McNeese Athletic Foundation (MAF)
The Athletic Foundation is a permanent committee of the McNeese Foundation.
The McNeese Athletic Foundation has been formed to raise funds for the McNeese State University Athletics Department and to strengthen the financial condition of its athletic programs. The sole purpose of the athletic foundation is to generate donation-related income to support athletic programs and scholarships for student-athletes.
Your gifts assist McNeese in offering a quality educational experience to deserving student-athletes. Support generated by the McNeese Athletic Foundation also provides resources for the athletic programs to compete at the highest level. The cost of providing these academic and athletic programs has increased dramatically over the past few years.
More than 300 student-athletes benefit from your generous participation in this effort. Your support is an investment in the future of McNeese State University and the future of its student-athletes as they prepare to become leaders of tomorrow.
The McNeese Athletic Foundation needs your support to continue adding scholarship opportunities, improving facilities and creating the edge it takes to win championships. The price of excellence is escalating. Our challenge is to provide the necessary resources for our coaches to give them the best possible chance to excel. Our goal is to provide student-athletes with the ability to succeed academically and athletically while preparing them to be successful in life after their collegiate careers.
We need your help now more than ever to overcome these challenges and achieve our goals.
You can “Change Lives” today!
Remember, as a booster or “representative of athletic interests”, you are prohibited by the NCAA from providing ANY improper benefits or privileges to student-athletes.
You are also not allowed to participate in any type of recruiting activities. Boosters found in violation of NCAA rules are subject to forfeiture of benefits and privileges received from McNeese State University.
We are extremely appreciative of your passion and support of our athletic programs and encourage you to always ask before you act.
You may contact the McNeese Compliance Office at (337) 475-5296 with any questions.
FAQ's for Boosters
As a booster, you may not:
- Contact a prospect in-person on-campus or off campus.
- Contact a prospect by telephone, email, Internet or letter.
- Provide gifts or free or reduced-cost services to a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian.
- Employ relatives, guardians or friends of a prospect as an inducement for the prospect’s enrollment and athletics participation at a university.
- Become directly or indirectly involved in making arrangements for a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian to receive money or financial aid of any kind.
- Provide transportation for a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian.
- Provide free or reduced-cost tickets for a prospect or the prospect’s relatives or guardian to attend an athletic event.
- Provide any material benefit (e.g., meals, cash) to the coach of a prospect, including high school, two-year college, AAU and summer team coaches.
Even though there are many rules prohibiting your involvement with prospects and the recruiting process, as a booster, you may:
- Notify university coaching staff members about noteworthy prospects in the area.
- Attend high school or two-year college athletic contests or other events where prospects may compete, provided no contact occurs.
- Continue existing friendships.
As a booster, you may not provide a student-athlete or a student-athlete’s friends, relatives or guardians:
- Tickets to college or professional sporting events.
- A special discount, payment arrangement or credit on a purchase or service.
- Cash or loan or signing or co-signing of a loan.
- Transportation, payment of expense or loan of any automobile.
- Benefits or gifts based upon the student-athlete’s athletic performance.
- Free or reduced rent or housing.
- An honorarium to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement.
With the various NCAA rules and regulations regarding benefits to student-athletes, it may seem difficult to be a part of a university’s athletic programs. However, you can show your support as a booster in other ways. Boosters may:
- Make contributions to university programs and other gift-in-kind arrangements.
- Attend university athletic events and show student-athletes you support their hard work and dedication to the university.
Institutional control of athletics is a fundamental requirement of NCAA legislation. Specifically, the NCAA constitution states that the university must:
- Control its intercollegiate athletic programs in compliance with the rules and regulations of the NCAA.
- Monitor its program to insure compliance.
- Identify and report to the NCAA instances in which compliance has not been achieved and take corrective actions.
- Insure those members of university staff, student-athletes and other individuals or groups representing the university’s athletic interests comply with NCAA rules and regulations. As a member of the NCAA, the university is responsible for the actions of its alumni, supporters and fans.
Student-athletes may only be compensated for work actually performed and at a rate commensurate with the going rate. Compensation may not include remuneration for the value that the student-athlete may have for the employer due to the student-athlete’s athletics status. Transportation may not be provided to student athletes unless it is a benefit provided to all employees.
“Top Ten” NCAA Rules
You may not provide current or prospective student-athletes (any student who has started classes for the ninth (9th) grade, including students in prep schools and junior colleges and individuals who have officially withdrawn from a four-year institution), their families, or friends a benefit that is not permitted by the NCAA (“Extra Benefit”), specifically prohibited financial aid, benefits or arrangements include, but are not limited to the following:
- A special discount, payment arrangement, or credit on any purchase or service
- Gifts of cash, clothing, or any other item with value
- Loan of money or co-signing of a loan
- An automobile, or use of an automobile or transportation expenses
- Free or reduced-cost services, purchases or rentals
- Employment or loan arrangements for a prospective or current student-athlete’s friends or relatives
- Free or reduced-cost rent or housing;
Payment to a student-athlete for a speaking engagement - Entertainment on or off- campus.
- A student-athlete may only be paid for work actually performed at a rate commensurate with the going rate in the area for similar services
- A student-athlete may not be compensated for any value that he or she may have for an employer because of any publicity, reputation, fame, or personal following that he or she has obtained because of his or her athletic ability
- Employers may not advertise a student-athlete’s employment to generate extra business, nor may they use a student-athlete’s name or picture to advertise, promote, or recommend the sale or use of any commercial product or service
- Student-athletes cannot be provided with any benefits not provided to other employees
- Student-athletes must report all jobs to the McNeese Athletics Compliance Staff.
A student-athlete can receive money from you or your family for teaching or giving lessons in his or her sport if the following conditions are met:
- MSU facilities CANNOT be used
- To simply “play” against the student-athlete is not permitted (e.g., playing lessons)
- Documentation and prior approval of the lessons must be on file with the Compliance Office
- The compensation for the lesson must be paid by the lesson recipient (or their family) and not another individual or entity.
It is not permissible to use a student-athlete’s name, picture or appearance for any promotional/charitable/non-profit activities without prior approval from MSU’s Athletics Compliance Office. You may not use a student-athlete’s name, picture, or appearance for commercial purposes or to sell student-athlete memorabilia.
You may not entertain a prospective student-athlete’s high school, preparatory school, junior college, or club coach or provide them with any other type of benefit.
