Women's Volleyball

Volleyball College Athletic Scholarships for Women

If you play high school volleyball and want to compete at the college level, you probably already know you’ll face stiff competition for both a spot on the roster and scholarship money. We’re here to help. This webpage is a resource for you to use during your college planning and placement process that will help you get noticed, meet deadlines and achieve your goal.

Never forget, in volleyball—as in all collegiate sports—you need to take charge of your own recruiting. Narrow down the schools you’d like to attend and compete for. Then, take responsibility for introducing yourself to your sport’s decision-makers at these schools. Keep yourself in front of them in a professional, respectful way with regular emails or phone calls. Work hard to improve your athletic performance while also keeping an eye on your academics.

Earning a spot on any college team—and maybe even being awarded athletic scholarship money—isn’t easy, but don’t despair. While it takes time, discipline and persistence, it is doable.

Women’s Collegiate Volleyball—Divisions

There are more than 1800 colleges that offer women’s volleyball: 334 NCAA DI; 297 DII; 427 DIII; and 217 NAIA. Here’s an overview of how these divisions work and what they have to offer:

NCAA Division I – Volleyball Women’s Programs

• Division I women’s volleyball colleges are known for their extremely competitive level of play, rigorous practices and demanding schedules. Players at the DI level were typically standout athletes on the best club teams and have years of experience competing at the elite level.
• These players benefit from some of the most experienced coaches, well-funded facilities, and the reputation that comes with being a DI athlete. Starting with the 2025-26 school year, new NCAA rules reclassify DI volleyball as an equivalency sport, with a roster limit of 18. This means all rostered athletes will be eligible to receive full or partial scholarships for volleyball.

Top Division I Women’s Volleyball Programs

Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) offers Power Rankings of the country’s best colleges with women’s volleyball programs, and are compiled using a number of data sources that factor in various aspects of the college experience, including cost and graduation rates. Use it as a starting point in your search for a college-level volleyball program you’d like to be accepted into.

Here are the top ten DI women’s volleyball programs in the U.S., according to NCSA:

1. Stanford University
2. Princeton University
3. Harvard University
4. University of Florida
5. Columbia University
6. Yale University
7. University of Pennsylvania, Penn
8. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
9. University of California, Berkeley
10. University of Michigan

NCAA Division II – Volleyball Women’s Programs

• Playing Division II volleyball, you’ll find much of the athletic talent seen at the DI level with more balance between athletics, academics and social life. While DII players still commit a significant amount of time and energy to their team, they’ll get more time back in their schedule than at a DI school. DII schools range in size from fewer than 2,500 students to more than 15,000.
• DII volleyball schools can offer full-ride athletic scholarships, but because D2 volleyball is considered an equivalency sport, coaches can split up their scholarship dollars however they like. This means that only the most-impactful athletes on a team will get a full-ride scholarship, while the others will likely get partial scholarships.

Top Division II Women’s Volleyball Programs

Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) offers Power Rankings of the country’s best colleges with women’s volleyball programs, and are compiled using a number of data sources that factor in various aspects of the college experience, including cost and graduation rates. Use it as a starting point in your search for a college-level volleyball program you’d like to be accepted into.

Here are the top ten DII women’s volleyball programs in the U.S., according to NCSA:

1. Colorado School of Mines
2. Hillsdale College
3. West Chester University of Pennsylvania
4. Bentley University
5. Florida Southern College
6. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
7. Truman State University
8. Grand Valley State University
9. Rollins College
10. Adelphi University

NCAA Division III – Volleyball Women’s Programs

• Division III volleyball schools are known for their smaller, more intimate campuses, strong emphasis on academics and ability to provide student athletes with a well-rounded college experience. DIII schools are still very competitive, make no mistake, but student athletes have the ability to create a more traditional college experience for themselves. To that end, the DIII playing season and eligibility standards are designed to minimize conflicts between athletics and academics, putting more time back in student athletes’ schedules.
• DIII volleyball colleges don’t offer athletic scholarships, but they do have plenty of other scholarship opportunities that students can take advantage of to offset the cost of college. In fact, most student athletes at DIII schools benefit from some form of financial aid. From academic scholarships, to need-based and merit scholarships, there are plenty of ways to help pay for an athlete’s education if they have the required grades and recruiters are interested.

