When recruits talk about “finding the right fit,” they usually mean one thing: Where can I play?

That matters, but it’s only part of the equation.

Here are four factors that should shape every D3 recruit’s decision, straight from conversations with coaches who’ve seen recruits get this right (and very wrong).

Last week, we officially launched the D3 Recruiting Playbook - our self-paced, step-by-step guide designed to demystify the NCAA Division III recruiting process for families.

I want to be transparent about how it is going - and let you know how you can help us help more recruits.

Playing a college sport is a privilege.

Out of the 7+ million high school athletes in the U.S., only ~6.4% or 450,000 end up playing their sport in one of the NCAA’s three divisions (D1, D2, or D3)

Today we dig a level deeper and bring you tangible insights into what this means for your chances to play your sport in particular.

We show you how to write an effective initial outreach email to a college coach that they’ll want to open.

We include insights from our Founder’s own recruiting process that got him recruited by a dozen D3 schools

Plus, insights from a D3 Head Coach who reviewed the template email and left their comments.

We caught up with Emory men’s basketball guard Jair Knight to learn how he is utilizing his NIL rights.

Jair, and many others, are redefining what’s possible for D3 athletes, combining high-level performance on the court with meaningful opportunities beyond it.

Let’s unpack some D3 NIL Insights…

The Jay Bilas Classic is back!

Four top teams in D3 men’s basketball will head to Charlotte, NC - Emory, TCNJ, Christopher Newport, and Denison.

We spoke with the event organizer, a former D3 athlete & coach, to understand how they build the field and what goes into the event.

The Head Coach of Whittier College Football, Cory White, joins us for a LIVE Q&A on 12/17 at 8PM ET / 5PM PT

Coach White is the head football coach at Whittier College, leading the return of the Poets’ NCAA D3 football program.

We’re looking forward to having him on our program to get his insights on D3 Recruiting, building a program from scratch, his D3 student-athlete experience at Whittier, and much more.

In this post, we’re breaking down the difference between an official and unofficial visit at the NCAA Division III level.

We review the options permitted for both under current NCAA rules, and how to be clear what type of visit you’re on.

Here’s the good news: D3 has the easiest eligibility rules of any NCAA division.

There’s no sliding scale. No clearinghouse fees. No 40-page NCAA certification gauntlet.

All in all, it is much simpler than if you wanted to play a D1 sport… but don’t get caught off guard and think that “easier” means “anything goes.”

Do you have people in your life you can rely on to give you the full, unvarnished truth?

Not just when it is convenient or easy, but when it is difficult and something you really need to hear.

Here’s why athletes should build a ‘Challenge Network’ that disagrees with them (sometimes) and pushes them to be the best versions of themselves

Today, we are answering an ‘Ask D3Direct’ mailbag question from one of our longtime subscribers who is now a first-year D3 Sports Parent.

The Topic: Adjusting to college, especially once a student’s first season of D3 Athletics starts.

We review a number of informal and formal resources D3 athletes can (and should) utilize during their first year on campus to make the most of the moment.

D3 Hoops are back and we are thrilled to be covering the 2025 Great Lakes Invitational live from Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, PA.

For those who are unfamiliar, this is the best D3 Men’s Basketball event of the year outside of the NCAA tournament. Three of the eight schools are nationally-ranked and two are receiving votes.

Day 1 was highly entertaining, including a number of games that went down to the wire. There were young teams on the rise and perennial powers battling for early season recognition. If you know a recruit that thinks they’re too good for NCAA D3 sports, we highly recommend tuning in for some of the Day 2 action at the GLI.

If you are going through the D3 college sports recruiting process you will more than likely have to deal with financial aid at some point.

While many view this as a scary proposition and would rather find a D1 or D2 athletics scholarship to make things smoother - we’re here to tell you not to worry.

Today, we’re getting back to the basics and sharing key definitions and terms you will want to know as you navigate D3 Financial Aid.

What do you say when a college coach calls you for the first time?

If your answer is "uhhh…" - this post is for you.

Whether it’s a scheduled call or a surprise voicemail, that first conversation can shape your entire recruiting future.

Here’s a 5-minute prep guide so you feel confident when the opportunity presents itself.

Let’s reduce the cost of your college tuition!

Every weekend, we share another edition of ‘Scholarship Sunday’, a weekly series with resources & upcoming scholarships to help future D3 Athletes pay less for college.

Sophie Suechting is a former D3 student-athlete (Colby College) who is currently the Head of Partner Experience at WinWon.

In this episode of the Student-Athlete Sessions, Sophie shares how she was recruited to row Crew after never playing the sport before, discusses how she improved en route to becoming a 2x All-American, gives her advice to future D3 student-athletes, talks about why she decided to coach Crew at her alma mater, working at a sports tech startup, and much more.

You have probably heard by now that NCAA D3 schools do not offer athletic scholarships.

It is one reason many feel it is necessary to pursue other levels of college athletics, like D1 or D2, to get an athletics scholarship just to ensure school tuition is affordable.

Today, we will show why that is not the case and how the vast majority of NCAA D3 athletes do not end up paying full price on college tuition.

If you’re going through the D3 athletics recruiting process, there’s a term you need to know: academic pre-read.

It’s the hidden checkpoint that determines whether you’re actually admissible to a D3 college or university, long before applications even open.

Today, we’re breaking down how it works.

We sifted through all of the noise, scoured the web, and filtered down to only the D3 schools to compile a list you can actually trust.

Why? Because food is such a critical part of the college experience and has a huge impact on the daily performance of student-athletes.

Here’s how we determined the best D3 dining halls in 2025…

Today, we go into the mind of D3 Coaches to understand what they think makes someone “recruitable”.

In this post we will bring you their collective advice from recruiting high school athletes in the Class of 2025 so you know what to do (and not to do). There were four D3 coaches interviewed in total.