NCAA WATER POLO SCHOLARSHIPS
Facts about College Water Polo
Recruiting and scouting
This page contains
information about college water polo scholarships and the water polo scouting
and recruiting process. The information you need to apply for a water polo
scholarship is all here With the tools we provide, you can reach your goal and
play at college level.
Not all athletic scholarships are full ride
like women's tennis and basketball, so called "head count sports"; most are
classed as "equivalency sports", like water polo. Put simply this means that
coaches can "share" their allocation between a larger number of players.
This is good news for the players. If we take women's water polo as an example we see that a coach can divide the "8" scholarships between a larger number of water polo players. Say 12 partial instead of 8 full ride scholarships. If you are good enough of course then you may be offered a full ride scholarship.
The NCAA allows each division 1 water polo program 4.5 scholarships for men and 8 for women. In division 2 the ratio is also for 4.5 for men and 8 for women.
As a high school water polo player you should be
aware that the standard at college level is very high. I would recommend that
you attend some games to gauge the actual intensity of athletics at this level.
Remember that only the absolute top players will be approached with offers.
You should not just concentrate on the best division 1 colleges, many of these
bigger schools usually have a large number of recruits on their books. The
competition is fierce, unless you are one of the best water polo players you
wont receive scholarship offers. There is nothing wrong with smaller division 1,
division 2 or NAIA colleges. What would you rather have, a partial or full water
polo scholarship at a division 2 school or the offer of a walk on at one of the
top schools? Remember, its your education that's important.