Over the past three years the University of Hawaii’s athletic department has gotten to know the phone number at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis by heart.

In their long-running, often knock-down, drag-out men’s basketball infractions and appeals cases with the NCAA, UH officials came to dread calls to — and from — the 317 area code.

But soon after the school learned of the severe injuries suffered by freshman defensive lineman Kalepo Naotala in a July 1 diving accident in Waikiki, UH turned to the NCAA and Big West Conference for advice and help.

Known mostly as the regulatory and enforcement arm in college athletics, the NCAA has moved to more athlete-friendly policies.

In the past decade, amid a growing chorus for athletes’ rights and pay, the NCAA policy has opened up more options and funds for assisting athletes in need.

“Student-athlete health and well being is a top NCAA priority (and) there are several options and opportunities for schools to assist student-athletes in situations like the one you’ve referenced,” Meghan Durham, the association’s assistant director of public and media relations, said in an email to the Star-Advertiser.

“If we can do something as a community, that’s something that didn’t exist before, too,” said David Matlin, UH athletic director. “The fact that there are different avenues, hopefully, between those avenues, we’ll be able to provide some meaningful support for the young man and his family.”

Durham said, “In many cases like this, our staff work directly with the school’s compliance staff to provide flexibility based on the specific circumstances of the case.”

While she said, “We aren’t in a position to talk about the situation (at UH) …” Durham acknowledged the NCAA and UH have been in contact.

Similarly, officials in the Big West, where most of UH’s 18 NCAA sports teams compete, said they have been in discussions with UH about possible options for assisting Naotala and his family.

Naotala, 19, was injured jumping off a wall at the Kapahulu Groin, apparently striking his head. UH officials have declined to elaborate on the extent of his injuries or the prognosis.

“We just know that he’s got a long journey ahead of him,” UH head coach Nick Rolovich told reporters.

The NCAA requires college athletes to carry personal insurance. Beyond that, Durham said, NCAA rules now allow for schools to provide medical expenses for athletes.

Pittsburgh running back James Conner’s battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma is an example. Pitt paid for all of the out-of-pocket expenses not covered by his family’s insurance.

For non-Power Five Conference schools such as UH, with limited financial resources, Durham said, “Schools can also fund-raise to help student-athletes and their families in these kinds of circumstances.”

Last year UH helped promote fundraising on behalf of beach volleyball player Heather Boyan, who was seriously injured in a fall on a Ka’au Crater hike.

Her Gofundme.com account brought in more than $23,000 in 16 months to help with expenses, according to a post on the account.

In Naotala’s case, Matlin said boosters, fans and businesses have contacted UH asking what they can do to help. “We’re trying to do things the right way (by NCAA rules),” Matlin said. “Our whole goal is to say, ‘Hey, can we do something in the community to help the young man?’ I think that what we have been told now is that we can and now we’re working on specifics.”

The NCAA has a Catastrophe and Disability fund for seriously injured athletes, but that is primarily for players whose injuries were suffered in competition or practice.

The NCAA also operates Student Athlete Special Assistance and Student Athlete Opportunity funds for wide-ranging needs, including summer school, fifth-year students, underwriting travel for family members to attend to an injured athlete and funding players’ trips home for funerals. But most of those funds, which are allocated on an August-to-July basis, typically have already been spent, according to Erica Monteabaroa, Big West senior associate commissioner/institutional services.

“The likely avenue, in a case like this, is a fundraiser, which is something that wasn’t always available,” Monteabaroa said.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.