College Corner
A proven pathway
STA is committed to doing all we can to support our players and parents as they navigate the complexities of the College Recruitment process. Our track record is exemplary and is a testament to the investment our staff display throughout the recruitment cycles.
With our full-time staffing model, the relationships our Directors and staff have built with schools within the industry means we are finely placed to regularly communicate with coaches and will monitor and guide the progress of our players through every step of their process.
Couple this with the visibility and exposure to some of the Nation’s top schools that our players and teams receive through their participation in the country’s most competitive College Showcase events, alongside our provision of a College Fit Finder account for each High School player within our club, we believe we are a great option for any player seeking to play in the NCAA.
In-house, each year we also commit to hosting a one-day College ID day for 50 of our Male and Female players where we are visited by dozens of schools from every level from around the Northeast. Schools have included Rutgers, Villanova, NJIT, FDU, Saint Peters, Binghamton, Bucknell, Marist, Wesleyan, Gettysburg, Muhlenburg, Stevens, Stevenson, Montclair State and Rowan.
We also are generously visited by a number of the region’s top coaches who provide an insight in to the College Pathway/Recruitment process as part of a panel Q & A session for our players and parents, while our Coaching Directors also host additional education nights surrounding the application process.
Schools that have supported us have included: Rutgers, Indiana, NJIT, FDU, Rowan University, Drew University and DeSales, and we thank them for their time.
Recent Highlights
2024 HIGHLIGHTS
Emerson Elgin – NCAA Division I National Champion, University of North Carolina
Andrew Tremante – NCAA Division III National Champion, Amherst College
2023 HIGHLIGHTS
Luciana Rodrigues – MAC Freedom Rookie of the Year, Stevens Institute of Technology
NCAA Division III Men’s All-Region –
First Team: PJ Ryan, Bruno Andino, Justin Cross, Owen Murphy & Anthony Pinto
Second Team: Drew Weaver & Luca Campbell
Third Team: Chris Giglio, Shane Keenan & Jaden Longdon
NCAA Division III Women’s All-Region –
First Team: Mikaela Timmermans
Second Team: Jadyn Mapura & Haley Scaff
Third Team: Morgan O’Neil
2022 HIGHLIGHTS
Ryan Friedberg – Ivy League Rookie of the Year & Rookie Team of the Year, Cornell University
Aoi Kataoka – A10 Rookie Team of the Year, George Washington University
Emerson Elgin – NCAA Division I National Finalist, University of North Carolina
David Schuster – NCAA Division III National Champion, University of Chicago
Mackenzie Gress – B1G Tournament Champion, Penn State
STA Alumni
Ryan Friedberg
Cornell University
David Schuster
University of Chicago
Ryan Donovan
Holy Cross
Ethan Harris
Colgate University
Aidan Grant
Bucknell University
Matias Arbelaez
Franklin and Marshall College
Jared Fiske
Vassar College
Max Rokhsar
Stevens Institute of Technology
Andrew Tremante
Amherst College
Armando Santana
Rowan University
Bryan Gaviria
Widener University
Brian Babovic
Stevens Institute of Technology
Mackenzie Gress
Penn State University
Kayla Reed
Indiana University
Aoi Kataoka
George Washington University
Hayley Newman
Northwestern University
Ava Oseback
Colby College
Jadyn Liebman
Colby College
Emma Rosenberg
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Avery Gallucci
University of Chicago
Harrison VanVliet
Lehigh University
Jack Kelesoglu
Connecticut College
PJ Ryan
Washington and Lee
Connor Tierney
Ithaca College
Remi Ufeil
Clarkson University
Felipe Gutierrez
Williams College
Christopher Housel
Wheaton College
Jake Nicoll
Wake Forest University
Spencer Goldberg
Hamilton College
