Annual Participation Awards – Varsity Letters
Criteria
Head Coaches shall have written criteria for earning an Annual Participation Award (i.e. Varsity Letter) in their respective sport. The Sport Administrator is responsible for reviewing and approving individual sports’ criteria to ensure alignment with departmental principles and philosophy. A student-athlete is not eligible to receive an Annual Participation Award in a “redshirt” year. All student-athletes are governed by the Award Policy in effect at the time of lettering. Each sport is responsible for completing the Annual Participation Awards form on Teamworks Compliance + Recruiting (“C+R”) for Sport Administrator and Compliance approval.
Awards Schedule by Year
Varsity Awards are restricted to Student-Athletes. The value of a Varsity Award may not exceed specified NCAA Annual Participation Award value limits as noted below, and a student-athlete may not contribute to its purchase in order to meet those limits. The Varsity Awards will be issued in the following order:
| Year |
NCAA Value Limit |
UW Award |
| First |
$225 |
Official “W” Letter Jacket |
| Second |
$225 |
Official “W” Plaque |
| Third |
$225 |
Official “W” Blanket |
| Fourth/Senior* |
$425 |
Official “W” Ring |
*A senior student-athlete who has completed their eligibility will receive a ring regardless of previous award/letter status. *A student-athlete may receive one competition uniform upon completion of eligibility or graduation. This will be a joint decision between the Head Coach and the Equipment Manager, and must fit within NCAA Annual Participation Award value limits as noted above.
Non-Lettering Student-Athletes
A Head Coach may grant an award (e.g. plaque) to those student-athletes who fully participate in team activities but do not earn a Varsity Letter Award. This award will be ordered at the discretion of the Head Coach and will be funded from the respective Sport Budget.
Student-Athletes with Medical Exemption Status
A head coach may recommend a student-athlete with medical exemption status receive an Annual Participation Award(s). Such situations will be reviewed by the Head Coach and Sport Administrator on a case-by-case basis.
Lost Awards
A current or former student-athlete may purchase a replacement for a lost Annual Participation Award at the current cost to the Department. Inquiries regarding replacement of lost Varsity Awards may be made to the W Club or Equipment Director.
Special Achievement Award – Team Awards
Criteria
Head Coaches shall have written criteria for any Special Achievement (Team) Award offered in their respective sport (e.g. Most Valuable Player, Spirit Award, Most Improved). The head coach has the discretion to select the actual item(s) that will serve as the award at a cost up to the NCAA maximum of $175. The Sport Administrator is responsible for reviewing and approving criteria and award to ensure alignment with departmental principles and philosophy.
Each sport is responsible for completing the Special Achievement Awards form on ARMS Teamworks Compliance + Recruiting (“C+R”) for Sport Administrator and Compliance approval. Compliance will notify all parties once approved. The head coach has the discretion to select the actual item that will serve as the award at at cost up to the NCAA maximum of $175. Each Special Achievement Team Award may only be received by one student-athlete per year.
Special Achievement Award – Post-Season Participation
Compliance Approval
Each sport is responsible for completing the Special Achievement Awards form on ARMS Teamworks Compliance + Recruiting (“C+R”) for Sport Administrator and Compliance approval. Compliance will notify all parties once approved.
Conference Championship/Tournament (Big Ten/WCHA/EARC)
To receive an award, a student-athlete must be considered academically eligible by the Compliance Office and must be a member of a Big Ten/WCHA/EARC championship participating team.
Participant: The Big Ten supplies gifts to the student-athletes who participate in the conference tournament. Additional gifts may be purchased for team members above the Conference travel squad limit with sport administrator approval. There will be no additional gift given by the UW Athletic Department solely for participation in a Big Ten/WCHA/EARC conference championship.
Team Champion: The Athletic Department will provide members of Conference Championship Team (regular season and/or tournament) with one ring or pendant up to the NCAA maximum of $325 per student-athlete. The ring or pendant may be designed by coach and/or student-athletes and must be approved by the Sport Administrator. All student-athlete members of a conference championship team must receive the same award. Rings will be ordered by the Equipment Room and funded by the respective Sport Budget (if all teams automatically participate in the conference tournament) OR the Athletic Department’s Post-Season budget (if teams must qualify for the tournament).
Individual Champion: The Athletic Department will provide an Individual Conference Champion with a ring or pendant. One award per athletic season, not one per individual conference championship (i.e. SA wins the 100 Freestyle and 200 Freestyle, and receives one ring recognizing both championships). Rings will be ordered by the Equipment Room and funded by the respective Sport Budget (if all teams automatically participate in the conference tournament) OR the Athletic Department’s Post-Season budget (if teams must qualify for the conference tournament)
National Championships (NCAA and IRA)
To receive an award, a student-athlete must be considered academically eligible by the Compliance Office and must qualify for national championship as a team member or an individual.
Participant: The Athletic Department will provide student-athletes an item(s) of their choice from the Athletic Department’s on-line gift suite up to the NCAA maximum of $375 per student-athlete. Student-athletes may also receive a NCAA Championship hat or shirt with Sport Administrator approval.
Team Champion:The Athletic Department will provide all student-athletes on a national championship team with one ring or pendant up to the NCAA maximum of $415 per student-athlete. The ring or pendant may be designed by coach and/or student-athletes and must be approved by the Sport Administrator. If a team wins both a conference and national championship, one ring or pendant may be awarded to recognize both accomplishments if that is the preference of the Head Coach. In lieu of a ring, Men’s Rowers will receive a red jacket or patch for an IRA Championship. All student-athlete members of a National Championship team must receive the same award. The ring or pendant will be ordered by the Equipment Room and funded by the Athletic Department’s Post-Season budget.
Individual Champion: The Athletic Department will provide an Individual National Champion with one ring or pendant. One award per athletic season, not one per individual events (i.e. SA wins the 100 Freestyle and 200 Freestyle, and receives one ring recognizing both championships). Rings will be ordered by the Equipment Room and funded by the Athletic Department’s Post-Season budget.
Bowl - See Bowl Policy.
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