How To Make a Highlight Video
College Volleyball Scholarships: How to Get Recruited
Ready to turn energy into offers? Here's your guide to becoming a college volleyball recruit with purpose, proof, and presence.
Aubrey Sands Recruiting Coach
How Volleyball Recruiting Works
The most critical part of your recruiting process is achieving verified, objective performance metrics. Coaches recruit numbers first, especially the Vertical Jump and Reach. Those numbers are your introduction before they even know your name.
Quick reality check: only about seven percent of high school volleyball players reach college rosters. Every verified stat and GPA point pushes you forward.
Suggested Internal Link: Understanding the College Recruiting Process
Coach's Corner: Verified metrics like vertical and reach are your handshake. Use NCSA or similar for third-party validation. List recent GPA, test scores, and upload game clips monthly by the end of your sophomore year.
Expanded SME Guidance: Volleyball recruiting has become increasingly data-driven. Coaches often build recruiting boards around verified measurables, positional fit, academic standing, and long-term development potential before live evaluations even begin.
What Volleyball Players Should Do First
Freshman year is the time to research programs, not to start wondering if you should play in college.
Aim for 20-30 realistic target schools across different divisions.
Suggested Internal Link: What It Means to Be a D1, D2, D3, or NAIA Athlete
Academic excellence counts the same as court dominance. D1 and NAIA coaches build scholarship stacks using both athletic and academic aid. Hold both lines strong.
Build Your Volleyball Recruiting Profile
To get noticed, you must build a complete digital profile, your scouting report, and update it with every new result, especially new verticals and grades.
Update your NCSA or equivalent profile monthly.
Record new game film every major tournament and create a 3-5 minute highlight reel. Circle yourself on screen.
Add transcript and GPA updates to keep academic aid on the table.
Expanded SME Guidance: Athletes who consistently update profiles, tournament schedules, film, and measurable data are often easier for coaches to track throughout recruiting cycles.
Build Recruiting Visibility
Tags and timelines matter.
Use social updates like short game stories: "Court 7, Windy City Classic #SetterMode." That's exactly how coaches find recruits scrolling between matches.
Connect through tournaments and showcases. They are live auditions.
Post updates on highlight reels as stories across verified recruiting networks.
Track both academic milestones and physical metrics.
Suggested Internal Link: How to Contact College Coaches
Celebrate improvement data monthly because it fuels your online visibility.
How Important Are Club Volleyball Tournaments for Recruiting?
Club volleyball plays a major role in recruiting exposure because coaches often evaluate athletes during multi-day tournaments and showcase events.
Large recruiting tournaments allow coaches to compare athletes side by side against strong competition. Athletes who consistently compete well at high-level events often create more recruiting visibility over time.
Volleyball Scholarship Reality: What Families Need to Know
Most volleyball programs manage fixed scholarship pools. Knowing how funding really works gives you leverage in conversations with coaches.
For D1 schools, there are no limits on the size or number of scholarships they can offer. Only roster caps apply.
Volleyball Scholarship Breakdown by Division
Coach's Corner: Partial scholarships dominate volleyball recruiting, so strong academics often become one of the biggest factors in maximizing total financial aid opportunities.
Suggested Internal Link: What It Means to Be a D1, D2, D3, or NAIA Athlete
How Volleyball Scholarships Work
Most volleyball scholarships are partial scholarships combined with academic aid.
Athletes with strong grades, verified athletic metrics, and consistent communication often create more total scholarship opportunities for themselves.
Power 5 programs may have more full-ride opportunities, but many athletes across D1, D2, NAIA, and JUCO levels receive combinations of athletic aid, merit aid, and need-based financial support.
Understanding roster fit and scholarship structure matters as much as talent.
How Many Volleyball Players Receive Full Scholarships?
True full-ride scholarships are still limited in volleyball, especially outside major Power 5 programs.
Many athletes receive partial scholarships combined with academic aid, grants, and financial assistance. Families should focus on the total financial package instead of only chasing full rides.
