Introduction As a high school junior in the Class of 2026, September 1 marks a crucial turning point in the college recruitment timeline. For many sports, this date marks the beginning of the NCAA Division I coaches' direct communication with athlet...

Introduction As you start your junior year of high school, September 1 is a key date in the college sports recruiting timeline—especially for Division I prospects. This day allows coaches to contact you directly, schedule visits, and begin informal...

Introduction For young athletes dreaming of playing at the next level, highlight videos and game footage are potent tools in the recruitment process. While coaches still attend games and tournaments, the vast majority of early evaluations happen o...

Introduction For student-athletes dreaming of playing at the collegiate level, athletic performance is only part of the equation. Academic achievement—specifically grades and attendance—plays a critical role in college recruitment. Coaches and recr...

Using Captions and Hashtags on Social Media to Gain Exposure to Colleges and Universities Social media is a powerful tool for high school students seeking college athletic scholarships or academic opportunities. Platforms like Instagram, X (former...

Introduction The introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights in college athletics—driven by a 2021 Supreme Court decision (O’Bannon v. NCAA and NCAA v. Alston)—has greatly changed how NCAA student-athletes are paid (DuBois, 2023; Financi...

If you’re in the Class of 2027 and thinking about playing college sports, now is the perfect time to lay the foundation. You may not be ready to commit or talk to college coaches just yet, but what you do during your first and second years of high s...

If you’re in the Class of 2026 and want to play college sports, the time to get serious is right now. With new NCAA rules, NIL opportunities, and an increasingly competitive recruiting landscape, student-athletes must be proactive, strategic, and co...

If you’re a parent whose child dreams of playing sports in college — but you never played college athletics yourself — it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. From highlight videos to recruiting visits and eligibility rules, there’s a lot to ...