Academics
College Counseling

College Athletic Recruiting

Athletics in College

Casady School has a strong national reputation for academic excellence. Casady also has a long-standing tradition of athletic excellence. Since the 2000s alone, Casady has placed more than 80 student-athletes in 14 different sports at colleges and universities ranging from NCAA Division I to Division III.

For the past few years, Casady School has been intentional in our renewed effort to pursue excellence in all of our athletic programs. During this time, we have conducted an audit; created a Strategic Athletic Plan; aligned our Pillars of Success with our Strategic Academic Plan; and declared our intention to join the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, while simultaneously preserving competitive opportunities for girls’ field hockey and boys’ volleyball in the Southwest Preparatory Conference.

As part of Casady’s Strategic Athletic Plan, the School has created a new “college athletic liaison” position within the College Counseling Team. This liaison position will partner with each student-athlete and their families throughout their four years in the Upper Division to guide them through the college admission and recruiting process.

Contact

Josh Bottomly
Associate Director of College Counseling
bottomlyj@casady.org

Hear It From Them

Resources for Students & Families

The College-Athletic Recruiting Process

List of 4 items.

  • 9th Grade

    • Work hard to get the best grades possible
    • Take classes that match Casady’s list of NCAA courses. The NCAA Eligibility Center will use only approved core courses to certify initial eligibility.
    • Access Casady’s list of NCAA courses at www.eligibilitycenter.org/courselist
      (Casady’s High School Code is: 372640)
    • Get involved in community service
    • Get involved in summer camps and clinics
    • Begin researching websites of schools that interest you
    • Division III coaches are allowed to send recruiting materials and make phone calls beginning September 1

  • 10th Grade

    • At the beginning of the year, complete the online registration for a PROFILE ACCOUNT with the NCAA Eligibility Center. You will be charged a one-time fee of $90.00 for a CERTIFIED ACCOUNT (Division I & II) that can be done at any time.
    • Meet with your head coach:
      • Assess talent level
      • Borrow game video and begin compiling highlight video for future use.
        • Start out by including a slide with the following information:
          • Your Name
          • A Head-Shot Picture
          • Casady School and Graduation Year
          • Position(s) played
          • Jersey #
          • Sport specific measurements, such as height and weight
          • Contact Information including your phone number and email address
        • Initial Video should be 3-5 minutes of game footage that highlights the full range of skills. Highlight videos get coaches interested.
        • Follow-up Video should be 1 full game.  Full game videos get athletes signed. 
      • Create an Athletic Resume (see sample resume)
    • Meet with Mr. Bottomly (college counselor)
      • Discuss the level of college athletics (NCAA D-I/D-II/D-III, NAIA DI/D2) 
      • Double check to make sure all the courses you have taken match Casady’s list of NCAA approved core courses
      • Continue with completing community service obligations
      • Discuss ACT or SAT testing timeline
    • Continue to attend summer camps and clinics
    • Continue to research websites of schools that interest you
    • Fill out and submit any athletic questionnaires from colleges that interest you
    • Register and sit for either the ACT or SAT testing (only if the student aspires for a highly selective college) in the spring or summer.

  • 11th Grade

    • Take or retake the ACT or SAT
    • Fill out and return questionnaires to schools of interest (see sample questionnaire here).
    • Get a copy of your transcript from Mrs. McQuade,  the registrar.
    • Ask Mrs. McQuade to upload your transcript to the NCAA or NAIA.
    • Update highlight and skills video 
    • Email coaches:
      • Attach updated athletic resume
      • Attach game schedule
      • Include updated highlight video link
      • Include updated GPA and best ACT or SAT test score
      • Cc’ head coach/club coach
    • Plan College Visits
      • Set up appointments with coach, an admission officer, and a financial representative, if applicable
      • Ask questions (see Recruiting Correspondence)

  • 12th Grade

    • Register to take the ACT or SAT again, if necessary. (The NCAA Eligibility Center will use the best scores from each section of the ACT or SAT to determine your best cumulative score.)
    • Meet with your head coach:
      • Final assessment of talent
      • Continue to ask for assistance in the recruiting process, including emailing and calling college coaches on your behalf
      • Update athletic resume with GPA, test scores, personal bests, and links to highlight videos
      • Narrow down college choices
    • Meet with Mr. Bottomly (college counselor)
      • Final check to make sure the courses you take match Casady’s list of NCAA approved core courses
      • Review your amateurism responses and request final amateurism certification on or after April 1 (for all enrolled).
      • After graduation, ask Mrs. McQuade (registrar) to send your final transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center with proof of graduation.
    • Continue communication with College Coaches
      • Continue to fill-out and return questionnaires
      • Continue to send out brief emails to head coach and or recruiting coach in your sport: 
        • Attach updated athletic resume
        • Attach game schedule
        • Attach transcript
        • Include updated GPA, test scores, personal bests, and highlight videos
        • Cc your head coach
    • Continue to take College Visits
      • Set up appointments with the coach, an admission officer, and a financial aid representative, if applicable
      • Ask questions, especially where you are in the recruiting “pecking order”
      • Graduate on time

Navigating the NCAA

List of 4 items.

