Who is a Prospective Student Athlete? A prospective student-athlete ("prospect") is a person who has started classes for the ninth grade. A student-athlete who has not started classes for the ninth grade becomes a prospective student-athlete if the individual receives any benefits from an institution or representative of an institution's athletic interests. Actions taken by athletics staff members that cause a student-athlete to become a prospective student-athlete include: providing a prospect an expense paid visit to a collegiate institution. having an arranged in-person encounter with the student-athlete. initiating or arranging telephone contact with a prospect or family member on more than one occasion for the purpose of recruiting.