How I Got Recruited: Q&A With Arkansas's Top Athletes

The recruiting process is an exhausting yet fun process to get to go through. Many of athletes each year go through the process to take their athletics to the next level – college volleyball. Arkansas continues to produce many of talented volleyball players that go on to play Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, NAIA, or JUCO. I came up with some questions and asked some of the top volleyball players in Arkansas to give their advice to other girls who are trying to get recruited.

The athletes who I questioned:

Parker Stearns Parker Stearns OH/RS Benton High School | 2025 State AR – Committed to Arkansas State University
Mecate Marsh Mecate Marsh 5'10" | S/RS Cabot | 2026 State AR – Committed to Henderson State University
Madison Derden Madison Derden 5'11" | OH/RS Conway | 2025 State AR – committed to University of Louisiana Monroe
Abby Wertz – Committed to Christian Brothers University
Gabriella Bozzay Gabriella Bozzay DS/L State AR – Committed to College of the Ozarks

What are some things you wish you knew before starting your recruitment process?

“Not every school/coach is going to be interested in talking to you. And it’s not because there is something against you, you just aren’t the right fit for their program specifically. So I wish I wouldn’t have taken some of the let downs so personally.” –

“College recruiting stars earlier than you think, sometimes as early as freshman year. I actually started sending emails my 14’s year. Keep track of emails, coaches responses, and deadlines. Coaches get hundreds of emails. If they don’t reply, it’s not personal-follow up! Personalizing emails helps you stand out. Coaches often rely on highlight reels before deciding to watch you live. Even if you love a school, they might not need your position or playing style” –

“I wish I knew to not put so much pressure on myself. I was extremely hard on myself and put a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself to perform well in front of coaches or during a game to have good footage for a highlight video. The truth is, most players perform their best when they are having fun and not drowning in unnecessary pressure. I learned how to have more fun/less stress while playing, and trusted that it would all work out how it was supposed to. Doing that alone drastically helped my mental and physical performance!” –

“I wish I would’ve known before starting the whole process of things to start way earlier than I did. Personally as an athlete, it’s better to send coaches film and emails even before you can get offers and phone calls just to get your name out there.” -Abby Wertz

“I wish I knew the importance of consistency. I wish I had started the process earlier than I did because I waited till my junior year of high school. In the beginning, I was unsure how to navigate emailing, posting film, and getting a good video out, which made me less consistent in reaching out. My best advice is to just go for it. Try your best and be yourself!” –

How did you decide which schools to reach out to and what made your final choice stand out?

“I decided on the schools that really hooked my interests and that I clicked with and who had the size, coaching, location, etc that I wanted. My final choice stood out because of academics and how comfortable my coaches made me feel not only as an athlete but as a person” –

“Be realistic about your skill level. Do you want to want to play at the highest level possible or prioritize academics. Would you prefer a big school, small school, or specific location. Do players like the coaching style, and does it match what works for you? Will you get playing time? Would you be happy at the school if you weren’t playing volleyball? Does the school have your major and strong academics? My choice checked all the boxes, allowing me to pursue my rigorous academic studies while playing the sport I love.”

“I first answered a few questions: what level do I want to play at, how far away am I willing to go to college, what kind of coaching style fits me best, do I want a smaller school or a larger one? Writing down and answering these helped me college my thoughts an have a good idea of what kind of college I was interested in. My final choice stood out to me because of the amazing environment of the school and the steps that happened that ended up placing me at ULM.” –

“I ultimately decided which schools to reach out to based on their academics, and if they had my major. I didn’t pay a whole lot of attention to the record of the teams. Once I knew they fit me academically I would begin speaking to the coach and see how the communication went. What made my final choice stand out was just how welcoming the coach and the girls were. The campus was absolutely beautiful and was also really good in my major.” -Abby Wertz

“I did research online and followed teams on social media, emailing their coaches and sending them film. Eventually I was able to visit my top schools. After meeting with the girls and coaching staff and getting to talk with them one on one, everything about the campus and team culture felt exactly where I needed to be. From the christian centered campus to the strong academics for nursing, it was just the right fit for me.” –

What are the biggest mistakes to avoid during recruiting?