Brian Ramirez
Rutgers Newark
Brandon Salmon
Centenary University
Ben Ceccio
Franklin and Marshall College
Zach Barr
Denison University
Joey Linder
Montclair State University
Holden Miller
Susquehanna University
Andreas Cassanova
Centenary University
Irfan Kermalli
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Ethan Proper
Ithaca College
Tristan Sampedro
Hamilton College
Skyler Hanisch
Sussex County Community College
Tommy O’Keefe
Susquehanna University
Tommy Degeyter
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Cameron Clark
Kean University
Zach Goncalves
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Terry Thompson
Stevens Institute of Technology
Kevin Leonhard
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Drew Weaver
Misericordia University
Justin Carro
Ohio Wesleyan University
Luca Campbell
Stevens Institute of Technology
Emerico Vespucci
Stevens Institute of Technology
Kelly Monaco
Indiana University
Emerson Elgin
UNC
Gabby Allen
Monmouth University
Jordan Pieklo
VCU
Hailey Scaff
Moravian College
Andrea Norman
Washington College
Emma Belsky
Ithaca College
Lucy Burquist
University of Scranton
Sydney Mansfield
Wellesley College
Cate Woolsey
Middlebury College
Olivia Mancuso
Long Island University
Morgan Joyce
York College
Briana Esteves
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Ella Oh
Florida Southern College
Isabella Grof-Tisza
Drew University
Emily Honig
Eastern University
Rebecca Lancaster
Louisiana Tech University
Josephine Conlon
WPI
Aidan Dunphy
Johns Hopkins University
Jordan Viotto
Connecticut College
John Robertson
Babson College
Chris Giglio
Denison University
Carl Vestberg
Washington University
Jagger Kebea
Drew University
Mateo Neighbors
St John's University
Maksym Bukachevsky
William Patterson University
Luc Curragh
Bentley University
Julian Zamora
Montclair State University
Jakob Virizlay
Dickinson College
Miles Longo
Randolph Macon College
Alex Russo
Marywood University
Emiliano Caballero
Montclair State University
Marvin Cadena
Montclair State University
Christopher Zuniga
Georgian Court University
Alban Ukaj
Berkeley College
Evan Best
St John's University
Kayla Parsons
Yale
Ellie Sciancalepore
Rider University
Daniella DiBiase
Mount St. Mary's
Lauren Ernst
Montclair State University
Megan Padilla
Sacred Heart University
Susan Oberschmidt
Indiana University
Caroline Ewing
Montclair State University
Zoe Tiger
Indiana University
Claire Said
Post University
Savannah Rode
Muhlenberg College
Madison Rie
Oberlin College
Sophie Vieira
TCNJ
Yasla Ngoma
Brandeis University
Madison Palma
Sacred Heart University
Riley Haggerty
Rutgers Newark
Morgan O’Neill
Roanoke College
Grace Bratter
Case Western
Maggie Speckhart
William Smith
Piper Thompson
Smith College
Chris Noriega
Colgate University
Thomas Robinson
University of Pennsylvania
Nick Gencarelli
Rider University
Tommy Scalici
St John's University
Jack Hosmer
Loyola Maryland
Drew Patterson
Marist College
Michael Caraccino
Gettysburg College
Lucas DiGiacomo
Gettysburg College
Alex Ferrara
Rowan University
Michael Ferrara
Rowan University
Henry Schwartz
Denison University
Owen Stahl
Drew University
Zach Butter
Oberlin College
Michael Mezzina
Manhattanville College
Riley Furlong
TCNJ
Ryan Ruffo
Hamilton College
Jeffrey Bennett
Elizabethtown College
Gianna Villoresi
Syracuse
Michaela Walsh
Syracuse
Sydney Dydensborg
Marist College
Kate O’Neil
Sacred Heart University
Amanda Krest
Mary Washington University
Ava Moran
Saint Michael's
Melissa Gates
Franklin and Marshall College
Madison Stanchina
Mount St. Mary's
Meredith Meyer
Case Western
Kerri Driscoll
Arcadia
Olivia Bandola
Franklin and Marshall College
Emily Cleary
Franklin and Marshall College
Alana Ponte
Haverford College
Casey Morren
Shenandoah University
Emily Cuccio
St. Joseph's University
Sachi Negri
