Location and size of college will be two critical factors in the college recruiting process. So, what options do you have? Here’s a list of D1 colleges that field men’s basketball teams and the “level” they compete at.
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We already told you how location and size will affect a D1 recruit’s college experience. After learning a bit more about yourself, or what type of person your son is or the young man that you coach or train, now it’s time to look at school options.
Keep things in perspective. There are 347 Division I schools that field basketball teams. Based on the current landscape of college basketball, there are 75 programs in six conferences that consistently compete at the high major level. There are approximately 225 players per year that will get full scholarships at these schools. About half of those will be good enough to step in and make an immediate impact at the high major level. That means about 125 impact players per year at the highest level. When you factor in junior college transfers, prep school players, and other college transfers, there are less than 100 high school seniors per year who actually step in and make an immediate high major impact.
Don’t fret, with some patience and with a good attitude and work ethic, you will eventually see the floor if you have the ability. Remember, there are 347 D1 schools with 13 full scholarships available. Check out the list, google a few that may be of interest to you or someone you know, and write down the pros and cons of each.
The more you know about the programs recruiting you or the programs that interest you, the greater chance you’ll be happy with your college choice.
Division I High Major Conferences
Atlantic Coast: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami (FL), North Carolina, N.C. State, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest.
Big East: Butler, Creighton, DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Villanova, Xavier.
Big-10: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, Wisconsin.
Big-12: Baylor, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Christian, Texas Tech, West Virginia.
Pacific-12: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Utah, Washington, Washington State.
Southeastern: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Texas A & M, Tennessee, Vanderbilt.
Division I High Major Minus/Mid-Major Plus Conferences
American Athletic: Central Florida, Cincinnati, Connecticut, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, SMU, South Florida, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa.
Atlantic-10: Davidson, Dayton, Duquesne, Fordham, George Mason, George Washington, La Salle, Masschusetts, Rhode Island, Richmond, Saint Louis, St. Bonaventure, St. Joseph, VCU.
Conference USA: Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, Old Dominion, Rice, Southern Mississippi, UAB, UTEP, UT-San Antonio, Western Kentucky.
Mountain West: Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming, San Jose State.
West Coast: BYU, Gonzaga, Loyola-Marymount, Pacific, Pepperdine, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Clara, St. Mary’s.
Division I Mid-Major Conferences
America East: Albany, Binghamton, Hartford, Maryland-Baltimore County, New Hampshire, Maine, Stony Brook, UMass-Lowell, Vermont.
Colonial Athletic Association: College of Charleston, Delaware, Drexel, Hofstra, James Madison, Northeastern, Towson, UNC-Wilmington, William & Mary.
Horizon League: Detroit, Cleveland State, Illinois-Chicago, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Wisconsin-Milwaukee,Valparaiso, Wright State, Youngstown State.
Metro Atlantic Athletic: Canisius, Fairfield, Iona, Manhattan, Marist, Monmouth, Niagara, Quinnipiac, Rider, Siena, St. Peter’s.
Mid-American: Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Miami (OH), Northern Illinois, Ohio University, Toledo, Western Michigan.
Missouri Valley: Bradley, Drake, Evansville, Illinois State, Indiana State, Loyola-Chicago, Missouri State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, Wichita State.
Sun Belt: Appalachian State, Arkansas-Little Rock, Arkansas State, Georgia State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe, South Alabama, Texas State, Troy, UT-Arlington.
Division I Mid-Major Minus/Low Major Plus Conferences
Atlantic Sun: East Tenn State, Florida Gulf Coast, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, Northern Kentucky, North Florida, Stetson, USC-Upstate.
Big Sky: Eastern Washington, Idaho, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Sacramento State, Southern Utah, Weber State.
Big West: Cal-Davis, Cal Poly SLO, Cal-St. Fullerton, Cal-St. Northridge, Hawaii, Long Beach State, UC-Irvine, UC-Riverside, UC-Santa Barbara.
Ivy League: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, Yale.
Ohio Valley: Austin Peay, Belmont, Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Morehead State, Murray State, SE Missouri State, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, UT-Martin.
Patriot: American University, Army, Boston University, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Loyola-Maryland, Navy.
Southern: The Citadel, Elon University, Furman, Samford, UNC-Greensboro, UT-Chattanooga, Western Carolina, Wofford.
Division I Low Major Conferences
Big South: Campbell, Charleston Southern, Coastal Carolina, Gardner-Webb, High Point, Liberty, Longwood, Presbyterian College, Radford, UNC-Asheville, VMI, Winthrop.
Mid-Eastern Athletic: Bethune Cookman, Coppin State, Florida A & M, Delaware State, Hampton, Howard, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Morgan State, Norfolk State, North Carolina A & T, North Carolina Central, Savannah State, South Carolina State.
Northeast: Bryant University, Central Connecticut State, Long Island University, Mount St. Mary’s, Sacred Heart, Fairleigh Dickinson, Robert Morris, St. Francis (NY), St. Francis (PA), Wagner.
Southland: Abilene Christian, Central Arkansas, Houston Baptist, Incarnate Word, Lamar, McNeese State, New Orleans, Nicholls State, Northwestern State, Oral Roberts, Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin, SE Louisiana, Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Southwestern Athletic: Alabama A & M, Alabama State, Alcorn State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Grambling, Jackson State, Mississippi Valley State, Prairie View A & M, Southern University, Texas Southern.
Summit: Denver, IPFW, IUPUI, Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota State, Oakland, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Western Illinois.
Western Athletic Conference: Cal-St. Bakersfield, Chicago State, Missouri-Kansas City, New Mexico State, Utah Valley, Seattle, Grand Canyon, UT-Pan American.
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