“Don’t get immediately discouraged if it’s not going well to begin with. Comparing yourself to other athletes will only make you doubt yourself and skill. And lastly not being active on social media and sending emails, staying up to date will get you alot of attention from schools.” –

Waiting too long to start only aiming for big-name schools, sending generic emails to coaches, not keeping up to date, quality highlight videos, not following up with coaches, slacking in academics.” –

“I can think of two big mistakes with recruiting. 1- failing to create a relationship with a coach from a school on your list. I learned that although college coaches can seem intimidating or scary, believe it or not they are just regular people! I’ve had many coaches tell me that they want their recruits to come meet them after a camp or reach out to them over a phone call in order to create a relationship with them. College coaches aren’t just recruiting your skill- they want to get to know you so they can see if you would bring a positive personality to their team culture. 2- Having a bad attitude while playing. Coaches are recruiting you besides your skill. Some coaches have told me that they had to cross a #1 recruit off their list because she got mad during a game and had a bad attitude.”-

“The biggest mistakes to avoid is making a decision to early or just committing based on the level of the college. I’d say to not commit anywhere until you are 100% positive that the school is exactly what you are looking for. Don’t just look at the athletic side of it. Make sure that the college can also abide to your academic standards and style of living.” -Abby Wertz

“The biggest mistakes to avoid during recruiting are saying “no” and being inconsistent. Although there were schools that were definitely not the right fit for me, I never said no to a phone call or conversation with a coach. So much of recruiting is networking and coaches know other coaches. Your impressions with schools you aren’t playing for matter because coaches talk and work gets around. Also be consistent with film and emails!” –

Why should someone look into a school at your division level (D1, D2, D3, NAIA, JUCO) ?

“Division 1 has GREAT competition and has so many amazing opportunities that other levels may not have.” –

“A volleyball player should consider D2 schools because they offer a great balance of athletics, academics, and overall college experience. D2 volleyball is still highly competitive, with many top athletes and strong programs. if you’re focused on a career after volleyball, D2 is a great option. D2 teams often provide more immediate playing opportunities, especially for talented players. Some players transfer from D2 to D1 after proving themselves.” –

“Although every college division is competitive and challenging, division 1 is typically a higher level playing atmosphere. If playing high level volleyball is truly your dream, and you are willing to dedicate lots of time and effort towards it, I think D1 volleyball is a great fit. Although it is different for every school, D1 offers more opportunities for student athletes to make better grades and have more support” –

“At the D2 level, sports are still super competitive, but also give a little bit more lenience into academics. While a lot of your time will be spent in the gym, you still have time to focus on academics.”-Abby Wertz

“I think more athletes should look into the NAIA division if they are looking for a smaller, more communal school that still offers great scholarships. I am used to a smaller high school so having a huge campus was not my speed. I am super happy to be attending a campus here my values are shared and I am not overwhelmed with the class sizes.” –

How did you know it was time to commit?

“I knew it was time to commit because I couldn’t imagine going through the college experience at a different school or on a different team. I found a school that was going to be the best fit for me, and allow me to flourish as an athlete.” –

“Committing to a college for volleyball is a big decision and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Some of the factors I took into consideration are; Is it the best fit, would I be happy with the location, academics, campus life, and team culture.” –

“I knew it was time to commit because of lots and lots of prayer! I asked the lord to make my answer clear when the timing was right, and he did just that. After so many hours of hard work poured into recruiting, it can sometimes be scary to finally commit to a college team. In the end, remember you are the one playing and attending college, not anyone else. God gave me a sense of peach with a clear answer.” –

“I knew it was time for me to c commit because the school just absolutely took my breath away. The coach and the girls were so beyond welcoming and when I went for a tour it just immediately felt like home. I remember the second I stepped into campus thinking that this is where I wanted to be for the next 4 years.” – Abby Wertz

“I knew it was time to commit after seeing the campus and the genuine care that the coaches had for their players, and the bond between teammates. You can tell that this school plays for a bigger purpose outside of themselves and everything about the nature of the school stood out. When I felt welcomed in with girls I had never met, that was an immediate answer for me, making me want to commit the instant I was offered.” –