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Jessica Yanovitch
Moravian College
Katey Choma
Agnes Scott College
Brianna Simsic
East Stroudsburg University
John Gerrard
Colgate University
Josiah Crawford
St John's University
Grant Barrientos
George Washington University
Dominik Demcak
Rutgers University
James Worth
Liberty University
Matt Jordan
Hamilton College
Bailey Gano
Stevens Institute of Technology
Ben Kessler
Oberlin College
Chima Ohadike
Swarthmore College
Alex Truppi
Eastern University
Nick Manno
West Virginia
Noah Schwab
Haverford College
Kyle Speckhart
Susquehanna University
Joe Crisafi
Misericordia
Joseph Park
Skidmore
Erik Holmstrom
Lycoming College
Matt Almeida
Kean University
Max Engelbrechsten
McGill University
PJ Wilson
Rutgers Camden
Ed Lynch
Susquehanna University
Justin Homer
Kean University
Dakota Stefano
Kean University
Anthony Palaez
Montclair State University
Brian Ohlott
Caldwell University
Brian Carvalhoso
Saint Peters University
Erin O’Neill
Seton Hall
Madison Martino
Montclair State University
Makenna Conklin
Ursinus College
Alyssa Molina
Rutgers Camden
Carly Seeland
Wheaton College
Kayla Stygar
Stockton University
Julia Picciallo
Stockton University
Cailin Ruoti
SUNY New Paltz
Stephanie Lowrey
University of Scranton
Kayla Bailey
The College at Brockport
Sara Wilson
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Grace Silva
Alvernia
Gabby Barquin
TCNJ
Caitlin Mead
Montclair State University
Dana Andreaggi
Clarkstown University
Molly Whelan
Case Western
Bethany Sansone
Rowan University
Ela Christensen
Drew University
Thomas Abusada
Muskingum University
Tristan Barquin
Susquehanna University
Matt Christou
Gettysburg College
Andrew Clark
Trinity College
Drew Cohn
Ithaca College
Harrison Cote
University of Scranton
Andrew Ferrier
University of Scranton
Mike Georgiou
Dickinson College
Ervin ‘Junior’ Gjeli
Stockton University
Steven Hadley
Dartmouth College
Edwin Hernandez
Southern Virginia University
Henry Kraham
Claremont McKenna
Matt Manion
US Air Force Academy
Jake Marlowe
Drew University
Chris Naiman
Susquehanna University
Teddy Pajewski
Springfield College
Graydon Rogers
Elizabethtown College
Art Ruiz
Marist College
Megan Leffler
Monmouth University
Jamie Irwin
Bryant University
Abby Kuznick
Carnegie Mellon
Sarah Moseson
MIT
Allison Cunniffe
Franklin and Marshall College
Nicole Verdi
University of Scranton
Ashley Lamoureux
Moravian College
Lia Gaccione
DeSales University
Brooke Rossiter
Salisbury University
Danielle Strashinsky
Muhlenberg College
Marina Piccolo
Haverford College
Victoria Young
Roanoke College
Alex Franchino
Muhlenberg College
Emily Sigillo
Clark University
Kesi Alejandro
Kean University
Danielle Dachowski
William Patterson University
Jolie Price
Goucher College
Shannon Miller
Drew University
Katie Romanovich
Brandeis University
Callie Bohus
Montclair State
Natalie Turok
Lynn University
Ali Waxgiser
Roger Williams University
Carly Bechtloff
Wesleyan University CT
Luca Cacciottolo
Caldwell University
Jackson Meyer
Centre University
Mateo Panzza
TCNJ
Mike Cordero
Centenary College
Max Maidenberg
Susquehanna University
Jasan Adamo
Drew University
Tyler Kwaak
Drew University
Nick Caicedo
Drew University
Todd Wilson
Virginia Wesleyan
Victoria Kealy
Rider University
Barbara Paiva
St Peters
Emily Valerian
Caldwell University
Amanda Murolo
Merrimack
Paige Kovacs
Moravian College
Amanda Eustice
Montclair State University
Michelle D’Alessio
TCNJ
Rocco Menna
Tusculum College
Charlie Moore Gill
Hobart
Giovanni Aiello
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Lexi Young
Washington College
Connor Lade
Molly O’Halloran
Saint Peters University
Amanda Mahaney
Johnson & Wales University
Rachel Chavkin
Stevens Institute of Technology
Samantha McFarlane
Drew University
Ashley Rose Lynn
Susquehanna University
Manuela Morales
Rutgers Newark
Katie McDonnell
