Athletics Risk Management and Compliance Services: Current Longhorns — Awards

• Letter Awards
• Awards for Participating in Big 12 and/or National Championships
• Awards for Winning Big 12 and/or National Championships
• Lettering Criteria
• T-Cards

Letter Awards
The total value of a single participation or "letter" award received in a year by a student-athlete is limited by the NCAA. Multiple awards may be presented only if the total value of all participation awards received during a particular academic year by an individual student-athlete does not exceed established NCAA award limits.

The departments present letter awards to those student-athletes designated as deserving of such by their respective head coach and approved by the Athletics Councils. Letterwinners receive their awards in the following sequence:

First year: Letter jacket
Second year: Watch
Third year: Desk clock
Fourth year: Blanket

Upon graduation, a letterwinner in any sport may receive a standardized "T" Ring in the place of an approved senior letter award. If the graduate prefers, he or she is permitted to pay for either the senior letter award or the "T" Ring so that he or she may receive both the senior letter award and the "T" Ring upon graduation. Former letterwinners who have graduated but not received a "T" Ring may purchase one.

Awards for Participating in Big 12 and/or National Championships
Student-athletes may receive awards for participating in Conference or national championships from The University, the Big 12 Conference or an approved organization. The total value of any single award may not exceed the maximum limits established by the NCAA.

For bowl games or all-star games, student-athletes may receive awards within the NCAA guidelines from the sponsoring agency and additional awards from the institution subject to a separate NCAA limitation. Award limitations are found in Bylaw 16 of the NCAA Manual.

Awards for Winning Big 12 and/or National Championships
A Big 12 Conference ring or watch or a National Championship ring or plaque is awarded to all letterwinners on a Big 12 Conference or National Championship team. If a team wins a National Championship, the head coach may design a ring for his/her sport with the cost of this ring or single award not exceeding applicable limits. Award values are governed by the maximum dollar amount listed in the Big 12 or NCAA manuals for the school year of the team or individual championship. National Champions in individual sports may receive only one National Championship ring or plaque per sport season, regardless of the number of individual championships won. It is permissible for an awardee that loses a ring to pay the replacement cost and receive a duplicate.

Lettering Criteria
Please see the Athletics Compliance: Lettering Criteria Web page.

T-Cards
A letterwinner in any sport who has completed intercollegiate eligibility, whose last year of competition was at UT, and who is recommended by the head coach, may receive a T-Card. This card serves as identification of the letterwinner for any activities/benefits associated with the card, which could include access to T-Association tickets in accordance with ticket policies. Exceptions to this policy may be made by a head coach's recommendation and approval of the Directors of Athletics and Athletics Councils.