Mar 31, 2010

Considering the path to NCAA Collegiate Hockey – Separating Fact from Fiction

A recently released survey based on NCAA data, provides a detailed understanding of the pathways to be recruited for NCAA Collegiate hockey participation.

The survey for the first time provides itemized information from each NCAA roster of the team that the player was recruited from for NCAA participation.

The report points out important facts that parents and players should consider when seeking their options after age 15 or later when collegiate recruitment begins in earnest. Much of this factual information may be in conflict with suggested information from other AAA and AA youth programs that is provided to players.

Based on 2009-2010 NCAA roster information and player provided detail, junior hockey provides more than 75% of all the players for direct NCAA placement and recruitment, followed by preparatory school (12%), high schools (6.5%), other college programs (4%), NDP (1.3%) and AAA hockey at less than 1%.

For NCAA Division I programs, Tier I and Tier II Junior hockey provides the overwhelming pathway, followed by Tier III junior hockey and preparatory schools.  For Division III NCAA programs, Tier III junior hockey provides the greatest number of players, nearly twice the rate of preparatory schools, and just ahead of Tier II and Tier I junior programs.