Fordham
Paige Peck
Mt St Mary's
Alexa Freguletti
Monmouth University
Chandler Antzack
Sacred Heart University
Robin Chernow
Haverford College
Julie Campbell
Boston College
Kyarah Foushee
Akron
Carly D’Esposito
St Josephs
Amanda Flugstat-Clarke
Dartmouth College
Tanya Sood
Columbia
Tobias Catizone
Skidmore
Charles Herley
Loyola Maryland
Peter Tolkin
Butler University
Mathew Giraldo
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Charles Giordano
University of Delaware
Eddy Zazzali
WPI
Gavin Scavino
University of Scranton
Owen Maher
DeSales University
Maggie Haskell
UMBC
Riya Kunderan
RIT
Victoria Winds
Wesleyan University CT
Gabriel Ruitenberg
William & Mary
Luca Tusche
Babson College
Zach Feldman
Wesleyan University CT
Alexa DeBarros
University of South Florida
Cassidy Clinton
Fairfield University
Sonja Zeepvat
University of New Hampshire
Kyla Holmes
Yale
Brianna Azevedo
Rutgers University
Chiara Cosenza
Navy
Alex Reigle
University of Richmond
Jillian Rosenfeld
University of Rhode Island
Lauren McCauley
Elon University
Layla Flores
St. Francis University
Sascha Fleesler
Wellesley College
Zoe Rogan
St. Lawrence University
Alyssa Alfano
TCNJ
Caroline Freer
TCNJ
Alexis Dendis
Middle Tennessee State University
Alex Oladapo
Hofstra University
Aaron Henslovitz
California Institute of Technology
Keegan Mulrooney
Hobart College
Leo Pellizari-Astle
Oberlin College
Colin Tsay
Wesleyan University CT
Charlie Grossman
Muhlenberg College
Devin Bedoya
Lycoming College
David Rodrigues
Illinois Institute of Technology
Kevin Martinez
Drew University
Mason Weber
University of Valley Forge
Evan Williams
Arcadia University
Emily Dendis
Shenandoah University
Emma Armenti
Washington College
Ava Reinel
Muhlenberg College
Waverly Lome
Waynesburg University
Grace Morris
Washington College
Gabby Matias
Ramapo College
Amanda Paredes
Salisbury University
Brooke Zienowicz
Skidmore
Carly Gleason
Kean University
Libby Masterson
University of Scranton
Madeline Lukang
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Luciana Rodrigues
Stevens Institute of Technology
Gabby West
Illinois Institute of Technology
Maddie Lamb
East Stroudsburg University
Ryan Eapen
William & Mary
Helen Cheng
York College of Pennsylvania
Giacomo Zizza
Lehigh University
Justin Thomas
Rosemont College
Alesio Barquin
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Emma Radoncic
Central Connecticut State University
Patrick Weir
University of Pennsylvania
Laurene Creteau
Brandeis University
Jackie Walsh
Gettysburg College
James Anroman
Gettysburg College
Max Williams
Gettysburg College
Will Bauer
Catholic University
Ricardo Sanchez
Washington and Lee
Kate Giglio
Hamilton College
Stella Orrelana
Central Connecticut State University
Anayah Rivera
Wagner College
Ava Visaggio
TCNJ
Claudia Ferreira
University of Rochester
Dillon Nelson
Skidmore
Dillon Ferber
Montclair State University
Andrew Antunes
Franklin and Marshall College
Sam Wenger
Muhlenberg College
Griffin Coutts
Hobart College
Valentino Della Grazia
University of South Carolina
Jake Hans
Hobart College
Adelaide Parades
Mount St. Mary's
Leigha Matter
University of Pennsylvania
Demi Owens
Temple University
Isabella Diani
St. Thomas Aquinas
Krystina Wolf
University of Pittsburgh
Chloe Flynn
Slippery Rock University
Julia Flynn
Mansfield University
Skyler Flynn
Pace University
Hayden Scotti
Drew University
Andrew Steinberg
Ramapo College
Christopher Sabogal
Saint Elizabeth University
Mackenzie Schreiber
Moravian College
Janie Henderson
William Patterson University
Nicole Czarnecki
Drew University
Mia Santana
Ramapo College
Caitlyn Sanchez
Susquehanna University
Kelly Zamabana
Kean University
Ciara Rodriguez
Centenary University
Shalom Bakinahe
Curry College
Gretchen Higgins
Drew University
Ava Chun
Binghamton University
Keala Cicchino
Monmouth University
