HS junior and what to expect with college recruiting - seeking advice & information

I was a D3 athlete and really enjoyed it. I wasn't really considering D1, but that was because the D1 schools I wanted to go to were some of the fastest in the nation.

Anyway, what I did was email the coach my junior year track season to start a dialogue. If you're fast enough you'll get a reply. At the college I ended up going to, I was told to send over my grades and test scores for a "pre-screening". If that went well, I was told I'd have about a 40-50% chance of getting in. I know that's not the 95% chance of acceptance that D1 schools have, but based off current statistics you have about a 10x greater chance of acceptance which is a great deal.

What are her times (rounded for anonymity) and grades/test scores? This is since the top academic D1 colleges have "buckets" for athletic recruits: when I was being recruited I was told a 9:15 runner with a 4.0/1600 was much more attractive than a 9:05 one with a 3.7/1300. Basically, coaches will only be able to bring in a few recruits whose academics are lacking, so it's a lot more beneficial if your academics are 75th percentile (or even 50th) or above.

You are doing the right things for this stage of the game. This is the “getting to know you” phase. If she puts up good track times this coming Sping then the interest will intensify.

For right now, expect only smiles and friendly conversation. The coach is in sales mode and wants to make a good impression. Depending on the program, you will get vague information about scholarships. The coach will want your daughter to apply, fill out the FAFSA form for federal aid, and possibly the CSS which dives deep into your personal finances. He or she will want to know how much financial and merit aid that your daughter will get before talking about athletic dollars. This is because the program wants to sign her for the least amount possible and to stretch their budget. I would strongly advise not focusing on money at your unofficial visits. This is like asking about salary in the first five minutes of a job interview and isn’t a good look.

Be realistic! Full rides in our sport are almost mythical and reserved for only the top 10-20 girls in the country. Feel free to ask what the average ride is and establish if the school offers tiered scholarships and increases based on performance. Some schools offer a basic package such as 20% for first year athletes but will increase aid based on criteria like points scored at conference championships, nationals berths, etc.

Enjoy the journey and make sure that your daughter places academics first in her selection. Also get her thinking about what she wants from the sport. Does she want to contribute right away? Will she be happy waiting a year or two to make the traveling squad? Does she vibe with the other girls on the team? Will she be satisfied if she is merely a solid #5 or 6 runner during her college career? Things like this should be considered because D1 is a pressure cooker and can be an unwelcome slap into reality for talented high school kids that are used to being a big deal and winning easy.

Best of luck!

She already won the gender lottery... Getting recruited as a girl is a lot easier than getting recruited as a boy. Usually more spots on the team, more scholarship money available, and they can contribute right away in XC even if they are an 800/miler type.

Thanks for the replies - this is all great information! Some answers to your questions:

1. Her PR for XC 5K is 17:15-17:30 (as a junior) and for the 1600, 4:48-4:53 (as a sophomore). Her best track event is the 1600. She's sub-11 for the 3200, but prefers the 1600. She is a strong 800 runner, but only as a member of a relay team and individually not competitive at a collegiate level.

2. She has a 3.5 and is on the honors track. Has not taken the ACT yet, but unfortunately she has problems with time and standardized tests and even with studying we expect her scores will be lower than her GPA suggests (but still well above NCAA minimum standards). We are hoping that with the recent de-emphasis on standardized testing this will help her.

3. We have heard that money is the last thing to be brought up, and fortunately we are in a financial position to not be worried about a full or even 50% ride. We want to make sure she is at a school and in a program that is the best fit for her.

4. She said she wants to be able to race her freshman year. She would be happy as the 5th-7th person on a good XC team; she just likes to race. She has worked hard for where she is and handles it well when she doesn't win.

I remember this girl who was running similar times her junior year and being told by Arkansas she would be getting a full ride. Once Arkansas thought they had her locked in they dropped it to half. She ended up going to Furman on a full ride.

You're daughter will be fine. She's checked all the boxes to be successful in a D-1 program, and should be considered for some financial aid depending on the track program. Her times are legit and look to only get better as she develops. Rule #1, be sure your daughter goes to a school she enjoys and is compatible academically. PLEASE don't get caught up with the transfer portal bullsh^t (if I don't like it I can transfer). Definitely sit down down with the coach and discuss training/racing goals over the 4 years she will be there. Be sure her high school coach is involved with this, as he or she should know what questions to ask with regard to her running.

I have a close friend who coaches at a D-1 school in California, and he would recruit her with money in a heartbeat!

Good Luck!

Word to the wise.

Your daughter has run some very legit times and she will be heavily recruited. Her times will get interest from nearly everyone so you really don't need help from anyone.

The NCAA has some goofy rules about recruiting do's and don'ts. One of them is not setting something up via a message board like this. Using A84 as a conduit to his CA coaching connections would be one of those don'ts. (not that A84 is trying to break rules...he/she was just offering advice... but direct email contact is a step in the rule breaking direction.)

Of course, it would be hard to prove but, your daughter is a top recruit so no need to risk it. imo

Thank you so much for letting me know about these recruiting rules....some things that a newbie has to learn. Aouita 84 forget my request - I don't want to get anyone into trouble.

You can skip to the most important part: where is the best fit? During visits, concentrate on what team and coaches seem to mesh the best?

That isn't the most improtant part. Coaches leave and runners gradaute or quit. Also, this recruit may quit running after a year. The most improtant things are price and the college. Runnign should be about 3rd most important.

There is a concept known as the "Broken Leg Test". When selecting a college, your daughter should ask herself, "If I broke my leg or got an injury that precluded me from ever running again, would I be happy attending this school?".

Stuff happens. Burnout, repetitive injuries, car accidents, chronic diseases, etc. Competitive running is a very short chapter in our lives. Make sure that she gets the education, job skills, and the social life that she wants at an institution that she loves.

Very few teams can afford to ignore a miler who runs 4:50ish as a sophomore and continues running well in 11th-grade XC -- especially one who wants admission more than scholarship money. So I would feel free to pursue a reply fairly aggressively from coaches. It's not unusual for emails to fall through the cracks, and enthusiasm is a good thing from a qualified athlete. Doing some research on the team is also a good thing to demonstrate interest, and along the way you may come across contact info for an assistant or an athlete/graduate who can help make an introduction.

Good luck to your daughter!