Soccer Recruiting Guidelines

Division I: 

• ODP Experience:
  • National Team/Pool
  • Regional Team/Pool
  • State Team NOT Pool
• Adidas ESP Camp
• CLUB Experience:
  • Premier Club Experience
  • Attend Major Tournaments
    • Surf Cup
    • Disney Showcase
    • Score at the Shore
    • Jefferson Cup
    • Cerritos memorial Challenge Cup
    • YMS Columbus Day
    • Del Sol Pres. Cup
    • Blue Chip
    • Crossroads Showcase
    • Celtic Cup
    • Mustang Inv.
    • WAGS Cup
• Examples of Top Men's Club Teams Include:
  • Chicago Magic
  • Dallas Texans
  • Sockers FC
  • Arsenal FC
  • FC Delco
  • Scott Gallagher
  • So Cal United
  • Casa Mia's Bays
  • FC Greater Boston
  • Washington FC Premier
• Examples of Top Women's Club Teams Include:
  • Dallas Texans
  • PDA
  • Eclipse FC
  • Michigan Hawks
  • Sereno SC
  • Slammers
  • San Diego Surf
  • Bethesda united
  • Carmel United
  • Mustang Soccer
• High School Experience:
  • All-American
  • Varsity starter
  • All-State
  • All Region/Conference/Sectional

Division I Soccer Notes: 

Most Division I soccer players have club experience and play for a high level premier/elite club team that attends out of state tournaments. The majority, but NOT ALL Division I players have ODP experience at the state level or higher. High level club tournament play and ODP soccer come closest to mirroring the college game, and this is where most collegiate scouting takes place. Nearly 100% of all Division I soccer players who played for their high school teams have earned at least All-Conference recognition. Most have also received All-District, All-State and All-Region honors. 

Division II: 

• ODP Experience:
  • Tryouts/Camps
  • State Pool
• Club Experience:
  • Team travels to out of state tournaments
• High School Experience:
  • Varsity starter

Division III/NAIA: 

• Club Experience:
  • Travels to Tournaments
  • Not AYSO or REC
• High School Experience:
  • Varsity Starter

*****Foreign players must have video and references  

Division II/III Soccer Notes: 

Over 95% Division II, III, and NAIA soccer players have club experience. Nearly 70% of Division II, III, and NAIA soccer players have earned individual recognition at the high school level if they played high school soccer. 

Preferred Grades for All Divisions: 

3.0 GPA + 24 ACT + 1000 SAT (out of 1600)
(No scores needed for underclassmen) 

In order to compile these Recruiting Guidelines, NCSA tracked hundreds of former NCSA student-athletes who have gone on to compete at the collegiate level, polled college coaches across the nation, and analyzed college rosters at all levels of competition. 

Soccer by the Numbers

Note: Division III schools offer merit, academic, and need-based scholarships.