Pursuing Playing College Lacrosse

• First of all, what schools are you interested in?   Make a list if you have not already!

• Check to see if the schools on your list have a women's lacrosse program- probably they do!   Most likely they also have a web site, which will be one of your best resources!   "Google" them or go the school's main web site and go to their athletics/sports page.   Probably there will be links to the school's athletic teams.

• Find out what Division they are in to find out the general level of play.   (Generally, Div. I is highest, though there is a range of competetiveness.   Top Div. III teams are extremely competitive, too, but they, I think, have a broader range of programs.)

• Here are links to LaxPower.com's rankings of Div. I, Div. II, and Div. III women's lacrosse teams from 2005.
• http://www.laxpower.com/update05/binwom/rating01.php
• http://www.laxpower.com/update05/binwom/rating02.php
• http://www.laxpower.com/update05/binwom/rating03.php

• If the web site provides player bio's, this is a good way to measure the kind of and range of athletes they have.   If many/most are All-American, All-State, Player of the Year (for the state), U-19 National Team members, chances are they are one of the top teams and extremely competitive.   Most teams do have a range.   Check for players who might fit your own profile.   (e.g. 3 year letter-winner on the varsity team.   Perhaps a team award like best defender or MVP.   1 st or 2 nd team all-league, things like that....)

• Looking at the team's record at least from the previous year can also help you get a sense of where they stand in their league.

• Some teams have players from our own Dual County league!   This can be a helpful gauge, too....

• If you have interest in the school and it seems like a good fit or a reasonable "reach" you should absolutely fill out a player profile.   Often these can be downloaded or filled out right on line from the team's web page.   Alternatively, email or write the coach to inquire about the program and ask for one.   Here's a sample form from Haverford College in Pennsylvania: http://www.haverford.edu/athletics/Lacrossew/recruits.htm .

• Fill out the player profile sheet and return it to the coach.   If the coach contacts you directly or begins to recruit you, this is an excellent sign.   However, some coaches may be in season or are flooded with inquiries if they are a popular program.   There are also NCAA rules regarding recruiting and the amount, kind, and timeframe of contact that coaches might be restricted to depending on your year in school.   There are also eligibility rules for prospective student athletes. For specifics around these rules, go to the NCAA Clearinghouse web site.
• http://www.ncaaclearinghouse.net/ncaa/NCAA/student/index_student.html
  
  
• If you end up visiting a school, it's a great idea to set up a meeting with the lacrosse coach ahead of time if possible. Most coaches are eager to meet with prospective athletes. You can get some questions answered and even get some general sense of where you might fit in the program.

• Often our players "walk on," which means they tryout for a team without having been directly recruited.   We have had players walk on make teams at St. Lawrence, UVM, and MIT!
• Check out our Alumnae page (there is a link just to the left!) where you can see where some of our recent graduates have played or are playing!

• Lastly (and importantly), if you are hoping or planning to play Div. I or Div. II, you will need to go through the NCAA Clearinghouse, to get cleared to play.   Here is a link that can take you through that.
• http://www.ncaaclearinghouse.net/ncaa/NCAA/student/index_student.html

• My belief is that there is a program out there for any of our varsity athletes.   The challenge, if you do want to play in college, is finding a good fit both athletically and academically.

• We are proud to send players on to play in college every year!    ·
• Good luck with your college search!