One of the best ways to maximize effectiveness throughout the college recruiting process is to target the right colleges and division levels. Not only is this a huge time saver when it comes to communicating with college coaches, but it also helps athletes and families find the right college fit. But in order to do so, potential recruits need to be aware of academic and athletic standards so they know they can compete at that level. This is where recruiting guidelines come into play. 

​

How good do you have to be to play college volleyball? The best way to get accurate, up-to-date recruiting guidelines is to get them directly from the source when contacting college coaches. Different coaches and programs have different standards, even if they’re in the same division level. Additionally, guidelines can and do change over time. In this section, we’ve included some key guidelines that potential recruits can reference to target the right level of competition, but it’s still important to get updated guidelines directly from college coaches.

​

Using the women’s volleyball recruiting guidelines

​

With more than 444,000 women’s high school volleyball players, how do volleyball recruits stand out from the crowd and get noticed by college coaches?

Women’s volleyball is an incredibly fast-growing sport—in 2017, there were 444,500 high school volleyball players. Only 5.9% of those athletes will go on to compete on a college volleyball team, and a mere 1.2% will play for a Division 1 school. Needless to say, getting recruited to play in college is extremely competitive, and it’s imperative that athletes understand how to successfully navigate the volleyball recruiting process if they want to make it to the next level. 

​

What volleyball stats do college coaches look at?

To get the most accurate answer, athletes should check in with college coaches individually to find out what their standards are for recruits. College coaches reference measurables for volleyball vertical jump, approach jump, block jump, attack jump, height and standing reach (position dependent) to make sure recruits have the baseline requirements for playing at that school. However, standards will change from school to school.

​

College coaches usually prioritize recruiting hitters and setters over libero/DS players. Coaches look for approach jump and block jump measurables first so they can gauge how a player plays above the net, with physicality (strength, quickness, etc.), and volleyball IQ (understanding the game and strategy) also considered.

​

What is the average female volleyball player height? 

​

Outside hitter recruiting guidelines

​

Division 1

• Average height of college volleyball player: 6’0”

• Average height range: 53% of players 6’0” and over

• Club experience: Open-level playing experience

Division 2

• Average volleyball player height: 5’10”

• Average height range: 19.8% of athletes are 6’0” and taller; 61% of athletes are between 5’9” and 5’11”

• Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

Division 3

• Average volleyball player height: 5’9”

• Average height range: 58.4% of players are between 5’8” to 5’10”

• Club experience: National and regional club level experience

NAIA

• Average volleyball player height: 5’10”

• Average height range: 55.7% of athletes are between 5’8” and 5’10”

• Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

​

​​

Opposite or right-side hitter recruiting guidelines

​

Division 1

• Average height of college volleyball player: 6’1”

• Average height range: 74.5% of athletes are 6’0” and taller

• Club experience: Open-level playing experience 

Division 2

• Average volleyball player height: 5’11”

• Average height range: 41.7% of athletes are 6’0” and taller

• Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred 

Division 3

• Average volleyball player height: 5’10”

• Average height range: 52% of athletes are between 5’8” and 5’10”

• Club experience: National and regional club level experience 

NAIA

• Average volleyball player height: 5’10”

• Average height range: 51. 9% of athletes are between 5’10” and 6’0”

• Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

​

Middle blocker recruiting guidelines

​

Division 1

• Average height of college volleyball player: 6’1”

• Average height range: 43.2% of athletes are 6’2” and over

• Club experience: Open-level playing experience

Division 2

• Average volleyball player height: 6’0”

• Average height range: 60.3% of athletes are between 5’11” and 6’1”

• Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

Division 3

• Average volleyball player height: 5’11”

• Average height range: 61% of athletes are between 5’10” and 6’0”

• Club experience: National and regional club level experience

NAIA

• Average volleyball player height: 5’11”

• Average height range: 60.6% of athletes are between 5’10” and 6’0”

• Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

​

Setter recruiting guidelines

​

Division 1

• Average height of college volleyball player: 5’10”

• Average height range: 52% of athletes are between 5’9” and 5’11”

• Club experience: Open-level playing experience

Division 2

• Average volleyball player height: 5’8”

• Average height range: 54% of athletes are between 5’7” and 5’9”

• Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

Division 3

• Average volleyball player height: 5’7”

• Average height range: 52% of athletes are between 5’6” and 5’8”

• Club experience: National and regional club level experience

NAIA

• Average volleyball player height: 5’7”

• Average height range: 47.6% of athletes are between 5’6” and 5’8”

• Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

​

Libero recruiting guidelines

​

Division 1

• Average height of college volleyball player: 5’6”

• Average height range: 50% of athletes are between 5’5” and 5’7”

• Club experience: Open-level playing experience

Division 2

• Average volleyball player height: 5’5”

• Average height range: 64% of athletes are between 5’4” and 5’7”

• Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

Division 3

• Average volleyball player height: 5’5”

• Average height range: 54.6% of athletes are between 5’4” and 5’6”

• Club experience: National and regional club level experience

NAIA

• Average volleyball player height: 5’5”

• Average height range: 48% of athletes are between 5’4” and 5’6”

• Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

​

​

​

NCAA Division 1 volleyball recruiting rules

The NCAA Division 1 volleyball recruiting rules restrict when and how D1 volleyball coaches can actively start communicating with prospects. The most important date for D1 volleyball players is June 15 after their sophomore year. At this point, coaches can extend verbal offers and are allowed almost all forms of communication.

