If you daughter plays/played DII...

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Jun 3, 2015
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My dd is a 2018 and will be playing DII ball. She has had schools come out and watch her play, coaches are emailing her and have called her. She does have an unofficial visit at the end of the month. From the conversations my daughter has had with coaches, it sounds like many DII are just now finishing up 2017 recruits.Is there a reason that DII schools take longer to recruit than DI's even though they get to contact players before DI's?

If your daughter has been recruited by a DII, when was she recruited? I'm just curious if most DII schools recruit during junior/senior year. My daughter has a few friends that were recruited during their junior year, so we're hoping this will be her year to verbal, but it sounds like it could possibly be as late as her senior year.

Thanks.
 
Oct 10, 2011
3,117
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I'm confused...If your daughter didn't verbal yet, how do you know she'll be playing D2 ball?
It really depends on each coach on when they have players verbal. We had a coach that had all of their players verbal by the end of their Junior year, and another coach that only had a pitcher and a catcher verbal prior their senior year. Most of their players did the fall of their senior year and a couple of DD's teammates did January of their senior year. One reason they wait longer is to try to snag up the best players that have not been picked up by bigger programs. At least that's what one coach told me. Still the longer in the process the recruit goes, the less athletic money is available.
BTW...my daughter did the fall of her senior year just prior to the early signing period.
 
Jun 3, 2015
92
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I'm confused...If your daughter didn't verbal yet, how do you know she'll be playing D2 ball?
It really depends on each coach on when they have players verbal. We had a coach that had all of their players verbal by the end of their Junior year, and another coach that only had a pitcher and a catcher verbal prior their senior year. Most of their players did the fall of their senior year and a couple of DD's teammates did January of their senior year. One reason they wait longer is to try to snag up the best players that have not been picked up by bigger programs. At least that's what one coach told me. Still the longer in the process the recruit goes, the less athletic money is available.
BTW...my daughter did the fall of her senior year just prior to the early signing period.

Thanks for the input.. My dd's goal is to play DII ball, she's receiving a lot of interest from DII schools and she's good enough to play DII ball.. We believe she'll play DII ball. Is there anything wrong with thinking that? We do realize that could change, but for now she's shooting for DII.
 
Oct 10, 2011
3,117
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Thanks for the input.. My dd's goal is to play DII ball, she's receiving a lot of interest from DII schools and she's good enough to play DII ball.. We believe she'll play DII ball. Is there anything wrong with thinking that? We do realize that could change, but for now she's shooting for DII.

That's a great goal! I just wasn't sure since it said "will be playing DII." I'm sure she'll kick some butt out there:)
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
. From the conversations my daughter has had with coaches, it sounds like many DII are just now finishing up 2017 recruits.Is there a reason that DII schools take longer to recruit than DI's even though they get to contact players before DI's?


Yes... first they are probably also recruiting a lot of players who are maybe fixated on D1 schools so are hoping they don't get offers. So they don't want to commit ALL their scholarship dollars until they have to. So a lot of their target players they think would be great for their school they need to wait for.

Second, a lot of D1 verbals don't end up being real offers, or are less real (so you thought you were getting 50% and the offer is only for 20%) so around NLI time for D1, there are a LOT of girls who are suddenly without a school or without the ability to pay the rest of the tuition or board. If you are a D2 with some athletic money available, then you are in with a chance of a getting a player you didn't think you had a chance at until something happened.

And a lot of D1 schools still have money for 2017's available. So don't think they are finished either. That 2020 you 'verballed' isn't helping you keep your job if you can't field a good enough team this year and next.
 
Oct 2, 2015
615
18
Yes... first they are probably also recruiting a lot of players who are maybe fixated on D1 schools so are hoping they don't get offers. So they don't want to commit ALL their scholarship dollars until they have to. So a lot of their target players they think would be great for their school they need to wait for.

Second, a lot of D1 verbals don't end up being real offers, or are less real (so you thought you were getting 50% and the offer is only for 20%) so around NLI time for D1, there are a LOT of girls who are suddenly without a school or without the ability to pay the rest of the tuition or board. If you are a D2 with some athletic money available, then you are in with a chance of a getting a player you didn't think you had a chance at until something happened.

