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Women's basketball coaches from many Power 5 programs are not on the road this weekend for the fall evaluation period in protest of the recruiting calendar as well as the rising costs of event packets. There is a three-day evaluation period beginning on Friday that allows coaches to travel and watch prospects at tournaments and events around the country. Beginning in the summer, coaches from the major conferences began discussing a potential protest of the evaluation period, with each conference making a decision on its own. "What we're doing, we're looking at changing the recruiting rules to not having a fall evaluation period," Notre Dame head coach Muffet McGraw told ESPN.com recently. "More of a point, let's get some data. Are you willing to not go out this September? Everybody is making their own decision. Every conference is polling their own people. A byproduct of it is certainly the economics of it." SI.com reported on Friday that the price of event packets -- books that generally include rosters, phone numbers, player information -- is one of the reasons for the protest. There has been an issue with packet prices on the men's side as well, but the prices are even higher in women's recruiting. Sources told ESPN the average price of a packet at women's recruiting events is nearly $600 per school per event, with an additional fee if a second coach from that staff arrives later. "Coaches in this time, we're trying to be fiscally responsible," McGraw said. "We don't want to spend any more money than we have to. We have to balance the budget on the women's side. We're making some money in attendance. We're always trying to find ways to help out." McGraw said the primary reason for the discussion is the recruiting calendar itself. There are two evaluation periods in April, plus an event held in the host city of the women's Final Four. Then there are two seven-day evaluation periods in July, plus the three days in November. On the men's side, there are two periods in April plus three in July, and zero during the fall and winter. "We saw a lot of kids in July. We want to be with our team. September is a terrible time. It's the worst month," McGraw said. "Home visits, official visits, unofficial visits with underclassmen, and trying to get our practice in, and trying to be with our team. There are so many other things that we're doing. It's more important to be on campus with our team. Is it that important to see '18, '19, '20? Seniors aren't going out; they're busy taking their official visits." According to SI.com, there will be a vote in April to eliminate the September evaluation period as well as one of the April evaluation periods.
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