Varsity Academy
The Europe→USA recruiting process, step by step.
68 free guides covering the whole journey: how the system works, building a CV coaches take seriously, picking your colleges, writing to coaches, NCAA eligibility and the F-1 visa.
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Understand the system: divisions, scholarships, calendar.
Grade 9: the academic clock starts
For the NCAA, 3rd of ESO is your Year 9: grades already count. Compete in federated events and protect your transcript from now.
golf
Scholarships and roster in Basketball: D1 / D2 / NAIA / JUCO
How scholarships split by division after the House settlement, and what's realistic for a European.
basketball
Scholarships and roster in Baseball: D1 / D2 / NAIA / JUCO
Baseball is an equivalency (partial-scholarship) sport, men-only, and the 2025-26 House settlement changed the model. What's realistic for a European.
baseball
Scholarships and roster in Wrestling: D1 / D2 / NAIA / JUCO
How scholarships split by division, the new D1 roster limit (House), and what's realistic for a European.
wrestling
Divisions & scholarships: D1/D2/D3/NAIA/JUCO
Golf gives PARTIAL scholarships (equivalency). D2/NAIA/JUCO are realistic, underrated paths for Europeans.
golf
Scholarships and roster in Volleyball: D1 / D2 / NAIA / JUCO
How scholarships work by division, the House settlement roster limits, and why D2/NAIA/JUCO are the realistic paths for a European.
volleyball
Scholarships and roster in Track & Field: D1 / D2 / NAIA / JUCO
Track is an equivalency sport: the coach splits a budget into partial awards. After the House settlement, D1 is governed by roster caps.
track-and-field
Scholarships and roster in Tennis: D1 / D2 / NAIA / JUCO
How scholarships split by division, the new House-settlement roster cap, and what's realistic for a European.
tennis
Scholarships and roster in Swimming: D1 / D2 / NAIA / JUCO
How swimming & diving scholarships split by division, the new D1 roster limit of 30, and what's realistic for a European.
swimming
Scholarships and roster in Softball: D1 / D2 / NAIA / JUCO
Softball is an equivalency sport at EVERY level: aid is split into partials. The realistic European paths are D2, NAIA or JUCO.
softball
Scholarships and roster in Soccer: D1 / D2 / NAIA / JUCO
Soccer was always equivalency, never headcount. After the House settlement (Jul 1, 2025) the binding limit is no longer scholarship count but roster size: 28 spots in D1.
soccer
Scholarships and roster in Lacrosse: D1 / D2 / NAIA / JUCO
Lacrosse is an equivalency sport (partial aid) for men and women across all divisions; the House settlement swapped scholarship caps for roster caps in D1.
lacrosse
Scholarships and roster in American Football: D1 / D2 / NAIA / JUCO
How equivalency scholarships work after the House settlement, the numbers by division, and what's realistic for a European.
football
Build your profile
The athletic-academic CV a coach takes seriously.
Grade 10: register and open D1 contact
Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center and build a scoring average. June 15 after 10th grade opens D1 contact.
golf
The Wrestling CV a coach values
The ranking systems, the real metrics coaches recruit on, and rough benchmarks by division.
wrestling
The American Football CV a coach values
The rating systems, the concrete metrics coaches recruit on, and approximate benchmarks by division.
football
The Basketball CV a coach values
The concrete metrics and marks coaches recruit on, and the benchmarks by division.
basketball
The Softball CV a coach values
There's no universal UTR-style rating. Coaches recruit on radar/clock-measured metrics: velo, exit velo, pop time, home-to-first.
softball
The Swimming CV a coach actually values
Coaches recruit verified TIMES, not impressions. Ranking systems, marks by division, and what to put on your CV.
swimming
The Volleyball CV a coach values
The ranking systems, the concrete metrics coaches recruit on, and which measurables to put on your athlete CV.
volleyball
The golf CV a coach values
Coaches don't recruit handicaps: they recruit scoring average in multi-round events. Benchmarks by division here.
golf
The Baseball CV a coach values
Coaches recruit verified data, not headlines: throwing velo, exit velo, 60-yard, pop time. Which marks to list and what level by division.
baseball
The Lacrosse CV a coach values
Lacrosse has no stopwatch marks: evaluation is by position, film and live events. Your CV must prove level with ranking, position and verifiable results.
lacrosse
The Tennis CV a coach values
UTR rules: the ranking systems, the real recruiting metrics, and approximate division benchmarks.
tennis
The Soccer CV a coach values
Coaches don't recruit a personal number: they recruit the LEVEL you've played at (club tier + league + minutes). Your CV must translate your path into their map.
soccer
The Track & Field CV a coach values
Coaches recruit verified marks (FAT, wind-legal), not impressions. Your CV lives in your PRs by event and your progression.
track-and-field
Your swing / highlight video
Clean, real swings — not a movie edit. 1-3 minutes: driver/irons/wedges/putt and real play.
golf
Your Tennis video (highlights/skills)
What a coach wants: 3-4 minutes, mostly real match play, against equal-or-better UTR opponents.
tennis
Your Swimming video (highlights/skills)
In swimming the video is secondary: verified times rule. What to film to complement your marks (and why in diving video does matter).
swimming
Your Basketball video (highlights/skills)
What a strong basketball reel contains, length, and what a coach wants to see.
basketball
Your American Football video (highlights/skills)
What a Hudl highlight a coach watches to the end contains: length, order, and how to mark yourself.
football
Your Soccer video (highlights + skills)
3-6 minutes, ~20-25 clips, best first, always paired with full-match footage. The coach wants to see decision-making and off-the-ball movement, not just the touch.