Top Division III Women’s Volleyball Programs

Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) offers Power Rankings of the country’s best colleges with women’s volleyball programs, and are compiled using a number of data sources that factor in various aspects of the college experience, including cost and graduation rates. Use it as a starting point in your search for a college-level volleyball program you’d like to be accepted into.

Here are the top ten DIII women’s volleyball programs in the U.S., according to NCSA:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
2. Johns Hopkins University
3. University of Chicago
4. Emory University
5. Tufts University
6. Washington University in St. Louis
7. Amherst College
8. Williams College
9. Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)
10. University of Rochester

NAIA – Volleyball Women’s Programs

• The charm of NAIA schools comes from their smaller class sizes and overall flexibility between athletics, academics and social life. The level of competition at NAIA volleyball schools is often compared to NCAA DII schools, so athletes should still expect to face elite volleyball players.
• NAIA schools can provide scholarships, up to a maximum of eight. Because NAIA volleyball is considered an equivalency sport, coaches can split up their scholarship dollars however they want. This means that only the most-impactful athletes on a team will get a full-ride scholarship, while the others will likely get partial scholarships.

Top NAIA Women’s Volleyball Programs

Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) offers Power Rankings of the country’s best colleges with women’s volleyball programs, and are compiled using a number of data sources that factor in various aspects of the college experience, including cost and graduation rates. Use it as a starting point in your search for a college-level volleyball program you’d like to be accepted into.

Here are the top ten NAIA women’s volleyball programs in the U.S., according to NCSA:

1. Dordt University
2. Indiana Wesleyan University
3. University of California, Merced
4. Oklahoma City University
5. University of Michigan, Dearborn
6. Marian University, Indiana
7. Northwestern College, Iowa
8. Madonna University
9. Taylor University
10. St. Ambrose University

What Does It Take to Play College Volleyball?

Extra height will never hurt, nor will extra experience at the high school or club level, but there are other ways to get the attention of a coach. How do you respond to adversity? How do you manage pressure? Remember, recruiters are looking at the big picture, the total athlete.

Getting recruited also takes name recognition. In almost all instances, you need to let coaches know you’re interested in getting into their volleyball programs. Here’s how to do that:

• Build A Target List
  Don’t waste time pursuing programs that aren’t a good match. Look at the roster to see how you qualify athletically and learn more about the school’s academic requirements.
• Create An Online Profile
  Think like an influencer, i.e., you need a platform to get noticed. Make it easy for coaches to see your highlight video, key stats, contact information and academic history.
• Make Contact, Follow Up
  You can’t sit around and wait to be discovered. Proactively reach out to college coaches by sending an introductory email that includes your online profile, highlight video, academic information, outstanding athletic achievements and personal interest in the program. Then continue to follow up with noteworthy updates throughout the year.
• Get Visibility
  Tournaments are an opportunity to test your skills against top talent and compete in front of college coaches. If you time it right and contact these coaches before you attend a tournament or camp, you’ll improve your odds of being evaluated in-person.
• Be Persistent
  If you’re an upperclassman who isn’t being actively recruited, rework your target list. Consider new opportunities, including lower-division programs where you might be more competitive. Make visits. Tap your high school coach for help in identifying programs.

You may have talent and self-discipline, but unless you get your name out there in a consistent and respectful way, you also may fly under your preferred program’s radar. Show those coaches and scouts how much you want to compete for them in their volleyball program. That type of drive gets attention and will help you distinguish yourself from those you’re competing with.

Volleyball Skills & Recruiting Guidelines

To get an idea of what it takes to be a college volleyball player, athletes need to consider multiple factors, including desired measurables for their position and necessary club experience.

