College Softball Potential

Tier 1 – Scholarship at a Big Time Division I School

  • Schools which are consistently competitive at the Division I level and are one of the top 25-50 teams in the country. They have a chance to play in the WCWS.
  • You are academically and athletically able to attend these schools. You must have good enough grades and scores to be accepted, and be good enough to be recruited at these schools.
  • In today’s recruiting world, you most likely need to be a sophomore or younger to be in this category.
  • You need to play, or “show”, really well in front of these coaches at least 3 out of 4 times that they watch you play.
  • They are looking for the best players in the country, are you one of the best players at your position in the country?
  • Schools spread out their scholarship money to several players, very few kids receive full ride scholarships.

Tier 2 – Scholarship at a 2nd Tier Division I Programs, or top DII program, walk on or low scholarship at a Tier 1 Program

  • Schools that do not necessarily have one of the best softball programs in the nation, but are competitive within their conference and a good opportunity athletically and academically.
  • A lot of these schools are some of the best academic schools in the country and may be a wonderful opportunity academically as well as getting the chance to play ball.
  • Walk on, or low scholarship at a high level Division I school. Are you capable of playing at level 1, but there is not money available, etc.
  • “Late Bloomers” may fall to this category. Kids that haven’t had the right opportunity to showcase their talents until they are a junior or senior, or that have gotten a lot better after their “level 1” window of opportunities has passed. By your junior and senior year, scholarship money at Level 1 schools is very limited, if available at all.
  • Some of these players sometimes prefer a JUCO for more money and/or playing time, etc.

Tier 3 – Division II, III, JUCO’s

  • Schools that are highly competitive in their conference and division every year and have a good softball program
  • Some of these schools are great academic schools, and offer certain majors that attract certain players.
  • “Late Bloomers” may also fall to this category depending on their level of talent and the amount of money available or not available at some schools.
  • A lot of high Academics kids play here due to the great education, academic scholarship money and also great opportunity to play softball at the collegiate level.

Tier 4 – Just want to play ball

  • Kids that just want to play ball and will play anywhere they can have the opportunity to do so.