By position
Final year = seniors and grad students at four-year colleges, sophomores at junior colleges. Some come back for another season; most move on.
Outside hitter
931 programmes
1,045 / 5,057
in their final year
Middle blocker
930 programmes
850 / 3,760
in their final year
Setter
934 programmes
601 / 2,851
in their final year
Defensive specialist
670 programmes
484 / 2,165
in their final year
Opposite
726 programmes
362 / 1,458
in their final year
Libero
547 programmes
316 / 1,419
in their final year
By division
D1
NCAA Division I
300
programmes · median roster 17
9% of players from outside the US and Canada
D2
NCAA Division II
249
programmes · median roster 18
4.3% of players from outside the US and Canada
D3
NCAA Division III
335
programmes · median roster 18
0.9% of players from outside the US and Canada
NAIA
NAIA
78
programmes · median roster 18
10.8% of players from outside the US and Canada
JUCO
Junior college (NJCAA)
52
programmes · median roster 15
8.7% of players from outside the US and Canada
Where players come from
5% international, 1% Canada, 94% US (players with a listed hometown).
- 1TX1,762
- 2CA1,168
- 3IL1,028
- 4OH892
- 5NY860
- 6FL741
- 7PA726
- 8NC584
Find your spot
Calldup matches you with women's volleyball programmes in your divisions and regions, shows how many players at your position are in their final year at each one, and gives you the coaches' published contacts with an email drafted for you.
- ✓ Programmes ranked by turnover at your position
- ✓ Coach contacts exactly as each school publishes them
- ✓ Contact dates and eligibility for every division
What coaches look for, by position
Setter
- Consistency and location of sets to every hitter
- Footwork to the ball, including off-the-net passes
- Decision-making and tempo (who gets the ball and when)
- Hands and ball contact
- Leadership and communication on court
- Blocking and defence on the right side
- Serving
Outside hitter
- Attacking: range of shots, power and ball control
- Serve receive passing
- Arm swing and approach
- Blocking
- Back-row defence
- Serving
- Ability to score against a big block and in transition
Middle blocker
- Blocking: reading the setter, footwork along the net and closing the block
- Quick attack timing and approach
- Size, reach and vertical jump
- Transition from blocking to attacking
- Serving if the middle serves
Opposite / right side
- Attacking from the right side and back row
- Blocking the opponent's outside hitter
- Scoring out of system
- Serving
- Back-up setting when needed
Libero
- Serve receive passing accuracy
- Defence: reading hitters, range and ball control
- Communication and court leadership
- Overhead and forearm setting from the back row
- Serving (where the rules and team allow)
Defensive specialist
- Back-row defence and serve receive
- Serving
- Ball control
- Communication
Sources
- 2026-27 NCAA Division I Manual - NCAA
- 2026-27 NCAA Division II Manual - NCAA
- 2026-27 NCAA Division III Manual - NCAA
- NCAA Recruiting (Eligibility Center) - NCAA Eligibility Center
- Becoming an NCAA Student-Athlete as an International Student - NCAA Eligibility Center
- High School Students (Prospective Student-Athletes) - NAIA
- International Students (Prospective Student-Athletes) - NAIA
- PlayNAIA - NAIA Eligibility Center - NAIA
- NJCAA Handbook - Bylaws 2026-27 (9-9-26) - NJCAA
- 2026-2027 NJCAA Sports Procedures Chart (9-9-26) - NJCAA
- Recruits FAQ - University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Athletics
- College Recruiting and Club Tournaments - USA Volleyball
- Club Volleyball - AVCA
- Recruitment Events - AVCA
- AVCA Phenom College Prep Program and Watch List - AVCA
Counts from each programme's latest varsity roster on the schools' own sites. Not rankings. Latest rosters as read on 2026-10-15. A programme with players in their final year isn't a promise of a spot - coaches decide.