• Club & High School Experience
  In volleyball, club experience is one of the most important factors in the recruiting process. Not only does club participation increase an athlete’s likelihood of getting noticed by college coaches, but it also shows coaches that athletes have been tested against some of the best volleyball players in the country.
• Volleyball-Specific Stats
  When coaches evaluate recruits, they do a quick check of their height, block jump, approach jump, attack jump and standing reach (position dependent) to make sure recruits have the baseline requirements for playing at that school. However, the requirements that coaches look for will change slightly from school to school.

What Is Good Standing Reach for Volleyball?

A 7’9” standing reach is the college average for middle blockers and outside and right-side hitters. The college-level standing reach for setters is approximately 7’5” and for liberos it should be around 7 feet.

Outside Hitter Recruiting Guidelines

• Division I
  Club experience: Open-level playing experience
• Division II
  Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred
• Division III
  Club experience: National and regional club-level experience
• NAIA
  Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

Opposite Or Right-Side Hitter Recruiting Guidelines

• Division I
  Club experience: Open-level playing experience
• Division II
  Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred
• Division III
  Club experience: National and regional club-level experience
• NAIA
  Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

Middle Blocker Recruiting Guidelines

• Division I
  Club experience: Open-level playing experience
• Division II
  Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred
• Division III
  Club experience: National and regional club-level experience
• NAIA
  Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

Setter Recruiting Guidelines

• Division I
  Club experience: Open-level playing experience
• Division II
  Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred
• Division III
  Club experience: National and regional club-level experience
• NAIA
  Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

Libero Recruiting Guidelines

• Division I
  Club experience: Open-level playing experience
• Division II
  Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred
• Division III
  Club experience: National and regional club-level experience
• NAIA
  Club experience: National-level experience; open level preferred

When Can Colleges Start Recruiting for Women’s Volleyball?

• The NCAA dictates when and how college coaches can contact recruits. For NCAA DI and DII coaches, contact is off-limits until June 15 after the recruit’s sophomore year in high school. College coaches at the DIII and NAIA levels don’t have the same restrictions on when they can reach out to recruits, i.e., they can reach out to anyone they’re interested in at any time.
• On August 1 before junior year, NCAA volleyball recruiting rules permit student athletes and their families to make an “official visit.” This means that recruiting efforts really ramp up during junior year. Coaches can send non-recruiting material, like brochures or camp information, at any time. This is also the same time that college coaches can begin communicating with high school and club coaches about student athletes.
• In creating these rules, the NCAA was trying to make sure elite recruits didn’t get overwhelmed by contact from coaches. However, coaches begin building their potential list of recruits even earlier. That’s why the more proactive you are in your recruiting journey—by targeting schools, creating a highlight video, emailing coaches, etc.—the better your chances are of getting recruited.

Final Thoughts on Achieving Your Goal

As mentioned earlier, while earning a spot on any college team isn’t easy, with time, discipline and persistence it is doable. Here are some final words of wisdom and strategy on the matter.

• Find The Right Match
  By researching schools and targeting programs where your particular skills would add to the team’s ability to put up points, you have a better chance of not just landing a spot on a college roster but even getting some scholarship money. So do your homework and find a program that will benefit from your event strengths. It’s a good way to make yourself stand out to a recruiter.
• Create A Target List
  It’s worth repeating. After you’ve done your research, create a list of schools you’re competitive for. There might be a range of programs that span several different levels. As an example, your event times may put you in the mix for DI recruiting, but if you also consider DII or NAIA, you might have a better chance of earning a roster spot. Putting it all done on paper (or in a digital document) will help you order your thoughts and see the overall situation even more clearly.
• Keep Up Your Grades
  Speaking of homework, make sure you keep a focus on your academics as you strive for excellence in your sport. Recruiters will be looking at both. Make sure you’re taking classes as required by the NCAA Eligibility Center as well as the ACTs and SATs. And if you do land a spot on a college team, you’re going to be expected to keep up your academic performance along with your athletic performance, so you might as well get used to doing it now. Good luck!