About the NCVSA

The National Collegiate Virtual Sports Association (NCVSA) is a consortium of schools, teams, resources, leagues, services, and products dedicated to collegiate virtual sports.  A virtual sport refers to any sport that requires similar skill and fitness to the "real sport" counterpart but that does not require in-person or mass start competition.  But, make no mistake, virtual sports are real athletic endeavors where the best prepared and most talented athletes excel. 

Virtual sports typically involve a technology platform of some sort and can include sports such as: virtual cycling, SIM golf, VR tennis, SIM motorsports, & virtual rowing.  Asynchronous race events where cyclists, runners, paddlers or rowers complete predesignated race courses or distances on their own time, often tracking their performances by GPS device, may also be considered to be virtual sports.    

Virtual sports are more than just video games. NCVSA competitions are based on real sports, where the skills in the real sport translate directly to the virtual version and vice versa. For example, the skills in motorsport simulation translate directly to real race car driving.  The skills in golf translate directly to playing on a golf simulator.  Cycling and rowing fitness translate directly to their virtual versions.

​

SIM sports are exploding in popularity because generally speaking, they are much more accessible and much less costly than their real sport equivalents.  

​

A virtual sports program provides colleges and universities the ability to offer alternatives to live sports when live competition is impractical due to resource limitations, social distancing requirements, or logistics. These programs also give online students and school alumni a chance to compete under the school's banner and provide a great way to generate revenue and increase engagement.

The mission of the NCVSA is to promote collegiate virtual sports competitions of all types, establish league and conference infrastructure, manage competition, maintain records of performance, further education and research in the field of simulation sports, provide resources for NCVSA members, and provide access to sports that would otherwise be unavailable at some schools.   

Eligibility Rules for Varsity Status:

​

All varsity athletes must be full time undergraduate students​ ​and enrolled at the institution they represent.

1. To be considered a full time undergraduate student, he/she must currently be taking courses totaling at least 12 credit hours on the semester basis or its full time equivalent at that institution, and must be making ​normal progress​ toward his/her first degree.
2. An exception is for students in their final term who may take less than a full-time load if it is sufficient to complete their degree during that term.
3. A student athlete who has received a Baccalaureate or equivalent degree, and who is enrolled in graduate or professional school, or who is enrolled and seeking a second Baccalaureate or equivalent degree, may participate in NCVSA, provided the student athlete has athletic eligibility remaining.
4. An NCVSA competitor has four years of eligibility, which must be completed during the first 10 semesters or 15 quarters after the student is enrolled in a collegiate institution in at least a minimum full-time program of studies as determined by the regulations of that institution.

​

Eligibility Rules for Club Status:

​

1. Club athletes may compete in NCVSA events against other club athletes.  Club athletes may fall into one of several categories, all as approved by the Team Director: part-time students, school staff/faculty/coaches (full or part time), and alumni.
2. Club athletes may compete in an unlimited number of seasons.
3. Club athletes must be included on the Active Team roster, documentation of which may be requested by the NCVSA.