  • Divisions

    • NCAA Division I - Highest level of competition at the collegiate level. Most Athletic Powers, Most Athletic Scholarships, Most Rules, Athletes sign an NLI (except for Service Academies and the Ivy League). Must be Certified with the NCAA.
    • NCAA Division II - Smaller budgets, Less Athletic Scholarships, Fewer Rules, Athletes sign an NLI. Must be Certified with the NCAA.
    • NCAA Division III - Academics is a priority, No Athletic Scholarships, No Recruiting Calendars, Athletes do not sign an NLI. Athletes do NOT need to be certified with the NCAA.

  • The Service Academies

    Army, Navy, and Air Force Division I Athletes do not receive athletic scholarships and they do not sign a NLI, but they usually do receive a “likely” letter. Coast Guard and Marine Academy are Division III.

  • The Ivy League

    Ivy League student-athletes do not receive athletic scholarships and they do not sign a NLI, but they do usually receive a “likely” letter.

    The Ivy League uses a unique formula called the Ivy League Index Ranking Formula to determine the “tier” or “band” of a recruited athlete. To calculate your Index score click here.

  • Scholarship Offers & NLI

    Full Ride Scholarships
    • Only available in 6 sports: Football (85 FBS/63 FCS), Men’s Basketball (13), Women’s Basketball (15), Women’s Gymnastics (12), Women’s Tennis (8), & Women’s Volleyball (12).
    • Typically cover tuition, room and board, books, and some course fees
    • One year agreements that may or may not be renewed

    Partial Scholarships
    "Equivalency Sports" - A pool of scholarship money that can be divided up amongst their team.

    Softball - 12Baseball - 11/7/Max of 27 players
    Field Hockey - 12Wrestling - 9.9
    Women's Lacrosse - 12Men's Lacrosse - 12.6
    Women's Golf - 6Men's Golf - 4.5
    Women's Soccer - 14Men's Soccer - 9.9
    Women's Swimming and Diving - 14Men's Swimming and Diving - 9.9
    Women's X-Country and Track - 18Men's X-Country and Track - 12.6
    Men's Tennis - 4.5
    Men's Volleyball - 4.5

    All DII Sports are Equivalency Sports.

    Preferred Walk-On
    A student-athlete is guaranteed a spot on the team. The student-athlete does not receive financial assistance for one year. Preferred walk-ons can earn a scholarship in the second year.

    Recruited Walk-On
    A recruited walk-on offer means there is interest from the coach but no financial assistance and you must still earn a spot on the team through additional tryouts or summer training camp.

    Unrecruited Walk-On
    Unrecruited walk-ons decide to attend a school, despite not receiving any recruiting interest from the team’s coach. Once on campus, they are responsible for contacting the coach and attending an open tryout or training camp. 

    Redshirts (Grayshirt/Blueshirt/Greenshirt)
    What a "redshirt" season refers to is a year in which a student-athlete does not compete at all against outside competition. During a year in which the student-athlete does not compete, a student can practice with his or her team and receive financial aid.

    Verbal Commitments
    According to the NCAA, “A verbal commitment happens when a college-bound student-athlete verbally agrees to play sports for a college before he or she signs or is eligible to sign a National Letter of Intent. The commitment is not binding on the student-athlete or the school and can be made at any time.

Recruiting Correspondence

List of 2 items.

  • College Recruiting Coach

    Specific Questions for the College Recruiting Coach:
    • What is your coaching philosophy?
    • Describe a typical practice session.
    • What are the expectations academically and athletically for your athletes?
    • Does your team have a full-time academic advisor?
    • Do your players graduate in four years?
    • Am I under consideration for a scholarship?
    • What types of academic scholarships are available? What about other sorts of grants and aid?
    • Do I have to apply before a scholarship is offered?
    • What happens if I get injured?
    • What are the next steps in the process?
    • Is there anything I can provide you with that will help you further evaluate me?

  • Prospective Student-Athlete

    Questions you should be able to answer when meeting a coach or school representative:
    • What are my strengths as a player?
    • What areas of my game am I working on to improve?
    • What are my goals for the upcoming season?
    • Am I capable of playing at this level?
    • What improvements have I made over the past couple of years?
    • What type of scholarships am I looking for? Do I need financial aid?
    • Who is helping me make my college decision?
    • What other schools are recruiting me?

NCAA Links

9500 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73120     |     Phone: (405) 749-3100
Casady School is an independent, co-educational, college preparatory, Episcopal day school serving students in pre-k-12. Educating Mind, Body, and Spirit.
Casady School is a PreK-12, independent, college preparatory Episcopal day school committed to deeper-level learning. Casady School welcomes a student body that reflects the diversity of the world around us and therefore does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, nationality, or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletics, and other school-administered programs generally accorded or made available to students at the School.