Programs That Inspire

"It's critical, particularly in this moment, to recognize athletic departments that provide exceptional experiences to student-athletes. These athletic programs strengthen their institutions as a whole. Participating student-athletes develop into successful alumnae with powerful ties to the college and the capacity to pay their experience forward," says College Athletic Advisor's CEO, Dave Morris. "It's exciting to be able to recognize this particularly elite collection of programs and also remind folks that many programs in NCAA Divisions 2 and 3, the NAIA, and the USCAA are serving student-athletes and their institutions in life changing ways."

D3 Top Conferences by Sport

(click to go to the conference page)

Men's Basketball (out of 44)

  1. UAA
  2. WIAC
  3. CCIW
  4. NESCAC
  5. OAC

Women's Basketball (out of 44)

  1. WIAC
  2. UAA
  3. MIAC
  4. NESCAC
  5. CCIW

Women's Volleyball (out of 44)

  1. WIAC
  2. UAA
  3. CCIW
  4. SCAC
  5. OAC

Baseball (out of 41)

  1. C2C
  2. Northwest Conference
  3. SCIAC
  4. SAA
  5. UAA

Softball (out of 43)

  1. ARC
  2. ASC
  3. Northwest Conference
  4. SCIAC
  5. ODAC

Where can I learn more?

Check out our Get Started page for students & families or view our School Resources page for education professionals.

You can also call, email, chat with us through our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CollegeAthleticAdvisor/, or set up a Zoom consult here.

The Goal

College Athletic Advisor encourages a holistic, institution-wide assessment to determine your fit at any of the roughly 1,700 4-year U.S. colleges that sponsor athletics outside of NCAA Division 1. Things to consider:

  • An athletic program-wide commitment to excellence
  • Holistic development of student-athletes in the institution
  • Academic achievement & support for the academic success of student-athletes
  • Overall college experience for participants within the program
  • Affordability/Graduation Rates/Student Satisfaction

This data highlights programs/conferences that feature elite programs and competition in particular team sports. The conference power rankings use data analysis from Massey Ratings.

The Ultimate Toolkit

online course guides you to create the keys to a successful college search!

You'll get

  • an academic/athletic resume
  • impactful highlight video & a video channel that allows coaches to evaluate you in depth
  • an introductory email that gets opened and gives you the opportunity to connect with college coaches