Sports Scholarship Stories

Over the years, I’ve done dozens of stories about the athletic recruiting process. I've focused most of my reporting on Division I, since that’s where the money is—and where most athletes and families put their focus.But on today’s show, we’ll hear from Marie Fitzgerald and Simon Mackenzie, two decorated high school athletes who played Division III athletics and sing

In my decade-plus covering the athletic recruiting business, I’ve probably spent 90 percent of my time focused on Division I.But there are actually way more opportunities for your kid to play at lower NCAA levels. And Division II, with more than 300 schools, is an increasingly appealing option.Today’s guest, Lisa Wilson, has coached at just about every imaginable level: From tr

On today’s show, we’ll hear from Ron Lieber, a personal finance columnist for The New York Times, whose latest book, “The Price You Pay for College,” should be required reading for anyone with a kid nearing college.Ron wrote a whole chapter on sports scholarships, and his advice on how to find money for college when your sports scholarship falls short will come in handy for

With all the research I’ve done of the athletic recruiting business, I usually don’t get too surprised by things people share in interviews.But today’s guest, Kate Kantor, blew me away with details of the recruiting industry.Kate is a former full scholarship softball player and team captain at Georgia Tech who went on to coach softball at the University of North Carolina, Duk

Today we’ll hear from Parker Goyer, a former Duke University tennis player who has earned graduate degrees or done post-doctoral work at three of the world's leading universities (Oxford, Harvard, Stanford).I first met Parker more than a decade ago, after hearing about a study abroad program she created for NCAA athletes while she was an undergraduate student.Pre-pandemic, o

Today we'll hear from Travis Dorsch, a former football and baseball player at Purdue University who made it to the NFL.He is now a renowned sports psychologist whose academic research centers around the relationship between parents and kids in sports and how you can be a better sports parent.Travis shares insights on:➨ the importance of playing multiple sports for as long as

Want to help your kid get in a great college?Today's guest—Jeff Selingo, author of the New York Times bestselling book, “Who Gets In and Why,” an eye-opening account of the hyper-competitive college admissions process—is full of insights on how to help you do that.Jeff wrote an entire chapter on the ways that athletes have a leg up in the college admissions process, an

In Part II of my extended conversation with Renee Lopez, she gives advice on one of the hardest things to do as a recruited athlete: learn how to talk to coaches about money.Lopez, a former college soccer coach who now runs a popular Facebook group for parents of recruited athletes, gives some pretty radical advice, suggesting that you should never ask coaches specifically about a

On today's episode, we’ll hear from Renee Lopez, a longtime college soccer coach who runs a popular Facebook group to help parents of aspiring college athletes.Coach Renee is one of the most respected independent voices in the athletic recruiting business.She is the author of "Looking for a Full Ride," a step-by-step recruiting guide for young athletes and families

On this episode, we hear from Maggie Mlynek, a former scholarship rower at the University of Connecticut.Maggie walked on UConn's team her freshman year, with no experience in the sport. By her senior year, she was the captain of the team on a full athletic scholarship.But her UConn experience wasn't all roses. The school cut women's rowing in 2020. And Maggie was in