Preparing for Christmas Day (Not the religious holiday)

If you’re like the Mitchell family and have been preparing well in advance, then June 15th will feel as exciting as Christmas morning did for us. When I say “Christmas morning,” I’m referring to that special feeling many experience during the holiday season the mix of excitement, anticipation, and even a bit of restless energy that comes with waiting for gifts. For many children, Christmas meant waking up early to see what Santa and loved ones had brought, filling the day with joy and wonder. What I want you to do is tap into that same sense of eagerness and anticipation along with any nerves or sleeplessness you might remember from your childhood, because that’s the kind of energy June 15th can bring when recruiting really gets started.  If you have done your work and followed the process, you will be rewarded. You will have some expected outcomes and even some pleasant surprises. You will have some disappointments too because the nature of recruiting is unpredictable,

At the time of publication each NCAA sport has a specific date at which students entering their Junior year can be contacted by email, text or telephone off campus for the first time. This date has ranged from June 15 for some sports (with the exception of Football and Basketball) to July 1 or later in the fall for other sports.

If you have done things right (meaning put in your work) your prospective student athlete should feel that same sense of anticipation if they are a NCAA Division I or NCAA Division II prospect.  They can be contacted beginning at 12:01am the next morning. Keep in mind that NCAA Division III  and NAIA coaches  are not bound by the June 15 date

June 15 is an important date in the college athletics recruiting calendar, especially for NCAA Division I and II athletes. For many sports, it marks the point after a student-athletes sophomore year of high school when college coaches are officially allowed to initiate direct contact with prospective student-athletes. This includes phone calls, emails, text messages, and private social media messages, which had previously been restricted.

Again, at the time of publication, this date is particularly relevant for sports like baseball, softball, lacrosse, field hockey, golf, volleyball, and ice hockey, among others. On June 15, coaches can also begin extending verbal scholarship offers and arranging unofficial or official campus visits. As a result, many athletes start to see significant movement in their recruiting journey around this time, including their first offers or serious interest from college programs. If your prospect has been attending camps, tournaments, showcases, combines in addition to sending their emails, managing their digital presence, keeping their online profiles up to date and social media  platforms active, they should see a significant amount of activity on and after June 15.

Most families, including some of my clients find, that on June 15^th, they have not done nearly the amount of work they thought they were doing or should have been doing as evidenced by the lack of activity they see on or after June 15^th. I can’t emphasize enough that the work the ENTIRE family puts in during the years prior to this date will show and ALWAYS pays off. The return on June 15^th is directly related to the amount of activity a prospect and their family puts in prior June 15th. The effort starts YEARS before-not in the same year. Now if you got a late start and missed June 15^th altogether, you still have time, but you must accelerate your plan NOW! A prospect can still implement an aggressive plan. Remember no matter how well your plan is, it all comes down to the math. Yes, math. If you are a NCAA Division I or II prospect, then math will be a big part of the game. All I mean is that most coaches are recruiting several classes ahead. Typically, most Coaches are recruiting two or three classes out. Very few NCAA Division I and II programs in any sport will recruit prospects graduating for the current academic year. For example, at the time of publication in June of 2026, most coaches are already recruiting for the class of 2028 and 2029. You will see NCAA Division III and  some NAIA recruit for current academic year and class of 2027.

It’s worth noting that the recruiting timelines differ for football and basketball, where most forms of communication and offers begin later (typically September 1 of junior year). Overall, June 15 serves as a major milestone for athletes in many sports. It’s when recruiting becomes more formal, personal, and often, much more exciting.

For NCAA Division I and II prospects, June 15 after sophomore year is a key date for beginning on-campus recruiting contact and visit opportunities. In Division I, this is the first day most athletes can engage in in-person conversations with coaches during unofficial visits, which are paid for by the prospect and can include campus tours and meetings with the coaching staff. However, official visits where the school covers travel, lodging, and meals are not permitted until August 1 before the athlete’s junior year. In contrast, Division II allows both unofficial and official visits starting June 15 after sophomore year, giving prospects an earlier opportunity to take school-funded visits and meet with coaches in person. These changes mark a major milestone in the recruiting process, as they allow prospects to start exploring colleges more seriously and begin building face-to-face relationships with coaching staffs.

I can’t emphasize enough how preparation for June 15 starts years in advance. Prospective student-athletes should start by creating a digital presences with multiple free and paid apps and building a strong recruiting profile that highlights both their athletic and academic achievements. Profiles should include their full name, graduation year, height, weight, position, and any relevant physical attributes. It should also list academic information such as NCAA/NAIA eligibility center ID#’s, GPA, test scores (if available), class rank, and intended major. Athletic details like key stats, honors, team name, jersey number, and level of participation should be clearly outlined. One of the most important elements is a highlight video ideally 3 to 5 minutes long that showcases the athlete’s best plays and includes labels that make it easy for coaches to identify the athlete on screen. Full game footage or links to recruiting profiles on platforms like Hudl, PrepSearch, or YouTube should also be included, along with the athlete’s contact information and that of their club or high school coaches.

In addition to creating their profile, athletes should research schools that align with their academic interests, athletic level, and personal preferences. This means identifying 10 to 20 target schools across NCAA divisions and taking time to learn about each program’s past performance, culture, roster makeup, coaching staff, and academic reputation. Following programs and coaches on social media can give additional insight into team culture. Before June 15, athletes should also send personalized emails to coaches to introduce themselves and express interest in the program. These emails should be brief but informative, including the athlete’s resume, highlight video link, and a few sentences explaining why they’re interested in that particular school. I require each of my clients to keep a simple excel spreadsheet to track communication with each coach to stay organized and track all communication and interest.

Prospects should prepare to communicate professionally once June 15 arrives and coaches are allowed to reach out. This means regularly checking email and text messages, and responding promptly. Prospective student-athletes should also practice role playing phone conversations with a parent or coach to get comfortable answering questions about their goals, playing style, academic interests, and what they’re looking for in a college experience. It’s equally important to have a few questions ready to ask coaches in return, such as what a typical week looks like during the season or how the program supports student-athletes academically. Being well-prepared, enthusiastic, and respectful in these early interactions can set a strong tone for the rest of the recruiting process. Let’s not forget one of the main goals after getting to June 15^th is to go from Prospect to Recruit!

To learn more about PrepSearch and how I’ve helped over 1,700 students attend college through sports since 2007, please explore the rest of my website. For more information about my seminars for high schools and clubs, or to inquire about my recruiting advisory services, feel free to complete the contact form on my website at www.prepsearch.net.

If you know a prospective student-athlete in grades 8-12 who could benefit from additional free exposure to college coaches, have them download the new PrepSearch app today! It’s available in both the Apple App Store and Google Play Stores.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.prepssearchappsapp

https://apps.apple.com/app/prepsearch-app/id6738037970

EM