Samantha Kowalick
University of New England
Ashley Deleo
William & Mary
Maddy Anderson
UCONN
Ava Hartle
Muhlenberg College
Isabella Prestia
Gettysburg College
Troy Boucher
United States Coast Guard Academy
Olivia Robinson
Penn State University
Mia Grove
Stony Brook University
Mary Kate DeBono
Navy
McKenna Hogan
Austin Peay State University
Grace Dalessandro
Seton Hall
Emma Herko
Drexel University
Sophia Orellana
St. Bonaventure University
Kylie McDonald
Marywood University
Lila Parente
University of Scranton
Rosie Lifrieri
UCONN
Molly Mack
High Point University
Chelsea Leal
St. Joseph's University
Maddy Hayes
Wagner College
Payton Zaun
Fairfield University
Charlee Perna
Monmouth University
Giovanni Zizza
Virginia Wesleyan
Mayla Mclean
Saint Peters University
Cora Kim
Ursinus College
Niko Pierce
King's College
Brady Hyland
Hamilton College
Thomas D’Arco
Misericordia University
Hailey Ferrier
Bryn Mawr College
Matt Munoz
Drew University
Daniel Ariza
Muhlenberg College
Nicolas Bustios
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Raul Castillo
Fairleigh Dickinson University
JD Aristabal
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Eric Castillo
Caldwell University
Lorenzo Andrade
Misericordia University
Dylan Munn
Methodist University
Kris Ljoncar
East Stroudsburg University
Raudel Ruiz
Felician University
Owen Rem
Neumann University
Johan Luna
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Abby Hendrickson
Western Carolina University
Catalina Zumbado
Catholic University
Sienna Goldstein
Holy Cross
Gisela Lograsso
Wagner College
Izzy Kilelee
Wagner College
Caroline Pringle
Belmont University
Catalina Mangone
UMass Amherst
Sarah Gomez
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Brooke Morrison
Gettysburg College
Isabella Sikiric
Queens College
Besian Hadzovic
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Simon Dietz
Maine Maritime Academy
Carsyn Corydon
D'Youville University
Riley Mastriani
Wilkes University
Andrina Ismail
Drew University
Taylor Mulch
Marywood University
Katelyn Squeglia
Gettysburg College
Kristine Squeglia
Gettysburg College
Brianna Concepcion
University of Kansas
Anna Gominiak
Dartmouth College
Kendall Reid
Syracuse
Winslow Rowley
Dartmouth College
Hayden Tormasi
TCNJ
Christien Merrit
Bryant University
James Atkinson
Bentley University
Ben Nakaharra
Rutgers Newark
Kristian Dobbek
RIT
Daito Sho
Lawrence University
Stevan Patino
Misericordia University
Christopher Diaz
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Zac Smith
Muhlenberg College
Henry Schultz
Dickinson College
Bobby Boyke
Stevens Institute of Technology
Eric Outwater
Middlebury College
Logan James
Macalester College
Sienna Hernandez
Johnson & Wales University
Sydney Shepard
NJIT
Olivia Cirianni
Ramapo College
Lila Hricko
Susquehanna University
Nyla Lopez
New York University
Monica Curry
UMass Amherst
Josie Myers
Boston University
Harrison Hackett
Amherst College
Gui Dos Santos
Seton Hall
Tommy Becht
Nazareth University
Teddy Mixon
Washington and Lee
Catherine Oliveria
Colgate University
Margo Higgins
Seton Hall
RJ Dougherty
Stevens Institute of Technology
Dante Orellana
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Jackson Robinson
Stevenson University
James Melia
United States Coast Guard Academy
Timothy Koke
Neumann University
Jason Alicea
Caldwell University
Jaykob Marquez
Old Dominion University
Kelly Donaldson
United States Coast Guard Academy
Sarah Mihansky
Ithaca College
Alumni Success
One of the things we are most proud of about our College Pathway is the success our student athletes go on to have at the next level.
Amongst our ranks we have NCAA National Champions, NCAA National Finalists, NCAA League and Tournament Champions, NCAA All-Americans, NCAA Players of the Year, NCAA Team of the Year, Team of the Week and Player of the Week recipients.