And a lot of D1 schools still have money for 2017's available. So don't think they are finished either. That 2020 you 'verballed' isn't helping you keep your job if you can't field a good enough team this year and next.


marriard, do the D-1 and D-2 schools sign the NLI's at the same time?
Or do the D-1's schools sign first, and then the D-2 schools know who is left over to pick from?
Thanks
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
marriard, do the D-1 and D-2 schools sign the NLI's at the same time?
Or do the D-1's schools sign first, and then the D-2 schools know who is left over to pick from?
Thanks

Same time over a one week period:
NLI Current Signing Dates

Before you even get a written NLI the university should have spelled out for you exactly what they are offering. And once the NLI document is delivered it needs to be reviewed by the player/parent very carefully. Smart coaches have kept up a 'touch' with players they are interested in, so if they change their mind, you are hopefully one of the coaches they turn to when the real offer is in front of them and they don't like it or it contains surprises. It can be a real mess sometimes - verbals mean really nothing until you sign they NLI - then it is binding (well for one year anyway).

From the same site:

Am I required to sign an NLI?
No. You are not required to sign an NLI but many prospective student-athletes sign because they want to create certainty in the recruiting process. Specifically, by signing an NLI, you agree to attend the institution for one year in exchange for the institution's promise, in writing, to provide you athletics financial aid for the entire academic year. Simply, by signing an NLI you are given an award including athletics aid for the upcoming academic year provided you are admitted to the institution and you are eligible for athletics aid under NCAA rules. Furthermore, by signing an NLI you effectively end the recruiting process. Once you sign an NLI, a recruiting ban goes into effect and you may no longer be recruited by any other NLI school.
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
My dd played at a D-II. The process was exactly the same. She was getting recruited by both D-I and D-II schools and actually took more official visits to D-I schools. There are different academic entry requirements per NCAA between D-I and D-II and you can find those online. My dd didn't commit until a week before signing the NLI. She took two official visits on a Friday and Saturday during the prior weekend. She was pretty heavily recruited by several schools. Her situation was a lot different from the typical recruitment process. She thought she was headed to a D-I program in the Ohio Valley Conference when, during the summer when we were trying to get her money offer ironed out, things changed. Suddenly, she jumped back into the process. NLI signing day was neat as several schools kept calling to improve or make offers. One B1G school called and asked her to not sign her NLI as they would make an offer. By then, she knew where she was going.

For my dd, going NCAA D-II worked out well and we are so glad that she did.
 
Oct 2, 2015
615
18
Thanks marriard!!

Now this is the part that makes parents/players nervous...
I've read that scholarship money can be lowered from one year to the next, is that true?
Meaning if your DD got a 25% athletic scholarship the first year as a way to get her to sign the NLI, can the college reduce that scholarship from 25% to whatever they see fit the following year?
Even down to 0%? Whether it's low athletic performance, or "just because"... that scares the heck out of my DD, ok and me too.
Can the college lower the scholarship %, even if your DD is playing at a high level on the field and academically?
Thanks
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
Thanks marriard!!

Now this is the part that makes parents/players nervous...
I've read that scholarship money can be lowered from one year to the next, is that true?
Meaning if your DD got a 25% athletic scholarship the first year as a way to get her to sign the NLI, can the college reduce that scholarship from 25% to whatever they see fit the following year?
Even down to 0%? Whether it's low athletic performance, or "just because"... that scares the heck out of my DD, ok and me too.
Can the college lower the scholarship %, even if your DD is playing at a high level on the field and academically?
Thanks

Yep... in most conferences it is year to year and they are under no obligation to offer anything year 2 and can do whatever they want including cutting you loose. If you perform it is generally not an issue, but if you get a change of coach and they want 'their players' it can go bad quick. A local D2 cut ALL their freshman after their first year. A new coach came in late and she felt they were loyal to the old coach, so none of them were offered a scholarship for their sophomore year. This included 4 starters and their #2 pitcher.

Some conferences have stopped this and have made athletic awards 4 year and can only go up.. but it is rare.

If that sounds tilted in the colleges favor, it sure is.

Academic money is generally a 4 year deal as long as you meet grade criteria, so is actually more stable than athletic money. It makes D3 attractive - if you quit softball, you are in the exact same financial situation as you would be if you continued playing (for the most part anyway).
 

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