MC athletic recruiting: finding the right fit and building relationships
Behind every Maryville College sport is a year-round effort to find the right student-athletes to represent the Scots. Recruiting at the Division III level is not just about talent on the field, but about relationships, academics and finding the right fit for MC’s close-knit community.
While the recruiting process differs from Division I athletics, it shapes the future of Maryville’s teams. The behind-the-scenes recruiting work is where relationships are formed and built, and where the program begins to take shape.
David Martin has served as the recruiting coordinator for the Scots’ football team since 2019. At the outset of any recruiting cycle, the coaching staff will meet to pinpoint specific recruits, as well as decide which coach will focus on recruiting said players.
Fall is football season , so many think that recruiting efforts all take place during the spring offseason, but that is not the case. Martin said that it’s a year-round process when it comes to recruiting at Maryville. At the start of every season, the list is long. It contains many high school athletes who could continue their athletic careers, but as the recruiting process drags on, the list shortens.
“We start looking at quality over quantity,” Martin said. “And that can take some time.”
It’s during this time that some of the most interesting memories are made and
relationships formed: “Going out and building relationships with players and getting to see them bring their families to games years after they graduate, is really what makes this special,” Martin said.
According to those who know the recruiting process best, the foundations of relationship building is something that transcends divisions. Before taking the job as ] head coach for MC’s women’s golf team, Jesse Lawley was a Division I golf coach at Lipscomb University. She is well-versed in the differences in recruiting at every level. And though there are obvious differences in resources, recruiting at its core is the same practice.
“You’re [instilling] the importance of education and working hard as a student-athlete,” Lawley said about college recruiting. “The difference [that] is extremely obvious [are] the athletic scholarships,” Lawley said.
As a Division III school, Maryville offers academic scholarships, but not athletic scholarships.
In today’s world, some athletes view the recruitment process as a way of making money, with the growth of NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) a constant topic in the college athletics landscape. This has caused a ripple effect in how schools like Maryville play into the larger college recruitment field.
Regardless of level, relying on recruiting remains the most important factor.“It starts from the first phone call with recruits,” Lawley said, adding that the athletes may know from one phone call if the coach or school is a good fit.
Recruiting at Maryville goes far beyond filling roster spots; it’s about building lasting relationships and creating a strong foundation for each athletic program. Through year-round effort, personal connections and an emphasis on education, coaches work to find student-athletes who will thrive both on the field and in the classroom.
While Division III recruiting may lack athletic scholarships, it offers something just as meaningful: A community-focused approach that continues long after an athlete’s playing days are over.