How do you find college volleyball teams looking for players...

• Research college volleyball teams’ rosters by going online to view their team pages
• Check out which teams have a large number of seniors leaving, as well as teams that don’t have many of your athlete’s position.
• Contact coaches at those colleges by email, sending them your athlete’s recruiting profile.
• Reach out to college coaches. Athletes should send them a link to  their volleyball recruiting video and few key stats. Ask if they are looking to recruit athletes in your position for your grad year.
• Work with our XP club coach.  Our coaches can help your athlete once a college has contacted the athlete.  

NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 volleyball coaches cannot contact athletes until June 15 after an athlete’s sophomore year of high school

The NCAA is responsible for enforcing its volleyball recruiting rules, which mandate when and how coaches can proactively contact athletes. At the Division 1 and Division 2 levels, most communication is permissible starting June 15 after an athlete’s sophomore year in high school. On the other hand, college coaches at the Division 3 and NAIA levels do not have limits on phone calls and electronic communications.

Number of women’s volleyball scholarships by division level

Volleyball scholarship requirements

Athletes must meet both athletic and academic criteria in order to get a volleyball scholarship. The athletic criteria are largely up to the volleyball program at each individual school. Every coach has different methods for determining which athletes are right for their roster, which is why the recruiting process is so crucial. If an athlete isn’t sure what a college coach looks for athletically in their position, check out the roster. Look for the height, stats and accolades of a current athlete in your position. Or, better yet, the athlete can send the coach an email to ask. 

The NCAA Eligibility Center has specific academic requirements that athletes must meet to be eligible to compete at either the NCAA Division 1 or Division 2 levels. We’ve included the Division 1 requirements below. A good rule of thumb is that if an athlete meets or exceeds the D1 requirements, they will be eligible at the D2 level as well. However, always bear in mind that each individual school has its own set of admissions requirements that athletes will also have to meet.

• The athlete must graduate from high school.
• They must complete 16 core courses and receive a minimum GPA of 2.3 in those courses. The core course requirements are as follows: four years of English; three years of math (Algebra 1 or higher); two years of natural or physical science; two years of social science; one extra year of English, math or science; and four years of religion, philosophy, foreign language or additional years of any of the categories above.
• Athletes need to complete 10 of their 16 core courses before junior year of high school.
• Athletes must take the SAT or ACT and score a minimum of 400 on the SAT (math and reading only) or 37 on the ACT (sum score).

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