What Volleyball Coaches Evaluate by Position
Setters
Setters are evaluated on decision-making, tempo control, leadership, communication, consistency, and volleyball IQ.
Coaches want setters who can run an offense efficiently and adapt under pressure.
Outside Hitters
Outside hitters need to show six-rotation ability, serve receive consistency, attacking range, transition movement, and defensive effort.
Verified vertical jump and reach metrics are especially important at higher levels.
Middle Blockers
Middle blockers are heavily evaluated on blocking timing, lateral movement, offensive transition speed, and reach.
Length, explosiveness, and quick reactions are major recruiting factors.
Opposites/Right Side Hitters
Right-side hitters should demonstrate blocking ability, offensive versatility, and effectiveness against high-level competition.
Coaches value athletes who can contribute both offensively and defensively.
Liberos/Defensive Specialists
Liberos must showcase serve receive, defensive range, consistency, communication, and court awareness.
Coaches prioritize ball control and reliability under pressure.
What Do College Volleyball Coaches Look For Besides Stats?
Coaches also evaluate:
Leadership
Communication
Coachability
Consistency
Competitive maturity
Volleyball IQ
Energy and effort
Response to adversity
Recruiting decisions often come down to trust, reliability, and how an athlete fits team culture, not just physical tools alone.
What Vertical Jump Do College Volleyball Coaches Look For?
Vertical jump expectations vary by division and position, but explosive movement and reach remain major recruiting factors at every level.
Middle blockers and outside hitters are often evaluated heavily on vertical jump and reach measurements, while setters and liberos may receive more evaluation around movement efficiency, ball control, and decision-making.
Volleyball Recruiting Timeline
Suggested Internal Link: How to Get Recruited for College Sports
Freshman Year
Start tracking stats and identifying schools.
Research programs and begin building your digital recruiting profile.
Sophomore Year
Register with NCAA/NAIA and DM first highlights.
Continue attending tournaments, collecting verified metrics, and updating film.
Junior Year
Update coach contacts, visit colleges, and upload new video after every major tournament.
This is often the most important evaluation period for volleyball recruiting.
Senior Year
Focus on official visits, compare offers, and finalize your best fit.
Continue updating coaches with new academic and athletic information until decisions are finalized.
The Volleyball Recruiting Message That Gets Replies
Recruits who message with clarity get responses faster. Use this four-line playbook.
Subject: Name + Position + Class + Key Metric ("Taylor Kim, Outside, 2026, 9'8" vertical")
Personal Note: "Your offense fits my style. I'm ready to train at your tempo."
Stats Link: GPA, verified vertical, NCSA/YouTube highlights.
Direct Question: "Are you recruiting outside hitters who can run quick-tempo offense for 2026?"
Coach's Corner: Keep each DM/email under 150 words. Attach one highlight, not ten. Short messages show respect for coaches' inbox and time.
Volleyball Highlight Reel Strategy
Record new game film every major tournament and create a 3-5 minute highlight reel.
Circle yourself on screen for identification clarity.
Show all skills, not just kills or highlight plays.
Use full-speed game footage instead of heavy edits or slow motion.
Update your film consistently throughout the recruiting process.
Academic Performance Matters in Volleyball Recruiting
High grades open doors to academic aid, which is critical for supplementing partial scholarships.
D1 and NAIA coaches build scholarship stacks using both athletic and academic aid.
Academic excellence counts the same as court dominance.
Transcript updates, GPA improvements, and test scores all strengthen recruiting opportunities.
What GPA Do You Need to Play College Volleyball?
Academic expectations vary by division and institution, but strong grades can significantly improve recruiting opportunities and scholarship flexibility.
Many programs combine athletic aid with academic scholarships, making academics one of the most important long-term recruiting advantages athletes can control.
Get discovered by college coaches
Reading about recruiting is a great start, but the families who land scholarships do not do it alone. NCSA's Recruiting Coaches build a personalized strategy around your game, academics, and target schools so you stand out to the right programs.