#NEXTLEVEL
2024 HIGHLIGHTS:
Emerson Elgin - NCAA Division I National Champion, University of North Carolina
Andrew Tremante - NCAA Division III National Champion, Amherst College
2023 HIGHLIGHTS:
Luciana Rodrigues - MAC Freedom Rookie of the Year, Stevens Institute of Technology
NCAA Division III Men's All-Region -
First Team: PJ Ryan, Bruno Andino, Justin Cross, Owen Murphy & Anthony Pinto
Second Team: Drew Weaver & Luca Campbell
Third Team: Chris Giglio, Shane Keenan & Jaden Longdon
NCAA Division III Women's All-Region -
First Team: Mikaela Timmermans
Second Team: Jadyn Mapura & Haley Scaff
Third Team: Morgan O'Neil
2022 HIGHLIGHTS:
Ryan Friedberg - Ivy League Rookie of the Year & Rookie Team of the Year, Cornell University
Aoi Kataoka - A10 Rookie Team of the Year, George Washington University
Emerson Elgin - NCAA Division I National Finalist, University of North Carolina
David Schuster - NCAA Division III National Champion, University of Chicago
Mackenzie Gress - B1G Tournament Champion, Penn State
A Proven Pathway
Yearly Action Plan
As you review the information there are four things to keep in mind:
- The process is very similar to looking for a job.
- The process operates on two parallel tracks: soccer and academic.
- Approach the process with a team mentality: player, parents, coach and school guidance counselor. Everyone has certain responsibilities, but, the player, your child needs to lead the team.
- A positive attitude and persistence will go a long way during your child’s journey to play collegiate soccer.
When to Get started?
To understand when to get started, you need to work backwards. Coaches build their annual recruiting process around the official signing date, February 1st (of your Senior year).
With the above in mind, it is recommended that your child begin the process during the;
BOYS – fall of their sophomore year of high school.
GIRLS – spring of their freshman year of high school.
The process starts earlier for female players because schools (DI especially) look to get verbal commitments and their future classes locked in a few years in advance.
Note: NCAA regulations permit coaches to respond to prospective student-athlete inquiries, but the coaches cannot initiate contact until [September 1 of your child’s Junior year.]
Freshman
You never get a second chance to make a first impression! Make an effort to make a good impression on your teachers as you begin a new phase in your life.
Realize that your grades from this year matter! Colleges will see the grades you receive in ALL four years of high school. Start off strong! Get involved in extracurricular activities in and outside of school.
Checklist
- Begin to discuss and research colleges with your parents. Identify 20/30 potential colleges for your list.
- Sit down with a school counselor and create an academic graduation plan.
- Find a local organization to volunteer.
- Work on your academic potential – maintain your GPA and class rank.
- Go watch college games at all levels, and if possible take campus tours.
- Create a player resume and cover letter.
- When selecting classes for sophomore year, select the most challenging classes you will be able to succeed in. You want to take as many honors and AP classes as possible while maintaining a high GPA.
- Summer before sophomore year – visit some local colleges or colleges near locations you will be on vacation. Do this to get some sense of what a college campus is like.
Sophomore
Sophomore year can be a challenging one. Remain focused, stay on track academically and keep up your grades.
Checklist
- Take the PSAT’s in fall.
- Attend the STA College Night.
- Meet with the STA College Director.
- Learn the basic recruiting regulations, so you know what to expect from coaches and how and when you can communicate with them.
- Update your list, you will have made some changes and the list will be down to 12/20 schools.
- Update your resume and then begin sending them out to as many coaches as you can, especially before any showcase events you are attending or before you attend one of their camps.
- Attend college camps for schools that you are interested in. You may want to attend 2/3 camps this summer.
Junior
This is an important year for your academic record. Make it count!!
Checklist
- Take PSAT’s for National Merit scholar potential.
- Continue to stay active in extracurricular activities.
- Take SAT’s and ACT’s – as early as January, no later than March for the first time.
- Register with NCAA Eligibility Center.
- Keep your STA coach updated as to your status
- You should have an idea of which schools are interested in you and so have a better idea of where to narrow your focus. By the end of the school year, you should try to have 6/10 schools identified that you are seriously considering.