• Recruiting questionnaires, camp invites, NCAA materials and non-athletic publications: Any time

• Verbal Scholarship Offers: June 15 after sophomore year

• Private correspondence (phone calls, emails, texts, instant messages, DMs, faxes): June 15 after sophomore year

• Official and unofficial visits: August 1 before junior year

• Off-campus contact: August 1 before junior year

 

NCAA Division 2 volleyball recruiting rules

The most important date in the NCAA Division 2 volleyball recruiting rules is June 15 after sophomore year of high school. At this time all contact is permitted.

• Recruiting questionnaires, camp brochures and non-athletic publications: Any time

• Unofficial visits: Any time, unlimited

• Verbal Scholarship Offers: June 15 after sophomore year

• Private correspondence (phone calls, emails, texts, instant messages, DMs, faxes): June 15 after sophomore year

• Official visits: June 15 before junior year

• In-person, off-campus contact: June 15 before junior year

 

NCAA Division 3 volleyball recruiting rules

D3 volleyball colleges have the most relaxed NCAA recruiting rules of all the division levels. Most contact is allowed at any time and recruits are only restricted in when they can start taking official visits and have off-campus contact with coaches.

• Recruiting materials: Athletes can receive recruiting materials at any time.

• Phone calls and electronic communications: There is no limit on when college coaches can call or digitally message athletes.

• Unofficial visits: Any time, unlimited

• Off-campus contact: After the athlete’s sophomore year, college coaches may begin to conduct off-campus contact.

• Official visits: Athletes can begin taking official visits after January 1 of their junior year.

 

NAIA volleyball recruiting rules

The NAIA gives a lot of freedom to its coaches in the recruiting process, and it does not restrict when or how coaches can reach out to high school athletes. Though there are fewer rules, NAIA coaches do tend to start the recruiting process a little later than NCAA Division 1 or Division 2 coaches. 

 

2022-23 NCAA volleyball recruiting calendar

The NCAA volleyball recruiting calendar works in coordination with the NCAA volleyball recruiting rules. The rules explain when coaches can contact recruits based on the recruit’s year in high school. The calendar explains what type of contact is permitted throughout the school year.

For example, imagine it’s November 10 of a D1 recruit’s junior year. The NCAA volleyball recruiting rules show that the recruit can be contacted by college coaches, as well as go on unofficial and official visits. However, according to the NCAA volleyball recruiting calendar, November 10 falls in a dead period, so that recruit shouldn’t plan on taking a campus visit, because D1 coaches aren’t permitted to have in-person contact with recruits during dead periods.

The D2 NCAA volleyball recruiting calendar is much less restrictive than the D1 calendar. For D2 volleyball, all dates not specified as part of the dead period should be treated like a contact period. D3 volleyball doesn’t have a recruiting calendar, with the entire school year treated like a contact period.

Contact Period: During this time, coaches can email, text, call, direct message and contact athletes and their parents through any NCAA-approved method.

• Division 1: Sept. 1 – Nov. 30, 2022; Feb. 17-Jul. 31, 2023

Evaluation Period: Throughout the evaluation period, coaches are allowed to watch an athlete compete in person or visit them at their school or home. However, there are some specific rules about where coaches can evaluate athletes, so pay close attention to whether coaches can evaluate athletes at school events, non-school events or both.

• Division 1: Thursday of the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Volleyball Championship through the Sunday immediately following the championship, a college’s coaching staff is allowed to evaluate on one day only and may attend only one event on that day, as long as it’s within a 30-mile radius of the championship site. However, coaches cannot attend events that occur at the same time as any games associated with the NCAA championship. 

Quiet Period: The quiet period is a time when coaches may not have face-to-face contact with recruits off the college campus, such as at an athlete’s school, or at an athlete’s games and tournaments. In other words, the coach can only talk to recruits on the coach’s campus or through any other approved electronic means of communication.

• Division 1: Aug. 1-31, 2022; Dec. 1, 2022-Feb. 16, 2023; May 1-Jun. 1, 2023

Dead Period: During the dead period, coaches may not have any in-person contact with recruits or their families. Coaches can still keep in touch with recruits via phone, email, social media and other approved electronic means of communication.