Start your athlete profile
Volleyball Recruiting FAQ: Direct Answers
When can D1 volleyball coaches contact potential recruits?
After June 15 of your sophomore year.
Can you get volleyball scholarships at all levels?
Yes, but most are partial scholarships, and D3 offers academic aid only.
How do you make a volleyball highlight video or reel?
Keep it 3-5 minutes, show all skills, circle yourself onscreen, and update it after every tournament.
When should I start trying to get recruited?
You should start reaching out to coaches during your freshman or sophomore year.
Final Boost: Recruit Yourself with Confidence
You are your own advocate. Every update, every message, every training post builds visibility. Approach each stage with purpose, preparation, and consistency.
The athletes who earn scholarships are usually the ones who stay proactive throughout the process. Build strong academics, verify your athletic metrics, compete consistently, communicate professionally, and keep your recruiting profile updated year-round.
Recruiting success rarely comes from one tournament or one highlight clip. It comes from steady development, organization, visibility, and follow-through over
Volleyball Scholarship Breakdown by Division
Division | Max Men's Scholarships | Max Women's Scholarships | What to Know About Aid |
NCAA Division I | 18.0 | 18.0 (19 for beach volleyball) | Power conference programs may offer larger scholarship packages, but many athletes still receive partial scholarships combined with academic aid. |
NCAA Division II | 4.5 | 8.0 | Partial scholarships are common. Academic aid and institutional grants often supplement athletic awards. |
NAIA | 8.0 | 8.0 | Scholarship flexibility varies widely by institution and available funding. |
NCAA Division III | 0 | 0 | No athletic scholarships. Financial aid is based on academics and need-based assistance. |
Get discovered by college coaches
Reading about recruiting is a great start, but the families who land scholarships don't do it alone. NCSA's Recruiting Coaches build a personalized strategy around your game, academics, and target schools so you stand out to the right programs.
Sharing highlight videos on social media
Highlight videos, workout clips and top play clips are a great thing to share to get coaches’ attention on social media.
You should engage with a coach’s or program’s social media by sharing, liking or commenting on their posts to let them know you’re interested in their school. Along with posting highlights to your recruiting profile and emailing college coaches, sharing your highlight reels on social media is a great way to land on a coach’s radar.
Pro Tip: Learn more about how college coaches use social media in recruiting here and review our social media do’s and don’ts.
Showing off your athletic ability and key skills in a short period of time with a highlight video is one of the most important aspects of the recruiting process that you control. A highlight reel that follows the tips outlined above will be one of the best ways to stand to college coaches. So start filming and posting your athletic progress as your recruiting journey unfolds!
NCSA’s video editing team can create premium highlights videos for you. Get started today and take your recruiting to the next level with professionally edited highlight reels by letting our professional team showcase your talents, top plays and peak performances. We’ll make it easier for college coaches to see you!
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should your highlight video be?
Your highlight video should be between 3-5 minutes long. You want it to be long enough to showcase your skills, but short enough to keep a coach’s attention.
Do college coaches only watch video from varsity competition?
Is it worth it for a student-athlete to put together a highlight video when they’re not on a varsity team? Absolutely! While a highlight reel featuring your best performances as a varsity athlete is most valuable to college coaches, some want to see how you have developed. Record your performances starting your freshman year so coaches can see your progression from season to season.
Do coaches actually look at all of the highlight videos sent?
College coaches use highlight videos to get a snapshot of your athletic skill and level to see if it’s a good fit for their program. Having a bigger sample size of quality film is helpful for a coach’s evaluation, though the strongest footage should be at the beginning to capture their interest.
What do I do if I don’t have good highlights for a video?
Consider creating your own skills video to showcase a few of your key strengths as an athlete. Adding a skills video can help your NCSA profile page get more attention from college coaches while you continue to gather more in-game footage.
Where should I post my highlight video?
Your NCSA profile is the best place to post video to be discovered by college coaches - it’s the one-stop destination for over 40,000 active college coaches. You can also post your highlight video on your social media accounts.
