An overview of the volleyball recruiting process (NCSA)

The following is a quick overview of all the steps involved in the recruiting process. While some of these might shift around based on each family’s unique recruiting journey, these are the major checkpoints along the way:

1. Discuss as a family if college sports are right for your athlete and determine if your family is ready to start the recruiting process.
2. Register with NCAA Eligibilty Center (https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/)
3. Determine what division levels to target, based on athletic and academic goals, as well as social and cultural fit.
4. Research schools and create a target list of 20–30 colleges and universities to reach out to.
5. Create at least one volleyball recruiting video that can be sent to coaches of interest.
6. Contact coaches at targeted schools and respond to all coach communications.
7. Attend tournaments, camps and combines that will help get more exposure to college coaches and give them an opportunity to watch you compete in person.
8. Go visit college campuses and meet with coaches in person.
9. Complete NCAA and/or NAIA academic eligibility requirements and send the appropriate documentation to those organizations.
10. Start receiving offers and determining how much financial aid is needed to attend each school that offered a roster spot.
11. Choose the favorite university and commit! Work with the coach on scholarship details and if they have a National Letter of Intent (or an equivalent) that needs to be signed.

How to get started?

First, research schools and create a target list.  One of the best volleyball recruiting tips is to do your research early and cast a wide net when looking at schools! Ideally, families should start out by contacting a lot of college coaches—around 20–30—and then pare down the list over time. Here’s how we recommend organizing a target list.

• 10-20 target schools: This is where recruits can put the schools that are their best match athletically, academically and socially. In other words, these are the schools that a recruit really wants to focus on in their recruiting.
• 5-10 safety schools: These are schools athletes know they’ll be able to play at and for which they qualify academically. Athletes need to get in touch with these coaches early on so the coach knows they’re genuinely interested. Many athletes find that programs they never considered originally ended up being their best college fit.
• 5-10 reach schools: These schools might be out of a family’s price range or they might be very competitive academically or athletically. Athletes should add them to their list as a great goal to strive for.

Second, create a recruiting video.  The video should focus on game play (edited only to remove dead film, timeouts, side changes, etc), with some skills video if feasible (3-5 minutes max, quick snapshot of skills repetitions to capture the coach's attention).  Game footage should be updated throughout the season so coaches can see the athlete's development. 

Third, contact the coaches.  Athletes must proactively communicate with coaches to make sure they are on their recruiting list. With thousands of talented recruits across the country, volleyball recruits just can’t wait around for coaches to find them. 

• Send an introductory email to the college coach, including your recruiting video and key stats, like vertical jump, height and club team name.
• Follow up with a call to the coach, mentioning the introductory email.
• Respond to all correspondence from coaches, including recruiting letters, emails, social media direct messages and more.
• Continue to follow up with the coaches, sending them updated stats and new highlight videos, inviting them to watch you compete or congratulating them on a recent win.
• engage with coaches via social media - follow team accounts, post short plays and highlights, post your player card.

Note, you can use the NCAA Directory to find a school's division, sports offered and coach's name.  Coach email addresses can be found on each institution's athletics website.  

Fourth, attend tournaments and camps that will get you in front of the coaches you’re interested in.  These may include college camps, National Qualifiers, regional tournaments, etc.  Athletes should make sure they are attending tournaments in the region where they want to go to college. Most coaches aren’t going to travel too far beyond their region to attend volleyball tournaments. For example, if an athlete is targeting high-academic institutions in the northeast, they should consider attending a tournament in that area.

Finally, manage your volleyball recruiting process.  

• Create updated recruiting videos with new game footage. 
• Continue to be proactive in communicating with college volleyball coaches. In the maintenance period of the recruiting process, recruits can reach out to coaches every three or four months. 
• Update your athlete profile. 
• Go on unofficial and official college visits. 
• Continue to update your target list of schools. 
• Take the ACT and SAT and stay on top of you academic eligibility.  (CLICK HERE for academic requirements.)
• Double check the deadlines for the following athlete certifications and aid: NCAA Amateurism Certificate, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), college applications, NCAA and NAIA Eligibility Center registration, final transcripts and proof of graduation.

