Playing Soccer in College: Everything You Need to Know
Every year, soccer in college is a goal for high school seniors, and, in many cases, they are confused as far as what soccer recruiting entails. Fortunately, NCSA has decades of experience helping soccer in college became a reality for several student-athletes as well as helping soccer coaches fill their rosters with top players and students. If you want to know how to play soccer in college, this guide is the place to start.
Readers should use this sport-specific information along with our college recruiting guides, which outline the recruiting process from the start to Signing Day.
Review the college men’s soccer NCAA recruiting rules and calendar
The NCAA rules prohibit D1 college coaches from actively recruiting a men’s soccer player before their junior year. However, there are many athletes committing to programs before this time. How is that possible? Read up on the written—and unwritten—rules of men’s soccer recruiting.
Understand how to use the men’s soccer recruiting rules and calendar.
See how you stack up against other athletes using the men’s soccer recruiting guidelines
It’s important for athletes to accurately gauge their own athletic talent. By having a good idea of what coaches are looking for in their players, recruits can compile a list of target schools that they qualify for and also determine which division level is the best fit for them. Playing against stiff competition in the U.S. Development Academy, Elite Clubs National League, or Olympic Development Program is a great way to match up against other top recruits. Comparing physical attributes and skill sets to college players is another good way to gauge talent. We’ve compiled guidelines that will help athletes find a program where they can be competitive.
Discover the best division level for you by reviewing the men’s soccer recruiting guidelines.
Learn how college men’s soccer scholarships work
Athletic scholarships are available for collegiate men’s soccer players at the Division 1, Division 2, NAIA and junior college levels. However, the number of athletic scholarships varies by division level, and coaches can choose to give out partial or full-ride scholarships. In this section, we explain more about scholarship opportunities, how they are divided up and how Division 3 athletes can find scholarship dollars.
See how much men’s soccer scholarship money you might qualify for.
How to get recruited by college coaches
College coaches are looking for athletes who are fast, skilled and have extensive club experience. However, the only way a recruit can make sure college coaches know who they are is if they’re proactively reaching out to coaches. In this section, we go over what staying proactive in the recruiting process looks like, including how to find the right schools, contact men’s soccer coaches, develop relationships with programs that would be a good fit and much more.
See what it takes to get recruited for men’s soccer.
Discover how soccer scholarships for international students work
About 21% of collegiate men’s soccer players in the U.S. at the Division 1 and Division 2 levels come from overseas. Soccer programs are open to recruiting international student-athletes, but the process is more complex for those living overseas. In this section, we go over important topics for international recruits, including academic requirements and how to communicate with coaches.
Read up about U.S. soccer scholarships for international students.
Create an impressive recruiting video
While college men’s soccer coaches prefer to see prospects play in person, the vast majority of them use highlight videos as part of their evaluation process. Our former collegiate soccer coaches offer insider tips on how to make athletes’ recruiting videos stand out, including how to begin each video, the right footage to use and how to film during a game.
Check out these guidelines for making your highlight video.
Attend men’s soccer tournaments, ID camps and clinics
Club tournaments are the most popular means for coaches to evaluate recruits at the D1 level, followed by ID camps and clinics. Gaining experience on the field against other elite players is valuable, but the real draw to attending tournaments and camps is being seen by college coaches who rely on these events to evaluate a large number of recruits in a single weekend or event. It’s smart to attend, but recruits will want to pick the right event for them.
Find the right event for your men’s soccer recruiting process.
Find Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, NAIA and JUCO men’s soccer colleges
There are more than 1,400 colleges across the U.S. that have men’s soccer teams. The real challenge for student-athletes is to find the one that’s the right fit. In this section, we’ve laid out the differences between divisions.
See how college divisions are different.
The best men’s soccer recruiting websites
While this men’s soccer recruiting guide is a thorough resource for student-athletes looking to make their way onto a college roster, there are also several websites that offer pertinent information on the college recruiting process. From club soccer tournament rankings to college recruiting news, websites such as GotSoccer, Top Drawer, US Youth Soccer and US Club Soccer can offer helpful tips.
FAQs
Why do I need a soccer recruiting profile?
A soccer recruiting profile is like an athletic resume that highlights your soccer skills, academic achievements, and important stats for college coaches. It helps them quickly see your strengths, playing style, and if you’d be a good fit for their team—giving you a better chance of getting recruited to play at the college level.
Can I play soccer in college with no experience?
People often ask if you can you play soccer in college with no experience. You do not want to be asking college coaches how to become a soccer player, but you can play soccer at a college if you have no experience in either high school or club soccer. However, limiting yourself in that manner will create more considerable obstacles for you.
How long are college soccer games?
High school games are 80 minutes in length while NCAA soccer contests last 90 minutes. So much of learning how to play soccer in college is garnering increased endurance to be on the field longer.
Can attending a sports boarding school increase your chance of competing in college?
Boarding schools, like our partner IMG Academy, offer a built-in support system on top of soccer coaches and academic teachers. Their team of college placement advisors, experienced coaches, academic teachers, Athletic & Personal development trainers, mentors, counselors and other on-campus staff are available to student-athletes to ensure they’re prepared and equipped for the next level. The experience at IMG aligns to that of a collegiate environment, so IMG soccer student-athletes are already familiar with their schedule from the moment they step foot on a college campus.
Looking for that extra boost to your performance, but not ready to commit to boarding school?
IMG Academy+ offers mental performance and nutrition coaching honed by the experts at IMG Academy from anywhere in the world, on your own device. Click here to start your Essentials membership.