Recruiting research
Data-driven recruiting research
Long-form research articles sourced from NCAA, NCES, and recruiting industry data, with sources listed for every claim.
Recruiting Data and Planning
NCAA Division I headcount and equivalency scholarship limits for 2026
Source-linked analysis of 85 FBS headcount in current NCAA data for Division I scholarship limits, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed September 2, 2026.
Recruiting Data and Planning
NCAA initial eligibility sliding scale and core course timing for 2025
Source-linked analysis of 2.3 GPA sliding scale in current NCAA data for initial eligibility sliding scale, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed September 2, 2026.
Recruiting Data and Planning
How coaches search recruiting platforms and evaluate profiles for 2025
Source-linked analysis of Profile completeness matters in current NCAA data for coaches platform search behavior, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed September 2, 2026.
Recruiting Data and Planning
Transfer portal entry and roster turnover patterns for 2025
Source-linked analysis of Roster turnover context in current NCAA data for transfer portal roster turnover, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed September 2, 2026.
Recruiting Data and Planning
Athlete retention and support service availability for 2025
Source-linked analysis of Retention context in current NCAA data for athlete retention and support services, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed September 1, 2026.
Recruiting Data and Planning
Initial eligibility and core course timing trends for 2025
Source-linked analysis of 16 core courses in current NCAA data for initial eligibility core courses, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed September 1, 2026.
Recruiting Data and Planning
What recruiting questionnaire response rates show for 2025
Source-linked analysis of Questionnaire outreach in current NCAA data for recruiting questionnaire response rates, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed September 1, 2026.
Recruiting Data and Planning
Scholarship offer timing and commitment patterns for 2025
Source-linked analysis of Offer timing varies in current NCAA data for scholarship offer timing, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed September 1, 2026.
Recruiting Data and Planning
NCAA transfer portal and academic eligibility checks for 2026
Source-linked analysis of Progress-toward-degree in current NCAA data for transfer academic eligibility, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed September 1, 2026.
Recruiting Data and Planning
College athlete mental health support: what utilization data can show
Source-linked analysis of Support utilization in current NCAA data for mental health support utilization, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed August 31, 2026.
Recruiting Data and Planning
NCAA Division I transfer notification windows for 2026
Source-linked analysis of 15 days in current NCAA data for Division I transfer notification windows, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed August 31, 2026.
Recruiting Data and Planning
What NCAA GOALS shows about weekly time demands by division
Source-linked analysis of About 40 hours in current NCAA data for GOALS weekly time demands, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed August 31, 2026.
Recruiting Data and Planning
NCAA Graduation Success Rate trends through the 2024 report
Source-linked analysis of 90% GSR in current NCAA data for Graduation Success Rate trend, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed August 31, 2026.
Recruiting Data and Planning
Understanding NCAA recruiting calendar contact and evaluation periods
Source-linked analysis of Calendar-specific in current NCAA data for recruiting calendar periods, including scope, limits, dates, and recruiting questions. Reviewed August 31, 2026.
College Athlete Academic Outcomes
What APR penalty trends reveal about program stability
How to read a Division I team's multiyear Academic Progress Rate, the 930 penalty line, and the roster-stability questions families should ask before committing.
NCAA Participation and Program Capacity
Measuring international competition on college rosters
A roster-audit method for measuring international competition in a recruit's position group, with eligibility-pathway context and the limits of what public records can show.
Recruiting Data and Planning
What NCAA GOALS time-use data shows about the student-athlete week
What the NCAA's multi-division GOALS surveys show about in-season weekly athletic hours, and how recruits can turn those findings into concrete visit questions and scheduling plans.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
What NIL data can and cannot tell a recruiting family
A source-disciplined review of NIL reporting since July 2021: skewed deal distributions, partial coverage, inducement boundaries, and how families should weight NIL claims during recruiting.
NCAA Participation and Program Capacity
Reading sport sponsorship data for discontinuation risk
A four-step method for using the NCAA's annual sport sponsorship tables to assess program continuity risk before a recruit commits to a school.
Coaching Stability
Coach turnover and recruiting class stability: a five-year retrospective analysis
How head-coaching changes affect recruiting class composition, retention, and program trajectory across five consecutive signing periods, with data-backed signals for prospects.
Recruiting Geography
Geographic recruiting footprints: how far do college athletes actually travel from home
An analysis of travel distance for college athletes across Division I sports, what the data reveals about regional recruiting patterns, and what prospects should expect regarding distance from home.
Recruiting Infrastructure
Assessing recruiting facility quality: what prospects should look beyond the highlight reel
A systematic framework for evaluating college athletic facilities, from training environments to recovery resources, and what data-backed signals separate impressive aesthetics from genuine program investment.
Digital Recruiting
Recruiting social media influence: how platforms shape offers, commitments, and program perception
An empirical analysis of how social media activity affects recruiting outcomes, including offer patterns, commitment timing, and program reputation, based on publicly available data and recruiter behavior studies.
Scholarship Equity
Scholarship distribution equity: how athletic aid is allocated across demographic groups in Division I
An analysis of athletic scholarship allocation by race, gender, and sport in Division I, using NCAA equity reports and federal graduation rate data to identify patterns and gaps in aid distribution.