practice or competition shall occur. (Revised: 1/10/91 effective 8/1/91, 1/14/97 effective 8/1/97) 

17.14.2 Preseason Practice: In men's ice hockey, an institution shall not commence practice sessions prior to the Monday before the 25th full weekend prior to the start of the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Championship. In women's ice hockey, an institution shall not commence practice sessions prior to the Monday before the 25th full weekend prior to the start of the National Collegiate Women's Ice Hockey Championship. (Revised: 1/10/91 effective 8/1/91, 1/14/97 effective 8/1/97, 11/1/01 effective 8/1/04, 3/16/07, 5/19/22 effective 8/1/22) 

17.1.7.1 Daily and Weekly Hour Limitations-Playing Season 

A student-athlete's participation in countable athletically related activities (see Bylaw 17.1.7.1) shall be limited to a maximum of four hours per day and 20 hours per week. 

A travel day related to athletics participation may be considered as a day off, provided no countable athletically related activities (see Bylaw 17.1.7.4.1) occur during that day. 

No class time shall be missed at any one time (e.g., regular academic term, mini term, summer term) for practice activities except when a team is traveling to an away-from-home contest and the practice is in conjunction with the contest. 

17.1.7.2 Weekly Hour Limitations-Outside the Playing Season 

Outside of the playing season, from the institution's first day of classes of the academic year or September 15, whichever occurs earlier, to one week prior to the beginning of the institution's final examination period at the conclusion of the academic year, only a student-athlete's participation in required weight training, conditioning and skill-related instruction shall be permitted. A student­ athlete's participation in such activities shall be limited to a maximum of eight hours per week with not more than two hours per week spent on skill-related workouts. All countable athletically related activities outside the playing season are prohibited one week prior to the beginning of the final examination period for the applicable academic term through the conclusion of the institution’s academic term.

Outside the playing season during the academic year, all countable athletically related activities are prohibited during two calendar days per week. 

DIVISION III

The playing season (practice and competition) for a particular sport is the period of time between the date of an institution's first officially recognized practice session and the date of the institution's last practice session or date of competition, whichever occurs later.  An institution is only permitted to conduct officially recognized practice and competition during the playing season as regulated for each sport.  The playing season for a particular sport is the only time within which an institution may conduct athletically related activities. 

The segments of the playing season are defined as follows:  traditional segment which is defined as that portion of the playing season that concludes with the NCAA Championship in the sport and non-traditional segment which is defined as the remaining portion of the playing season.

During the playing season, all athletically related activities are prohibited during one calendar per week, except during participation in NCAA Championships.

Limitations on athletically related activities occurring during the academic year do not apply in periods between academic terms when classes are not in session or during the institution's pre-season practice that occurs prior to the first day of classes.

17.1.1 Playing Season: An institution is permitted to conduct athletically related activities (see Bylaw 17.02.1.1) in each academic year only during the playing season as regulated for each sport in accordance with the provisions of this bylaw. The institution must conduct the same playing season for varsity and subvarsity teams in the same sport. (Revised: 1/10/92, 4/11/11 effective 8/1/11, 1/17/23 effective 8/1/23)  

17.1.1.1 Declaration of Playing Season: Each member institution shall determine the playing season for each of the sports referenced under Bylaw 17.02.13. Declaration of the institution's playing season in each such sport shall be on file in writing in the department of athletics before the beginning of the institution's playing season for that sport. Changes in the declaration for a particular sport are permissible and also shall be filed in writing in the office of the institution's Director of athletics. (Revised: 4/11/11 effective 8/1/11)  

17.1.1.2 Segments of Playing Season: Segment limitations are applicable to all team and individual sports (listed under Bylaws 17.02.13.1 and 17.02.13.2), except for football, golf, rowing, tennis and sports with a winter NCAA championship. The segments shall be defined as follows: (Revised: 4/11/11 effective 8/1/11, 7/24/19)  

• (a) Traditional Segment. The portion of the playing season that concludes with the NCAA championship in the sport shall be known as the “traditional segment."  
• (b) Nontraditional Segment. The remaining portion of the playing season shall be known as the "nontraditional segment."