• Division 1: Nov. 7-10, 2022

• Division 2: November 7 (7 a.m.) to 9 (7 a.m.), 2022, (during the 48 hours prior to 7 a.m. on the initial date for the signing of the National Letter of Intent)

• ​

All other dates that don’t fit into the dead period are in the contact period, during which coaches can email, text, call, direct message and contact athletes and their parents through any NCAA-approved method.

​

College volleyball tips for recruiting

Every college recruiting journey is different, but many recruits and families will experience the same milestones along the way. Though these tips should not be treated like they’re set in stone, they can provide guidance throughout the process:

1. Discuss as a family if college sports are right for your athlete. After all, getting admitted into the best possible college or pursuing academic scholarships may not line up with earning a roster spot. Then decide if you’re ready to start the recruiting process.

2. Determine what division levels to target. This decision should be based on athletic, academic, financial and social fit.

3. After researching schools, create a target list of 20–30 colleges.

4. Put together at least one volleyball recruiting video to send to interested coaches.

5. Reach out to coaches at targeted schools and follow up with all coach communications.

6. Give coaches an opportunity to see you in person by attending tournaments, camps and clinics.

7. Visit college campuses and meet coaches in person.

8. Complete NCAA and/or NAIA academic eligibility requirements and send the appropriate documentation to those organizations.

9. Start receiving offers. For each school that has offered a roster spot, determine how much financial aid is needed to attend.

10. Choose the school with the best fit and commit! Work out scholarship details with the coach and determine if there is a National Letter of Intent (or an equivalent) that needs to be signed.

​

Researching schools and creating a target list

 

Success in the college men’s volleyball recruiting process is based on doing plenty of research casting a wide net and finding the right college fit. Too often, families try to make their college decision based on a school’s athletic pedigree without considering other factors that will impact the college experience. That’s why a target list of schools should consider athletic, academic, financial and social fit. Athletes should ask themselves:

• What division level am I best suited to compete in?

• Are my grades and test scores good enough to get admitted to the college? Is my preferred major available?

• What is my expected family contribution when comparing athletic scholarships, academic scholarships and need-based aid at different colleges?

• Do I want to be at a big school or small school; a rural or urban environment; to be far from home or close to home? 

 

Considering these questions, start with a list of 20 to 30 schools and then start contacting college coaches and whittling the list down to preferred schools. While putting together the list, organize it into the following categories:

​

• 5–10 safety schools: These are schools that should be easier to get into. While they may not be top choices, student-athletes would be comfortable going to school there for four years. But remember to still reach out to these coaches early in the recruiting process instead of waiting until other options are not available.

• 10–15 target schools: Target schools are top picks and student-athletes should have a good shot at getting into these schools. Ten is the minimum number of schools student-athletes want in this section of their list, as the best way to negotiate scholarship offers is to have interest from multiple schools.

• 5–10 reach schools: These schools might be just out of reach due to their price tag or level of athletic competition. For most recruits, this list is comprised of Division 1 and academically rigorous colleges. Getting into these schools might be a longshot, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a shot worth taking.  

• ​

The best path forward is to create as many opportunities as possible, which means starting out with plenty of schools on the list. As recruits start communicating with coaches and learning more about each school, some might bump up a few spots on the list, and others might drop off entirely.

​

Creating a volleyball recruiting video

​

College coaches can’t see every potential recruit in person and that’s why their evaluation usually relies on a recruiting video (also called a highlight video). Most of the time, an athlete’s recruiting video makes the first impression on a college coach. That’s why recruits need to spend the time and energy to make a video that shows off their best attributes as a volleyball player.

Volleyball players need to create two different types of videos. The first is a skills video that shows repetitions of attacking, passing, blocking and defense (depending on the recruit’s position). The second is a video of a full volleyball game. Coaches will typically review the skills video first to evaluate the recruit’s fundamentals and technique. Then, they will watch the full game film if they are interested in the athlete.

​

The skills video is a quick snapshot meant to capture the coach’s attention and should be no more than three to five minutes long. The full game is much longer but families should shorten it by removing dead time (side changes, time outs, substitutions, etc.). To get a rundown of all the skills athletes need to include in their videos based on their position.

​

Volleyball recruiting tip: Families shouldn’t stop after making one or two high-quality videos. Instead, they should make a recruiting video after every major tournament. This way, they will have new footage to share with college coaches and can send a new recruiting video to coaches of interest every three to four months.

​

How to contact college volleyball coaches

​

Communicating with college volleyball coaches is an essential part of the recruiting process. 

​

• Send an introductory email to the college coach. In the email, include your highlight video and key information, like height, vertical jump and club team name.

• Follow up with a phone call and mention the introductory email you sent.

• Respond to all correspondence from coaches. This includes emails, direct messages on social media, recruiting letters and more.

• Keep following up with coaches. Send them new highlight videos and updated stats. Congratulate them on a recent win or invite them to watch you compete.