College Recruiting Resources:
NCSA:  https://www.ncsasports.org/womens-volleyball

It is important to note that college coaches are responsible for following the NCAA recruiting rules and timelines.  Athletes should be aware of these rules so that they can understand the process and when a coach is permitted to communicate.  Players are not bound to the rules and can proactively communicate with coaches at any time.  Expectations of a response should be determined by the rules the coach is required to follow.  

NCAA Division I and II Recruiting Calendars (by sport)

NCAA Volleyball Recruiting Rules 
The NCAA has passed new recruiting rule changes intended to slow down the trend of coaches offering scholarships to athletes as young as 7th and 8th grade. While the impact of these rules on the volleyball recruiting timeline is still unknown, the intent is to give athletes a little more time to figure out what they are looking for in a college and develop their skills before they get bombarded with scholarship offers.

These rules give you more time to get to know college coaches and check out a few schools before you commit. But keep in mind—coaches are usually looking to make scholarship offers as soon as they can. Here are a few ways to get your ducks in a row ahead of time:

• Take the ACT/SAT early.
• Create an NCAA Eligibility Center Account—you need this certificate before you take an official visit to a D1 or D2 school.
• Compile a list of recruiting questions for the coach.
• Discuss the possibility of receiving a scholarship offer with your parents.

NCAA Division 1 Volleyball Recruiting Rules

The NCAA Division 1 volleyball recruiting rules restrict when and how D1 volleyball coaches can actively start communicating with prospects. The most important date for D1 volleyball players is June 15 after their sophomore year. At this point, coaches can extend verbal offers and are allowed almost all forms of communication.

•  Recruiting questionnaires, camp invites, NCAA materials and non-athletic publications: Any time
• Verbal Scholarship Offers: June 15 after sophomore year
•  Private correspondence (including phone calls, emails, texts, instant messages, DMs, faxes): June 15 after sophomore year
•  Official and unofficial visits: August 1 before junior year
•  Off-campus contact: August 1 before junior year

NCAA Division 2 Volleyball Recruiting Rules

The most important date in the NCAA Division 2 volleyball recruiting rules is June 15 after sophomore year of high school. At this time all contact is permitted.

•  Recruiting questionnaires, camp brochures and non-athletic publications: Any time
•  Unofficial visits: Any time, unlimited
•  Verbal Scholarship Offers: June 15 after sophomore year
•  Private correspondence (phone calls, emails, texts, instant messages, DMs, faxes): June 15 after sophomore year
•  Official visits: June 15 before junior year
•  In-person, off-campus contact: June 15 before junior year

NCAA Division 3 Volleyball Recruiting Rules
D3 volleyball colleges have the most relaxed NCAA recruiting rules of all the division levels. Most contact is allowed at any time, recruits are only restricted in when they can start taking official visits and have off-campus contact with coaches.

•  Recruiting materials: Athletes can receive recruiting materials at any time.
•  Phone calls and electronic communications: There is no limit on when college coaches can call or digitally message athletes.
•  Unofficial visits: Any time, unlimited
•  Off-campus contact: After the athlete’s sophomore year, college coaches may begin to conduct off-campus contact.
•  Official visits: Athletes can begin taking official visits after January 1 of their junior year.

NAIA Volleyball Recruiting Rules
The NAIA gives a lot of freedom to its coaches in the recruiting process, and it does not restrict when or how coaches can reach out to high school athletes. Though there are fewer rules, NAIA coaches do tend to start the recruiting process a little later than NCAA Division 1 or Division 2 coaches.

NAIA Information
NAIA Women's Volleyball Information
NAIA Eligibility Center
NAIA List of Schools
NAIA Rankings