What Is a Recruiting Profile?
A recruiting profile is a centralized page that showcases your athletic and academic credentials. It's the one-stop-shop coaches visit when evaluating whether you could be a fit for their program. Think of it as your athletic resume — and just like a resume, it needs to be complete, accurate, and easy to scan.
Essential Information
Personal
- • Full name
- • Graduation year
- • Position(s)
- • Height & weight
- • Email & phone
- • Parent/guardian contact
Athletic
- • Club team, region, division
- • High school & location
- • Standing reach & approach jump
- • Key stats (position-specific)
- • Highlight video link
- • Upcoming tournament schedule
Academic
- • Unweighted GPA
- • SAT/ACT scores
- • NCAA Eligibility Center ID
- • Intended major (if known)
References
- • Club coach name & phone
- • High school coach name & phone
- • Trainer or mentor (optional)
Position-Specific Measurables
Coaches filter by different criteria depending on position. Make sure your profile highlights what matters most for your role.
Outside Hitter
Height (5'10"+ for D1, 5'8"+ for D2/D3), approach jump, standing reach, kills/set, hitting %, passing average, serve receive %. Note if you play all 6 rotations.
Middle Blocker
Height (6'0"+ for D1, 5'10"+ for D2/D3), standing reach, block jump, blocks/set, hitting % (target .300+), ability to run slides and quicks.
Setter
Height (5'8"+ for D1, 5'6"+ for D2/D3), assists/set, team hitting %, dump kills, serving stats, leadership experience. Mention if you can jump set consistently.
Libero / DS
Passing average (2.0+ scale), digs/set, serve receive %, aces allowed %, serving stats. Height is less critical — floor skills and consistency matter most.
Opposite / Right Side
Height (6'0"+ for D1, 5'10"+ for D2/D3), approach jump, blocks/set, kills/set from right side and back row, serve stats.
Where to Create Your Profile
NCSA
Free tierMost widely used platform. Free tier gets you a profile and basic coach searches. Coaches actively use NCSA to find athletes.
FieldLevel
FreeCompletely free. Strong coach network. Integrates with many club programs. Good for D2/D3/NAIA exposure.
SportsRecruits
Club-basedFree if your club has a partnership. Coaches can see your video views and engagement. Strong at the D3 level.
PrepVolleyball
PaidVolleyball-specific. Rankings, club coverage, and recruiting events. Good D1 exposure but requires paid subscription.
At minimum, create a free profile on NCSA and FieldLevel. These are the platforms coaches actively search.
What Coaches Look For
Beyond raw talent, coaches evaluate the whole package:
- Academic eligibility— can you meet their school's admission standards?
- Athleticism — height, vertical, speed, the physical measurables
- Coachability — visible in your body language and reactions on film
- Positional fit — do they need your position in their recruiting class?
- Character — references from coaches matter more than you think
- Trajectory — are you improving? Coaches recruit potential, not just current ability
Tips for Standing Out
- Use a professional action photo — in uniform, mid-play, not a selfie
- Keep everything updated — refresh stats and video after every season
- List accurate measurables — coaches will verify in person
- Include your tournament schedule — coaches plan visits around events
- Add coach references — club coach and high school coach with phone numbers
- Link your highlight video prominently — it should be one click away
- Complete every field — a half-finished profile signals lack of commitment
Common Mistakes
- Leaving your profile incomplete — coaches will skip to the next athlete
- Not including academic information — coaches need GPA/scores early
- Using outdated film or stats from two seasons ago
- Making your contact info hard to find
- Not listing upcoming events — coaches plan evaluations in advance
- Listing too many positions — focus on your primary 1-2 positions
Timeline
Freshman Year
Create accounts on NCSA and FieldLevel. Start filming matches. Register with NCAA Eligibility Center.
Sophomore Year
Complete your profile with stats and measurables. Upload your first highlight video. Start building your target school list.
Junior Year
Peak recruiting window. Update video and stats regularly. Attend showcases and camps. Email coaches actively.
Senior Year
Finalize decisions. Keep profile updated for late-recruiting programs. D3, NAIA, and NJCAA recruit year-round.