When Should You Start the Volleyball Recruiting Process?
If you’re wondering when to start the volleyball recruiting process, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common questions athletes and parents ask. The answer is not one size fits all, but there are some clear patterns that show up again and again.
Q: When should athletes actually start the recruiting process? Does it depend on level or goals?
Allison Roberts:
“I’ll start by saying it’s never too late to start.”
There are still college coaches recruiting athletes later in the process, so even if you are a junior and just getting started, opportunities still exist. But timing does matter, especially when it comes to the level of school you are targeting.
“At the highest levels, recruiting starts earlier, and it takes more effort to get on those coaches’ radar,” Allison explains. “But for most athletes, there is a more practical timeline.”
She points to freshman and sophomore years as the ideal time to begin, not necessarily to be recruited yet, but to understand how everything works.
“If you can start learning the process your freshman year, what college volleyball looks like, what interest from coaches actually means, you are going to be way more prepared when things pick up,” she says. “Because for most athletes, a lot of the real communication happens junior year.”
Q: What should athletes actually be doing early on?
Susan Forbes:
“I think there is a real learning curve to recruiting, especially in volleyball,” Susan says. “And the earlier you understand it, the easier everything else becomes.”
For her, starting early is not about rushing the process. It is about removing confusion later.
“If you start learning as a freshman, then when you get into sophomore and junior year, and things start to matter more, it feels like you have already been doing it,” she explains. “You are not trying to figure everything out in real time.”
She also emphasizes the importance of getting feedback early, before athletes invest time chasing the wrong opportunities.
“Talk to people who know college volleyball. Ask them where you realistically fit, what you need to improve, and how your goals line up with your current level,” she says. “That kind of clarity early on saves a lot of time.”
Q: What happens when athletes wait too long or do not have a clear plan?
Susan Forbes:
“A lot of athletes start by just throwing spaghetti at the wall,” she says. “They reach out to a bunch of schools without really knowing if they are a fit.”
The issue is not just inefficiency. It is timing.
“By the time they pivot to a different level or adjust their expectations, there are already athletes who have been building relationships with those coaches for a year or two,” Susan explains. “And that matters.”
Coaches are not just evaluating talent. They are building trust.
“They are more likely to go with athletes they have seen multiple times and gotten to know,” she says. “Even if another athlete might be slightly better, that relationship can make the difference.”
“Seeking that second opinion early—whether it is from someone at your club or experts like Allison or me—is an incredibly valuable use of your time,” she says. “Tapping into people who have navigated this before provides a level of clarity that helps you avoid mistakes before they happen.”
Q: What are college coaches doing on their end during these early stages?
Cori Murphy (University Athlete):
“Even with younger athletes, coaches are already identifying talent,” Cori explains.
At major tournaments, especially at the 14s and 15s levels, coaches are starting to track players, watching film, building lists, and noting athletes they may want to evaluate later.
“They are not necessarily recruiting them yet,” she says, “but they are absolutely paying attention.”
The Bottom Line
There is no perfect starting point, but there is an advantage to getting ahead of the process.
Starting early does not mean committing early. It means a clear understanding of how recruiting works, getting organized, and putting yourself in a position to take advantage of opportunities when they come.
Or as Allison puts it:
“The earlier you understand the process, the better positioned you are when it actually starts to matter.”