What really happens with big-time college volleyball recruiting

We interviewed (anonymously interviewed 12 of the nation's top 30 prospects in the Class of 2025) about what really went on with their recruiting process. We did remove the names of any specific schools that were named.

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How many official offers did you receive?

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“I committed on the first phone call I took on June 15” 1

4 offers- 15 offers-26 offers- 27 offers- 110-15 offers-320+ offers- 2

Question 2: Did you commit BEFORE or AFTER you took an official?

Before an official visit: 9 of 12After an official visit: 3 of 12

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Were you offered any NIL packages (What was the NIL package)?

11 No1 Yes

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Were there any schools you heard negative things about coaches, culture, other players etc that made you not select that school

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Yes-8

No-4

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I heard SEC School had a negative environment with the team, and another top school had some conflicts with the coaching staff

I heard that schools had verbally abusive coaches like SEC School from ? before, Big Ten School and, SEC School

I never directly heard negative things about the school but I found some red flags about certain schools I was taking too.Yes I heard that a favorite of mine isn’t upfront with prospects.

Yes I’ve heard toxic things about numerous programs- mainly, 3 Big Ten programs

i did not hear good things about Big Ten school coaching staff/culture

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Did any schools give you a "Commitment Deadline"?  What was the deadline (Ex. 24 hours, the weekend) and what schools gave you deadlines?

Yes-6

No-6

I didn’t get deadlines but I took a while to get back to some schools where they have multiple positions offered at a timeI was given only one hard deadline. After I took an unofficial visit they wanted an answer. No other school gave me a specific deadline, just as soon as possibleYes, I was given a deadline. After 1 month of having that offer and not taking it, I was given by the end of the week to decide.Yes- they offered 2 scholarships to 3 players. PAC 12 school

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What schools were on your "Finalists List"

Texan A & M, Louisville, Mizzou

Ole Miss, Texas Tech, ASU, Cincinnati, and Wake Forrest.

Auburn A&M SMUPittsburgh, Louisville, Kentucky, Florida, Stanford

Penn State, Florida, Nebraska, USC, UCLA, Louisville, Illinois

Northwestern, Ohio State, Notre Dame, IU USC, Penn State, Georgia Tech

Iowa State, Colorado State, Missouri, K-State, ArkansasTexas, Stanford, Louisville, and Penn StateTexas, USC, Wisconsin, LSUUSC, UCLA, Tennessee, ColoradoOregon Pitt and Stanford

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Did any coaches pressure you or give you a negative vibe?  If so what did they do?

No-9

Yes-3

Not anything too bad. A few knew about the other schools I was talking to and talked about it to me. Which made me a little uncomfortable but overall fine.

Yes, I received an offer from a head coach and they knew no personal information about me as a person which reflected their team culture.Yes, they were very pushy trying to get me to take an official visit on the first callYes, they would talk poorly about other schools

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Tell us any factors that made you "Cross Schools Off Your List". You do not have to name specific schools

I didn’t have any specific things that made me cross off of school, but I made a list of things I wanted in a school and if the schools didn’t have enough things that I wanted on my list I crossed them off.

I wanted to stay closer to home so I crossed many off my list that were East Coast at first.

Weather and playing ability

Not match the coach's vibes, a very losing record, and very small schools.

-In the state, a lot of transfers, brand new coaching staff, and not a big “sports school”

The coaches, stuff I’ve heard about culture, if Coach is about to retire

If I didn’t feel comfortable when I was at there at the camps, the coaches or players

Playing time, coaching staff, whether or not they develop players or rely on the transfer portal, campus, academics

If they were late to a call or called me the wrong name

Location

If they had confidence in me as a player if they were always someone I could trust and talk to

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Rank the importance (1-5) of the Big 5 Reasons for a Choosing a School

Distance From Home: 1st: 1, 2nd: 1, 3rd: 2, 4th: 3, 5th: 5

Program Prestige (Play for Title Every Yr): 1st: 3, 2nd: 2, 3rd: 3, 4th: 4

Be A Program Changer (Be the First: 1st: 1, 2nd: 2, 3rd: 5, 4th: 4

Education Prestige/Major: 1st: 3, 2nd: 2, 3rd: 3, 4th: 3, 5th: 1

Immediate Playing Time: 1st: 2, 2nd: 7, 3rd: 2, 4th 1

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What D1 Select Camps Did You Attend:

USC, UCLA, and Texas, but I only took 1 during my recruiting year. I also don’t think that camps are not necessary and only go if it doesn’t cost you a ton of money and it’s not super inconvenient. Because if the school is interested in you, they’ll wait for you to take your official.

USC, UCLA, Colorado, Texas,

Illinois usc ku Nebraska Oregon

Mizzou, Louisville, LMU,

Before June 15th I only attended the Tstreet coaching collegiate camps. The only individual camp I went to was Cincinnati before I committed.

Duke UNC A&M USC FloridaPittsburgh, LouisvilleUF, UNL, UW,Northwestern, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Duke, NC State, MichiganLouisville, Pitt, Penn State

Iowa State, K-State, Creighton, Oklahoma, ColoradoOhio State, Texas, Penn State, Nebraska, Florida

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Did you attend camp at the school you committed to:

Yes-9

No-3

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What are 1 or 2 things you would like to see changed about the D1 Recruiting Process?

*Coaches making girls feel rushed to make a decision, A allowing girls to take official visits sooner*I would have loved to have talked to the coaches in person before June 15

*You have to take ur officials before you commit

*I kind of felt very overwhelmed right as june 15th hit, so I am not sure if there is a way to fix that, but just pointing it out

.*The need to rush your commitment from schools, players need time to think about their decision, and pressure from coaches can make you feel rushed.

*How you get tons of stuff flowing your phone at one time I thought it was overwhelming

*I wish they would let you do official visits soon*The dates that coaches can make offers should be a later date from the time they are allowed contact- so they can get to know you better.*I would like official visits to be allowed August 1. One of the reasons I committed before

*I visited schools because taking visits was I didn’t want to miss school in the fall

.*Taking official visits sooner, being able to know who is interested in you before June 15 being able to talk to coaches more in person, and/or allowing them to email back