What it takes
Measured numbers matter: height and touch are standard recruiting data.
- Height and touch for the position. Approach and block touch are what coaches ask for.
- Club level: recruiting services tie D1 to Open division club play.
- Film of matches, plus skill video for the position.
- Grades and core courses.
ProvenPlayer's summary of the sources on this page.
At each level
Division I
Roster up to women 18, men 18 at schools that opted in; women 12 head count, men 4.5 equivalency scholarships at schools that did not
- Height, no shoes: 67.3 to 72 in (D1, study)
- Vertical jump: 18.2 to 23.4 in (D1, study)
Division II
Up to women 8, men 4.5 scholarships a team, often split
- Height, no shoes: 65.5 to 70.8 in (D2, study)
- Approach jump: 21.3 to 26.2 in (D2, study)
Division III
No athletic aid
No published range for this level.
NAIA
Up to women 8, men 8 scholarships a team, may be split
No published range for this level.
Junior college
Up to women 14, men 14 a team
No published range for this level.
Each range is the first one a source gives for that level; the full table with every source is below.
Ranges by measure and position
No governing body (the NCAA, NAIA or NJCAA) publishes a number by division that a player must reach. A range is guidance, and no number promises a roster spot or a scholarship.
Height, no shoes
| Level | Position | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | All | 67.3 to 72 in | Study: Schaal 2011, Boise State thesis, 26 D1 players (2011)Mean plus or minus one standard deviation |
| D2 | All | 65.5 to 70.8 in | Study: Tramel, Lockie et al. 2019, one D2 team of 10 (2019)One team |
Standing reach
| Level | Position | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| College, all divisions | Outside hitter | 93 to 94.5 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Opposite | 93 to 97 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Middle blocker | 93 to 97 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Setter | 88.5 to 92.5 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Libero | 84 to 86.5 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
Approach touch
| Level | Position | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| College, all divisions | Outside hitter | 109 to 113 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Opposite | 111 to 115 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Middle blocker | 111 to 115 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Setter | 105 to 109 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Libero | 101 to 104.5 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
Block touch
| Level | Position | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| College, all divisions | Outside hitter | 109 to 113 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Opposite | 111 to 115 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Middle blocker | 111 to 114.5 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Setter | 105.5 to 109.5 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Libero | 99.5 to 104 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
Approach jump
| Level | Position | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| D2 | All | 21.3 to 26.2 in | Study: Tramel, Lockie et al. 2019, one D2 team of 10 (2019)Jump height, not touch; one team |
Vertical jump
| Level | Position | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| College, all divisions | Outside hitter | 19.9 to 22.6 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Opposite | 20.5 to 23.2 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Middle blocker | 19.8 to 23.1 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Setter | 18.9 to 21.5 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| College, all divisions | Libero | 18.3 to 20.4 in | Typical range, recruiting services: NCSA, women's volleyball guidelines (citing AVCA data) (Undated)Low is the college average, high the 80th percentile |
| D1 | All | 18.2 to 23.4 in | Study: Schaal 2011, Boise State thesis, 26 D1 players (2011)Mean plus or minus one standard deviation |
Roster and scholarship limits
Since July 1, 2025, Division I schools in the five defendant conferences or that opted in to the House settlement follow a roster limit instead of a scholarship limit, and may fund any or all of the roster. Schools that did not opt in keep the old scholarship limit. Division III gives no athletic aid.
| Team | D1 roster | D1 not opted in | D2 | D3 | NAIA | Junior college |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 18 | 12 head count | 8 | None | 8 | 14 |
| Men | 18 | 4.5 equivalency | 4.5 | None | 8 | 14 |
- Official: NCAA Proposal 2026-73, Bylaw 17.2 roster limits (Adopted August 25, 2026)
- Published data: ScholarshipStats, NCAA Division I scholarship limits (Page dated 2026)
- Official: NCAA Division II athletics scholarships (Page dated 2026)
- Official: NAIA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete, aid limits table (March 2019)
- Official: NJCAA 2026-27 Sports Procedures Chart (October 27, 2026)
The odds
| Team | Any NCAA | Division I | About 1 in | Division II | Division III |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 4% | 1.3% | 77 | 1.2% | 1.6% |
High school counts leave out club only athletes, so the real odds may be lower. No official odds exist for the NAIA or junior colleges.
Official: NCAA Research, Estimated Probability of Competing in College Athletics (March 2026)When college coaches may reach out
| Division I | Calls, texts, email | Contact off campus | Official visits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | June 15 after sophomore year | August 1 before junior year | August 1 of junior year |
Other levels
- Division II: Calls, texts and email at any time (since August 1, 2024). In person contact off campus and official visits from June 15 before junior year. Official: NCAA Division II Manual 2026-27 (Printed October 30, 2026)
- Division III: No time limit on recruiting materials. In person contact off campus after sophomore year. One official visit per school from January 1 of junior year; unofficial visits any time. Official: NCAA Division III Manual 2026-27, Bylaw 15.01.3 (Printed October 30, 2026)
- NAIA: Few restrictions on contact between an athlete and a coach. Official: NAIA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (2026)
- Junior college: Letter of Intent signing from November 1 (February 3 in football). We have not researched a contact start date. Official: NJCAA 2026-27 Sports Procedures Chart (October 27, 2026)
When athletes commit
In a 2017 NCAA survey of recruited Division I athletes, those in volleyball who committed early did so in grade 11 on average, where 11.0 is the start of junior year. The survey came before rules that pushed contact later, and athletes who committed before 11th grade were less likely to enroll where they committed.
Official: NCAA Division I SAAC Early Recruiting Survey (October 2017)Grades and core courses
NCAA Division I
A 2.3 core GPA in at least 16 core courses: 4 English, 3 math at Algebra I or higher, 2 natural or physical science, 1 more English, math or science, 2 social science and 4 more academic. 10 of the 16, 7 of them English, math or science, must be done before senior year, and those grades lock when senior year starts. A 2.0 core GPA allows aid and practice but no games in the first year. No test score is required.
Official: NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27 (Printed October 30, 2026)NCAA Division II
A 2.2 core GPA in at least 16 core courses.
Official: NCAA Division II Manual 2026-27 (Printed October 30, 2026)NAIA
Graduate from high school with a 2.3 GPA or higher, or meet two of three: an 18 ACT or 970 SAT, a 2.0 GPA, the top half of the class.
Official: NAIA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (2026)Junior college (NJCAA)
A high school diploma or a state recognized equivalency.
Official: NJCAA Bylaws 2026-27 (October 27, 2026)
Plan the years ahead
The scholarship roadmap turns this into a year by year plan from your child's age to senior year. See all sports for the money, the odds across sports and the scholarships families do not know about.