NCAA Division III recruiting is fundamentally different from NCAA Division I recruiting. Your recruiting strategy for NCAA Divisions I and II will not work for NCAA Division III.
In the NCAA, Division III is sometimes seen as an inferior level. This simply is not the case. Division III athletics can often be just as competitive, or even more competitive than Division I athletics.
And accordingly, recruiting for Division III college sports can be ultra-competitive. Here are some things to consider when contemplating NCAA Division III:
- Information about the school: Many Division III colleges are very small, academically elite schools. In some cases, you might not have heard of the school that is recruiting you. You need to learn as much about every school that recruits you, for two reasons: 1) You don't want to end up at the wrong school, and 2) You don't want to pass on the perfect school. Recruiting works both ways: you evaluate schools, while they evaluate you.
- Special camps: There are some camps specifically tailored for Division III athletics. For instance, there is an Honor Roll Baseball Camp that is attended by many of the prominent NCAA Division III baseball coaches. If you want to play Division III, find camps like this and go to them.
- Athletic scholarships: An important point to consider for NCAA Division III recruiting is that there are no athletic scholarships at this level. This can be both good and bad, as college athletic scholarships can be dangerous.
- Grades and extracurriculars: Because Division III has no athletic scholarships, it is imperative that you maintain good grades and have other activities to complete your resume. Your NCAA Division III eligibility can depend on what DIII school you are applying to. Coaches often have very little sway with admissions, so you need to help them. NCAA Division III coaches are less likely to recruit an athlete who has no chance to get in on his/her own merit.
So there it is. Taking these things into consideration can help make your NCAA Division III recruiting endeavors much more manageable.
Division III does not have a uniform set of eligibility requirements. Each Division III
school determines their own academic requirements for their athletes.
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