There are approximately 300 NCAA Division II institutions and the majority of them have women's soccer, lacrosse, softball, basketball and volleyball. We encourage all recruits to research DII schools along with DI, NAIA and State Colleges/JUCO. Personal preferences vary from athlete to athlete and school size, location, academic/major and culture should play a MAJOR factor in your decision.
Some DII schools will promote more of a school/sport balance. This means that while your sport will still be demanding (you are a college athlete after all), it may not have as much demand on your time as a DI school that spends a considerable amount of time traveling. This isn't always the case, but something that should be discussed with the respective Coach. You will also want to consider playing time as a factor in choosing a division. Great advice we received from a DI lacrosse player who graduated from UNC is to ask yourself "If I get injured tomorrow or I never see a minute of playing time, will I still be in love with my school?" If the answer is no, then continue to explore your options. DII schools may be the perfect solution for players looking for a specific major, a smaller school, school/sport balance and a chance to get significant playing time. Only you know what the definition is of a "perfect fit" for you.
We all know there are DII schools that can beat DI schools and NAIA or JUCO schools that can beat DI and DII. Contrary to the trolls on the internet, divisions have less to do with athletic ability and more to do with personal preferences. Athletes have different personalities, goals, interests and financial needs. We can't be foolish enough to think everyone wants the same things. There are certainly more competitive conferences and DII schools who have a history of winning their conference or national championships, so do your research! With that said, we did some research of our own, and below are some notable NCAA DII schools (by sport) that have had proven success:
Softball:
University of North Georgia (UNG):
The North Georgia Nighthawks softball program has been highly successful, winning multiple national championships and consistently ranking among the top programs in Division II.
Angelo State University:
Angelo State, located in Texas, has had a competitive softball program with success in conference play and NCAA tournaments.
Valdosta State University:
Valdosta State, located in Georgia, has had a strong softball program and has made appearances in the NCAA Division II Softball Championship.
Southern Arkansas University:
Southern Arkansas has had a competitive softball program, and the Muleriders have been successful in the Great American Conference.
Soccer:
Grand Valley State University:
Grand Valley State, located in Michigan, has a highly successful women's soccer program with numerous conference titles and NCAA tournament appearances.
University of Central Missouri:
The Jennies soccer program at the University of Central Missouri has been competitive in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) and has made deep runs in the NCAA tournament.
West Florida:
The University of West Florida Argonauts women's soccer team has been successful in the Gulf South Conference and has made appearances in the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship.
Saint Rose (The College of Saint Rose):
Located in New York, Saint Rose has a strong women's soccer program that has achieved success in the Northeast-10 Conference and the NCAA tournament.
Lacrosse:
Adelphi University:
Adelphi, located in New York, has a highly successful women's lacrosse program that has consistently been a top contender in Division II. The team has won multiple national championships.
Le Moyne College:
Le Moyne, located in New York, has had a competitive women's lacrosse program and has made deep runs in the NCAA Division II Women's Lacrosse Championship.
Florida Southern College:
Florida Southern, located in Florida, has a successful women's lacrosse program that has competed well in the Sunshine State Conference and the NCAA tournament.
Regis University:
Regis, located in Colorado, has had a strong women's lacrosse program that has performed well in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).
Volleyball:
Concordia University Irvine:
Concordia Irvine, located in California, has had a successful women's volleyball program, and the Eagles have been competitive in the PacWest Conference.
Cal State San Bernardino:
The Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes women's volleyball team has been a consistent contender in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) and has made appearances in the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship.
Southwest Minnesota State University:
SMSU, located in Minnesota, has a strong women's volleyball program that competes in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) and has had success in the NCAA tournament.
Lewis University:
Lewis, located in Illinois, has a competitive women's volleyball program that has performed well in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) and the NCAA tournament.
Basketball:
Ashland University:
Ashland, located in Ohio, has had a highly successful women's basketball program, winning multiple national championships and consistently performing well in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).
Drury University:
Drury, located in Missouri, has a strong women's basketball program that competes in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) and has made deep runs in the NCAA tournament.
Lubbock Christian University:
Lubbock Christian, located in Texas, has been successful in women's basketball and has won national championships. The Lady Chaps compete in the Lone Star Conference.
The University of the Sciences:
The University of the Sciences, located in Pennsylvania, has been competitive in women's basketball and has had success in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC).
Here at Ball Girl Sports, we have love for all divisions and celebrate our female athletes who decide to play in college and beyond, no matter what division. Celebrate your success and accomplishments and be proud of the school you select. We plan to place a spotlight on NAIA and State College programs too! If you are one of the lucky few to gain attention from a college program, be thankful and humble. That is what a great athlete and great teammate embodies and we are here for it.
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