Early Signing Period - D2

[yoopergarce]

I imagine that there will be a ton of D1 early signings going on next week, but what about D2? Is there typically a run on those scholarships early on too, or do a lot of those programs tend to wait until Spring for the non-pitching positions? If trying to decide to go D2 or D3/NAIA, the dilema would be possibly losing an early D2 sign-on spot to wait for the financial packages to come in through the winter from the smaller schools for comparison.
What do you think?...

 

[sluggers]

College coaches have been courting their primary recruits for long time. So, those primary recruits will be signed during the early signing period. Those could be D1 or D2 players.

Is there typically a run on [D2] scholarships early on too, or do a lot of those programs tend to wait until Spring for the non-pitching positions?

Any coach, whether D1 or D2, will want to get all of this settled as early as possible. But, nothing ever goes according to plan. Generally, you see a bunch of kids sign on the first day, then more activity a few days later, and then the signings come few and far between.

What happens is that coach A has been recruiting Suzy, but Suzy signs with coach B. If coach A offered a scholarship to Suzy, then Coach A has to re-evaluate the available players and find someone else. That takes time. Similarly, if Annie wants to play for Coach B, but Coach B signed Suzy, then Annie has to re-evaluate her options.

It helps to stop thinking about the softball recruiting process as being the same as for big time D1 football. In softball, you've got a bunch of people scrambling around to fill up a roster without much information about the players they are recruiting.

If trying to decide to go D2 or D3/NAIA, the dilemma would be possibly losing an early D2 sign-on spot to wait for the financial packages to come in through the winter from the smaller schools for comparison.

You need to carefully read the LOI (letter of intent). Generally, if your DD signs an LOI, she is only restricted from playing softball for a different D1 school in the upcoming season.

A LOI signed with a D1 school does not stop her from playing at a D3 school. Similarly, the NAIA schools are not bound by the NCAA LOI.

A lot of kids sign with a D1 school, and then back out and go play NAIA or D3. There are ethical implications...but, kids do change their minds. Parents generally think their kid is the greatest softball player in the world, and so the kid thinks so as well. She signs with a D1 school, and then, she starts looking at all of this more seriously, and suddenly realizes, "Wow. I'm not as good as the starting SS. I'm not starting this year, and maybe not for two more years. Does this make sense?"

 

[jacketsfan]

You can get released from an NLI as well. However, it may cost a year of eligibility, depending upon the school and the coach. So, if she is not absolutely convinced - don't sign. It's not fair to her or the school.

As for timing - at my DD's HS, we had D1, D2, and JUCO's signing NLI's. We had an NAIA sign a letter, and a couple of D3's celebrating their commitments (nothing binding, but formally letting everyone know the recruiting process is over).

My own DD committed to a D3 in August before her senior year. It was the right fit of athletics and academics, for her, and it was her first choice. Unlike some kids, it was not the last resort - it was the first choice.

Later in the Fall, after signing day, she got some calls from some of the D1's that she had been talking to, to see if she was still interested in signing in the Spring. She stuck to her commitment, though, because once she committed, she was all in.

At her D3 school, 3 players in a freshman class of 10 announced commitments on signing day. All 3 had, or knew they would get, scholarship offers, but chose this school. About 5 more announced by January, and the last couple, I think, played out every other option before coming in over the summer.

All of the early announcees, and most of the ones by January, had scholarship offers at various levels, but chose to go to this particular school to play together. They did lose one girl (not one of the 10 noted above), who got an offer at a D2 and signed in the Spring. The rest stuck to it though.

So, I think coaches want to get it over as well, as Ray said.

If a D3 coach can get a kid with offers from D1, D2, or NAIA, to commit early, that coach would be excited (although still nervous until the non-refundable enrollment deposit is paid). The hardest part for me was that her academic scholarship was not fully known until about March. It was a nail biter turning down other offers, without knowing for sure how her other scholarships would work out. In the end, she got a little more than the coach had thought she might.

As far as D2's - I know many kids that have signed with D2's in the Fall (in fact I helped 3 of them do it last Fall from my team), but I've seen them sign in the spring too. Depends on the school and its coaches, really. I have seen D1's sign late also (2 of them last year too in the Spring period), but those are more unusual.

 

[Cannonball]

My dd signed early at a D-II last year to make sure that she had the original offer from the coach which was pretty good. Remember, coaches can change their offer depending upon who they sign. In fact, all of the freshmen at her school were signed early with one exception. That exception was signed when one of the players who signed early was then a non qualifier. For this year, my dd's university has signed 4 early and will lose 4 seniors. So...

 

[yoopergarce]

All good stuff. She went ahead and signed D2. That's where she wanted to go...loved the small campus and liked the coaches and the girls on the team. Can't ask for much more...except maybe closer to home.
Thanks...

 

[jacketsfan]

Congrats to her (and you)!

 

[sluggers]

Congrats, yooper!