NCAA Div II recruiting? Question

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obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
two schools DD is nterested in : one is a DII school, the other is a DIII NESCAC school. DD (2018) is in love with DII school and I’m trying to figure out how she can play ball there
We have visited twice and if the finances can work, we will love it too. I apologize in advance for the length of this (I’m Bolding the significant parts so you can skim) and if I’ve already posted this elsewhere, I’m having wicked déjà vu as I write this.

DD has been emailing this coach all year, keeping her posted on everything that’s been going on and she hasn’t heard anything back. So, toward the end of October with the Early Action deadlines looming, I emailed the coach to ask some “parent” questions, including “How does DD get on your radar?”

She promptly emailed back that DD needed to come out for an Official visit and overnight, where she would practice with the team one day and attend class with one of the players, and she needed to do it before Dec 1 and, by the way, there’s some paperwork that needs to be filled out and I need to get it a week before she comes out, so she should send me a list of dates that she can do it and I’ll let her know what works for me.

Suffice it to say, we couldn’t make it work, so I told DD to get in touch with her to let her know and see if you can do it again after the first of the year. DD said the coach already told her it had to happen by Dec 1 or it couldn’t happen at all. The coach is supposedly very nice but in her communications with DD she sounds a bit difficult.

From what I read in the NCAA Guide, I don’t see why it couldn’t happen another time of year, so I don’t know if DD is just afraid to talk to the coach about it, or if its really an NCAA rule, or if it’s just the coaches rule because it would be too disruptive in pre-season?

In the end of October, DD had day surgery to address what turned out to be Endometritis. Since the end of February, she’s been wrestling with what was originally diagnosed as Costochondritis, which would’ve been gone after March or worst case, April if that’s what it was. This Friday she’s seeing a Rheumatologist to get another opinion and hopefully a diagnosis that she can work with. If after this, she will be able to start training again, it’s going to take awhile before she’s as strong as she was a year ago when this all started.

So my question to anyone who is familiar with playing College ball, what avenues are available for her to pursue a softball career in college? DW is upset because the NESCAC coach wanted her and if she went there, she would definitely be playing ball. Now it looks like she will be rolling the dice to walk-on when she gets there.
Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Jul 3, 2013
438
43
Push your DD to make contact by phone with the coach. Have her get an answer from the coach about why it has/ had to be before Dec. 1st. If it just isn't going to work at that school, move on to others.

Don't panic. It's starting to get late, but there is still time to find a program that fits.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
DD (2018) has a DII school she is in love with and I’m trying to figure out how she can play ball there . We have visited twice and if the finances can work, we will love it too. I apologize in advance for the length of this (I’m Bolding the significant parts so you can skim) and if I’ve already posted this elsewhere, I’m having wicked déjà vu as I write this.


So my question to anyone who is familiar with playing College ball, what avenues are available for her to pursue a softball career in college? DW is upset because the NESCAC coach wanted her and if she went there, she would definitely be playing ball. Now it looks like she will be rolling the dice to walk-on when she gets there.
Thanks!

Are you talking about two different schools? NESCAC schools are DIII, but you said DII in the subject line in the opening paragraph. If the NESCAC coach wants her, it doesn't matter if she walks on or has a spot since there is no NLI or monies involved. The coach will take her since it doesn't cost her anything. You are footing the bill anyway. NESCAC is blind need based like the Ivies. Also, if the coach tells you what it takes and the timeline to do it, you should have made every effort to make it happen. Your DD needs to be making the calls to the coaches...that's how she will get on their on their radar. FWIW, a NESCAC school starting calling my DD around Christmas time of her soph year. So yeah, it starts early if they are interested.

Sound like your DD has some health issues. Will she even be able to play?
 
Oct 3, 2011
3,478
113
Right Here For Now
It's not all bad news obbay. My DD, due to a last minute change of majors went to a DII and walked on after turning down numerous offers from other schools. It had the major area of interest she wanted to study (the only one in the NE region within her preferred geometrical area she could drive) and a campus she absolutely adored. She went on an unofficial visit and set up a meeting with the coach through the administrations office. After she introduced herself and left, he did his due diligence and found out who she was. He'd never seen her play and was out of athletic money for that class of inductees but made a spot on the team for her and promised some AS money next year if it all works out. It's been an uphill battle with her teammates, especially the 2 Junior catchers that have been trying to bully her off the team instead of working harder to improve their skillset since she's much better than them but she's holding her own and succeeding. As a Freshman, she'll be starting in the Spring behind the plate barring injury and is currently catching the starting Senior Pitcher in practice. If your DD truly wants to go there, I'm sure you can make it work. We did. This first year, we had to take out a student loan for her but it is what it is. In the Spring, if DD performs the way she has in the past, and I truly believe she'll surpass that since she's so happy there, we'll be able to afford it between the AS money and Academic money without a student loan. In the meantime, we've selected the option of immediate payments with the shortest time of payments so we don't eat a bunch of interest. It's doable in the end if you can figure out how.
 

obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
.Are you talking about two different schools?
Yes.
We were bumming that she wasn't going for the NESCAC school, where the coach knew her, communicated with her, and told her to send her a package and she would walk it thru admissions.
Dd#1 went to an open house at Tufts where they told everyone good luck with the FAFSA because you won't be getting money from us. A co-workers son went to middlebury and he said there was zero financial help at Middlebury. On the other hand there's Colby that prides itself on providing no loans and making only scholarship money available and graduating kids with no debt.