- Update your resume and cover letter and send to any schools that you are interested in.
- Before each event where you could be scouted by college coaches, re-send your information along with your competition schedule, including times and locations you can be seen competing.
- Plan college visits.
Senior
Don’t let down in your class work. Finish strong. It is important you stay focused, organized, and manage your time so that your hard work will pay off.
Checklist
- Take the SAT/ ACT again.
- Submit all applications by deadlines – know your school’s deadline!
- Check status with the NCAA Eligibility Center and have your transcript sent at conclusion of senior year.
- Complete FAFSA form with recent tax information. March is the deadline, but do it as early as possible – After January 1.
- Schedule and complete official visits. Meet with the coach and the team and stay overnight if possible, see the team play.
- Stay in touch with your STA coach, copying them on all communication with college coaches. Stay in touch with your high school guidance counselor.
- Keep college coaches updated on your achievements by sending them your updated info through the fall and play in high level tournaments in the late fall and spring.
- Update your resume and cover letter.
- Contact college coaches before any event where you could get scouted.
- In your senior year you are eligible to go on Official Visits, where a college will pay for your visit. Try to plan these visits during the fall so you can be there on a game day and before Athletic Scholarships are awarded. Gather as much information as you can on each college.
- At the beginning of your senior year you should be able to narrow your college search down to 2-5 schools.
- Verify your eligibility status with the NCAA and NAIA.
- Follow up with college coaches so that you know where you stand.
The College Process: Education & Pathway Support
Every year, STA players and parents are able to attend a variety of presentations (both in person and online) that serve to support their education into the recruiting process. We have welcomed active college coaches to provide their insight into the process, as well as our staff and directors who also take the lead in providing education.
1) List Potential Schools
Location
Area
Climate
Size
Type
Culture
Cost
Academic Offering
Soccer program/coach
Soccer team needs/playing time potential
Do your research. Take your time. Go and visit different types of schools to figure out what you like.
Coaches expect players to have done their research on both the school and the soccer program. Coaches do not want to be in discussions with a player only to find out, for example, that the school doesn’t offer what the player wants to study.
2) Meet with your DOC
Once you and your child have developed a list of schools, your child needs to set-up a time to meet with your coach, DOC or the STA College Director. At the meeting, the player and staff will review the list of schools and discuss appropriate division of play for the player. The coach’s role at this point is to help guide your child to realistically achieve their goal to play soccer in college. The college coaches count on the club coaches to be realistic about the division where a player can have the biggest impact for a team be it DI, DII or DIII.
3) Intro to College Coaches
The next step is to develop an email to introduce yourself to the college coaches from your list. For more information on emailing college coaches go back and click on the templates & docs tab.
In this email you can include a soccer resume and your upcoming game and showcase tournament schedule.
The most important things to remember are; it must come from the player not the parent, be personal and specific to the school (be careful when copy and pasting), and make sure your details (email, team, jersey number and graduation year) are correct and included.
4) Follow Up
Once the letter, resume and team schedule has been sent, now what…
The majority of surveyed coaches encourage follow-up while some indicated if they are interested, they will follow-up. Due to NCAA rules this may be through your club coach or by inviting you to a ID clinic of camp. Your follow up email should be before and after every showcase tournament you compete in. This is to remind them, ask if they are attending and to send them your game schedule for that tournament. Then, after the tournament, email them to see if they came or to thank them for coming. Give them a little recap of your highlights/successes.
It is helpful to understand that some schools will receive hundreds of emails a week. Patience and persistence is key.
5) Attend Camps
The majority of schools host camps and clinics throughout the year. The camps serve a couple of purposes for the schools and their soccer programs: source of income for the program, recruiting and awareness building for the school.
Attending the camps of the schools your child has on their list is not mandatory, but it can be very helpful. For your child, it gives them an opportunity to experience the school and to interact with the coaching staff. For the coaches, it is an opportunity to better assess a player’s skills, attitude and team fit. According to the coaches surveyed, many actually recruit players who they saw at camp.
