College Soccer Recruiting Guide
Helping Players Find the Right Fit
For many Lexington Eagles players, the opportunity to play college soccer can be an exciting part of their development. At the same time, the college recruiting process can feel overwhelming for players and families alike. With thousands of colleges, multiple athletic associations and divisions, different recruiting timelines, and countless factors to consider, families may not always know where to begin.
The Lexington Eagles College Soccer Recruiting Guide was created to give our players, parents, and coaches a foundational understanding of the college soccer recruiting landscape and the process of navigating it.
Summary Below
Understanding the College Landscape
College soccer is much broader than simply NCAA Division I, II, or III. Opportunities exist across the NCAA, NAIA, NCCAA, junior colleges, and other pathways. Importantly, division does not simply equal talent. Players at every level can have excellent college soccer experiences, and many athletes choose a school based on academics, finances, location, playing opportunities, faith, career goals, or overall fit.
Our goal is to help families look beyond the division label and understand the wide range of opportunities available.
Finding the Right Fit
At the Eagles, we believe the goal of recruiting is not simply to play at the highest possible level—it is to find the right fit.
The guide encourages families to evaluate four key areas:
Academic Fit – Can the player thrive academically and pursue their desired career?
Athletic Fit – Is the player a good match for the team's level, style, roster, and development plan?
Social Fit – Will the campus, community, culture, and environment be a place where the player can thrive?
Spiritual Fit – For players who value their faith, will the school and team environment encourage continued spiritual growth?
A successful college experience should provide opportunities for a player to grow academically, socially, athletically, spiritually, and personally.
Understanding the Recruiting Process
The recruiting process develops over several years. This guide provides a general timeline for players and families, from building a foundation in 8th and 9th grade, to exploring opportunities in 10th grade, becoming proactive in 11th grade, and evaluating and making decisions as a senior.
It also covers practical aspects of recruiting, including:
Building a realistic college list
Communicating with college coaches
Attending camps, showcases, and campus visits
Creating a soccer résumé and highlight film
Understanding academics and eligibility requirements
Evaluating financial aid
Asking meaningful questions of coaches and current players
Identifying potential red flags
Comparing opportunities and making an informed decision
The guide also emphasizes an important part of the Eagles' philosophy: the player should increasingly take ownership of the recruiting process as they move through high school. Parents and coaches should support and guide the player, but ultimately the player needs to learn to advocate for themselves.
Preparing for More Than the Recruiting Process
Recruiting doesn't begin when a player sends their first email to a college coach. It begins with becoming the kind of student-athlete that college coaches want to recruit.
Strong academics, technical and tactical development, athletic preparation, character, work ethic, coachability, communication, and leadership all play an important role. The guide is designed to help players understand what they can control and how they can prepare themselves for future opportunities.
The Eagle’s Role
Our coaches want to help players and families navigate the recruiting process while keeping ownership with the player and family. Eagles coaches can provide honest feedback, help players understand their strengths and areas for development, discuss potential college levels, recommend programs to investigate, evaluate soccer fit, assist with communication, and provide references when appropriate.
However, we cannot guarantee that a player will be recruited or accepted by a particular school. Those decisions ultimately belong to college coaches, admissions departments, and the player and family.
Don’t Chase a Division. Chase a Fit.
The college recruiting process can tempt families to focus on rankings, divisions, scholarships, roster spots, and prestige. While those things can matter, they are only part of the picture.
The right college may be a Division I university. It may be Division II, Division III, NAIA, NCCAA, or another pathway entirely. What matters most is finding a place where the player can thrive—as a student, athlete, friend, teammate, and person.
For our Eagles players, we ultimately want them to find a college where they can grow in their relationship with Christ, develop as a soccer player, pursue their academic and career goals, and become the person God has created them to be.
Explore the Full Guide
The complete Lexington Eagles College Soccer Recruiting Guide provides a more detailed look at the college soccer landscape, recruiting timeline, communication strategies, college visits, financial considerations, questions to ask coaches and current players, potential red flags, and a recruiting checklist for players and families.