soccer
Your Lacrosse video (highlights/skills)
A 3-4 minute reel from game footage (not just drills), filmed high, with your jersey number visible and edited by position. Attach full uncut game film.
lacrosse
Your Baseball video (highlights/skills)
A skills video with verified measurables on screen, defense, live BP/at-bats and a timed 60. 3-5 minutes, recent, no speed tricks.
baseball
Your Wrestling video (highlights/skills)
What a strong wrestling reel contains, length, and what a coach actually wants to see.
wrestling
Your Track & Field video (race/skills)
Track is recruited on verified results, not highlights. But a raw, verifiable clip of your race or attempt helps.
track-and-field
Your Softball video (highlights/skills)
A softball video that works is metric-driven, not just highlights: radar and clock on screen so the coach can evaluate you without seeing you live.
softball
Your Volleyball video (highlights/skills)
What a strong highlight reel and skills clip should contain by position, ideal length, and what coaches really want to see.
volleyball
Your shortlist
Realistic reach / target / safe for you.
Your realistic Wrestling list (reach / target / safe)
How to cross your level with each division's benchmark and build a 15-25 school list prioritising D2/NAIA/JUCO.
wrestling
Your realistic Lacrosse list (reach / target / safe)
Cross your level (position, ranking, events, stats) with each division's benchmark and build 15-25 schools, prioritising D2/NAIA/JUCO as realistic European paths.
lacrosse
Your realistic Soccer list (reach / target / safe)
Cross your real level (club tier + league + minutes) against each division's benchmark and build 15-25 schools. For a European, prioritise D2/NAIA/JUCO.
soccer
Your realistic Swimming list (reach / target / safe)
Cross your projected SCY times with each division's benchmark and build a 15-25 school list, prioritising D2/NAIA/JUCO.
swimming
Your realistic Tennis list (reach / target / safe)
Cross your UTR with each division's benchmark and build a 15-25 school list, prioritizing D2/NAIA/JUCO.
tennis
Pick realistic universities (reach/target/safe)
Cross your scoring average with each division benchmark and spread 15-25 schools across three buckets.
golf
Your realistic Track & Field list (reach / target / safe)
Cross your FAT marks with each division's benchmark and build 15-25 schools. Prioritise D2, NAIA and JUCO as the realistic European path.
track-and-field
Your realistic Basketball list (reach / target / safe)
How to cross your level with each division's benchmark to build a 15-25 school list.
basketball
Your realistic list in Volleyball (reach / target / safe)
How to cross your level and measurables with each division's benchmark to build a 15-25 school list, prioritising D2/NAIA/JUCO.
volleyball
Your realistic American Football list (reach / target / safe)
How to cross your level and measurables with each division to build a 15–25 school list.
football
Your realistic Baseball list (reach / target / safe)
Cross your verified marks with each division's benchmark and build a 15-25 school list. For a European, prioritise D2/NAIA/JUCO.
baseball
Your realistic Softball list (reach / target / safe)
Cross your measured metrics with each division's benchmark and build 15-25 schools. As a European, prioritise D2 / NAIA / JUCO.
softball
Reach out to coaches
How and when to write, without spam.
Grade 11: the critical year
Visits, full coach contact, English test, and a push in WAGR/RFEG. Grades matter a lot.
golf
When a coach can contact you (Baseball)
In D1, personal contact opens August 1 of junior year. It is NOT the golf rule. You can always reach out first.
baseball
When a coach can contact you (Softball)
In D1 softball there's NO contact before September 1 of junior year (11th). Beware: it's not the golf rule. You can always reach out first.
softball
When a coach can contact you (Track & Field)
In D1, first digital contact opens June 15 after sophomore year; in-person contact and visits, Aug 1 of junior year. You may reach out earlier.
track-and-field
When a coach can contact you (Volleyball)
The exact D1 contact rule in volleyball, the visit and signing windows, and why you can always reach out first.
volleyball
When a coach can contact you (American Football)
American football D1's three contact gates (much later than golf) and why you must reach out first.
football
When a coach can contact you (Lacrosse)
In D1 a coach can't initiate contact until September 1 of junior year (11th grade), men and women. You may always reach out first.
lacrosse
When a coach can contact you (Wrestling)
The exact D1 contact rule, the visit and signing windows, and that you can always reach out first.
wrestling
When a coach can contact you (Basketball)
The exact D1 first-contact rule (different for men and women) and the key windows.
basketball
When a coach can contact you (Swimming)
The exact D1 contact rule in swimming: June 15 after sophomore year. Key visit and signing windows, and that you can always reach out first.
swimming
How and when to contact a coach (+ template)
You can write anytime; D1 coaches reply only from June 15 after 10th grade. First-email template.
golf
When a coach may contact you (Soccer)
In D1 (men and women), a coach may first contact you on June 15 after sophomore year. You may always reach out first.
soccer
When a coach can contact you (Tennis)
The exact D1 contact rule, the key visit/signing windows, and that you may always reach out first.
tennis
Offers & decision
Compare offers and sign (NLI).
Eligibility & visa
NCAA Eligibility Center and document prep.
Amateurism & money in golf (the European trap)
The #1 mistake of European golfers: taking cash prizes. Rules + the recent 2026 change (verify).
golf
Grades & tests conversion (Bachillerato → GPA)
Official NCAA table for Spain. SAT/ACT NOT required by the NCAA. English per university.
F-1 / I-20 visa (document prep)
Sequence I-20 → SEVIS → DS-160 → MRV → interview. For golf, proof of funds covers the non-scholarship part.
NCAA eligibility checklist (Spain)
What a Spanish athlete needs to be NCAA-eligible, flagging blockers (🔴) vs important/recommended.
Reading is step one. Doing is what gets you recruited.
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