Something else to keep in mind about attending a camp is that coaches from other schools often work at the camp for their own recruiting purposes. So, your child is exposed to multiple opportunities. And if your child attends a camp(s), they need to make sure that at some point during camp, they introduce themselves to the coaches. During registration/arrival and departure, coaches are inundated by parents trying to make an impression on behalf of their child but it is the player that the coaches will remember.
6) Unofficial and Official Visits
An unofficial visit is any visit to a school that is paid for by the player or parents. There are no limitations on when you can visit or how many visits can be made. The only expense a school may offer to pay is for three complimentary tickets to a school’s sporting event.
There are more regulations pertaining to an official visit. Briefly, an official visit occurs at the invitation of a coach and is paid for by the school. Please go to the NCAA website for the specifics on unofficial and official visits.
A helpful tip for official visits to DI schools:
- keep multiple copies of the player’s high school transcript
- have SAT and/or ACT scores handy
- register with NCAA Eligibility Center (formerly known as NCAA Clearinghouse)
The player will be asked to provide the coaches with transcripts and test scores as well as confirm registration with the Eligibility Center.
During a visit, how can the player best represent themselves
- “When the recruit speaks more than the parents do”
- “Eye contact”
- “When they come prepared with questions and have clearly put some thought into this very important decision”
- “If the player is educated on your school or not”
- “Can talk to you and not parents, how easy is he to talk to and how he treats his parents”
- “The players character, manners and maturity.”
- “Ability to communicate and ask questions, mainly.”
- “I am impressed by kids rather than their parents asking the questions”
- “When they can represent themselves in a well-spoken and confident manner, rather than have their parents do all the talking for them and when they have a good idea of what they are looking for in a college, academically, socially and geographically.”
7) Remember, Coaches are watching
Templates & Documents
College Coaches have strict restrictions about who and when they can make initial contact with players, therefore, you should be introducing yourself to coaches from colleges you are interested in attending. NCAA coaches cannot initiate conversations before a player’s junior year in High School, but they can respond if you contact them first.
Email is a great way to introduce yourself and allows more people to know who you are. Your email should let the coach know that you have researched their program, have the potential to be a college athlete, and give them a schedule of where they can watch you.
Introduction Email
Coaches are looking for emails to include the following:
Player’s name
Name of club team
Name of high school
GPA
Graduation date
Projected major
Upcoming schedule (tournaments, academy games, etc.)
Coach references with contact information
Resume (separate document)
Email Tips
- Have a Professional Email Address – Make it simple by including your name and graduation class. Not soccerballer123@aol.com.
- Subject Line – The subject needs to catch their attention and make them want to open it. Include your name, position, and graduating class.
- Personalize each email – A coach will delete a generic email without reading the email as they receive a lot of these emails every day. If you cannot take time to personalize your email, they won’t make time for you. Changing the name of the school and coach does not count as a personalized email – you must show you have researched the school and the team. Easy tip – Use “Dear Coach Jones” versus “Dear Coach.”
- Include Contact Information for your Current Coaches – This will allow your STA or High School coach to act as a player reference for you. Also, they will be able to let your coach know that they are interested in you as a player and when a good time for you to contact them is.
- Upcoming Playing Schedule – Let the coach know where you will be competing so that they can watch you in person. Coaches will attend tournaments and showcases with a pre-determined list of players that they will be watching so make sure your name is on these lists so that they can come and watch you.
- Research – You should know if they currently have players on your roster from your hometown or club, how many upperclassmen are there in your position, their division and league, and their previous record.
- Spell Check – Everything should be spelled correctly and use the correct grammar. Make sure you spell the coaches name correctly.
- Follow Up – Coaches are very busy, be respectful of their time and numerous emails they will receive. Follow up with a phone call or email. You should email them before and after each showcase event and college ID camp.
Soccer Resume
The resume should include:
- Personal information – name, height, weight, birth date, state, town, school, soccer team
- Contact information – address, email, phone (home and mobile)
- Academic – GPA, class rank, PSAT or SAT/ACT scores, clubs, community service, awards/honors
- Athletics – soccer info for STA (include uniform colors, jersey number, position, coach’s name and contact information, DOC’s name and contact information), high school, ODP (if applicable), awards
- Other sports experience
- References – include name, phone (home and mobile), email, mailing address
Note: Photos are not necessary and you want to make sure that the resume can be easily emailed.