Dd#2 was looking at a NESCAC school that had excellent scholarship money available and at an open house, when we were talking with a Finance person about our financial concerns, she looked us square in the eye, lowered her voice and said" if we haven't given you enough help, just let us know. We can always make it work."

I agree about making every effort to follow the coach's timeline, unfortunately, the coach didn't respond to DD, and when she responded to me, the days left to make it happen included Finals, SATs, doctor appointments, fall season final competitions, and thanksgiving as well as weekends that the coach wasn't available like this past weekend when we were at the school for an open house and DD tried to schedule time with the coach.

Overall, im taking the advice I've been given on thus board and letting her drive the process. I was just wondering about the whole "gotta do it by Dec 1 or not at all"- thing
 
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obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
Thanks Yo- I'm thinking DD may have to do the Walk-on thing, so it's good to hear that it worked fir you! If it works for us, we'll be the in the same conference as your DD so I'll let you know.
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
IMO it is harder to get into most NESCAC schools than it is to play SB there. With respect to the NESCAC coach’s offer, the only thing you’ve missed out on is receiving a little boost with admissions from the coach via an ED application. While every little thing helps to differentiate and stand out from all the excellent students in the applicant pool, if your DD can get in, she will be a known entity to the coach and given every chance to make the team.
 
Nov 18, 2013
2,255
113
Yes.
We were bumming that she wasn't going for the NESCAC school, where the coach knew her, communicated with her, and told her to send her a package and she would walk it thru admissions.
Dd#1 went to an open house at Tufts where they told everyone good luck with the FAFSA because you won't be getting money from us. A co-workers son went to middlebury and he said there was zero financial help at Middlebury. On the other hand there's Colby that prides itself on providing no loans and making only scholarship money available and graduating kids with no debt.

Dd#2 was looking at a NESCAC school that had excellent scholarship money available and at an open house, when we were talking with a Finance person about our financial concerns, she looked us square in the eye, lowered her voice and said" if we haven't given you enough help, just let us know. We can always make it work."

I agree about making every effort to follow the coach's timeline, unfortunately, the coach didn't respond to DD, and when she responded to me, the days left to make it happen included Finals, SATs, doctor appointments, fall season final competitions, and thanksgiving as well as weekends that the coach wasn't available like this past weekend when we were at the school for an open house and DD tried to schedule time with the coach.

Overall, im taking the advice I've been given on thus board and letting her drive the process. I was just wondering about the whole "gotta do it by Dec 1 or not at all"- thing

Coach probably wanted to see her by Dec 1st as a personal deadline. My guess would be that’s when she wanted to make a decision on who to make offers to. If she’s injured, she could still watch and get to know the staff and players. They mainly want to get to know her as a person to see if she’s a good fit. The “not at all” comes from if a kid doesn’t want to follow her timeline there’s plenty who will. You’ve gotta find a way to make it happen if it’s a school she loves.
 

obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
MN dad- I was thinking along the lines of what you said and in fact, told my DD something similar. Coach told her something to the effect of, "if you can't practice with the team, what's the point?"

I'll encourage her to train as much as she is able as soon as she is able, keep in touch with the coach and we'll see if we can make something happen.
 
Last edited:
Mar 3, 2016
47
0
NESCACS don't have merit aid. It's all need-based.
I suspect the Dec 1 date has to do with the ED2 deadline. As someone who has been working the NESCACs for softball for 3 years, getting in is not harder than getting to play softball. To do both is nearly impossible, as 2 of the schools were at the NCAA playoffs this year and are ranked in the top 10 D3 schools in the country.

There are more smart girls that can play ball than you think and the level of play is as high as, or higher , than many D1s. Coaches can protect 2-4 girls with grades and test scores meeting certain criteria which varies by the school, but are within the range set by admissions. For example, Amherst needs a 31 ACT and an A average in difficult courses, all things being equal, to get a prospect thru admissions. They have a list of 5 girls for every position that they consider, and they take 5 girls(or less) a year. A "walk-on" does not necessarily get a position.The Williams coach, with the USNews #1 D3 academic school, and the number 4 ranked softball program, has literally thousands of hopefuls e-mailing her every year. She only needs 4-5 girls, and she doesn't carry a larger roster.
Some of the schools have tryouts for walk-ons, but it certainly isn't a done deal or a sure thing.
 

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