RUMOR: Some DI teams/conferences considering leaving NCAA for US Soccer

[EnmoreCat]

Apart from the US and maybe Canada (that's a wild guess, no idea if accurate) no other country sees it's university system as a conveyor belt of soccer talent.  That probably tells you all you need to know and to my view much of this is pushed by coaches of high performing D1 programmes who are recruiting more experienced internationals. We know an Australian turning 23 this year who moved to the US to play for NC State this season, that doesn't say development to me.  For our code, college is much better placed to enable young men to be student-athletes, not the other way around.

Clearly, US Soccer has no understanding of this.

Hope you are and the litter are doing well @EnmoreCat.

SC.

Summer in downtown (and uptown) Enmore, so no complaints here.

[Freddyfud]

OK I'll bite. There has been a lot of change in US Soccer as recent as this year.  I stand by earlier comments about financial interests, and I don't think the timing of this particular discussion is coincidence.  And yea I am old which means I am cynical.

The last few years MLS has been very busy building its own "pathway to pro," and the NCAA is not the focus despite the ongoing Super Draft.  We've seen changes such as the evolution of MLSNP and recent changes to MLSN. Last month MLS published its 22 Under 22, and only one player was a Super Draft selection.  A majority of these 22 players are homegrown talents.  With its revenue share model and continued investments in home grown talent MLS might be winking but is not looking at the NCAA for talent.  By extension from an MLS lens the influx of NCAA international athletes has little impact on its "pathway to pro."  And certainly while no single situation is one size fits all, now there are some MLS "pathway to pro" exit ramps leading to...D1 soccer. 

So if MLS doesn't care who does?  Imagine a league that perceives a growing US soccer market share and wants a piece.  A league that is based on a franchise model with ownership risks/rewards and recently announced a new division one as sanctioned by US Soccer and then to add some marketing flare also announced a risky promotion-relegation system. While MLS has been off building their own pathway for talent, is there another existing talent pool of say 18-23 year olds to help with this league's massive jump start?

If the USL succeeds within 2 years US Soccer will have a dual soccer pyramid which might include a subset of collegiate student athletes.  American capitalism at its best.  And the honorable US Soccer college committee notion of "college soccer is the gateway to a degree and a future that would have been unattainable without the sport" is a distant memory on a PDF white paper.  Supplemented by an archive of this very own D3 soccer forum, of course.  Hopefully edited for all of the taunts on the NESCAC board.

Back to my Metamucil drink now...

[EnmoreCat]

Sort of relevant, sort of not:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/oct/19/englands-under-21-leagues-are-filled-with-players-whose-clubs-see-no-future-for-them

Bottom line is that even at the top levels in England, it's a difficult pathway and these are players who are at the very best clubs.  The idea that lots of college players are going to progress to long, well paid professional careers is optimistic at best.  I am guessing the ones that don't progress in England are some of the same ones coming in as more mature players at the college level and who would be undoubtedly attractive to many coaches.

[Crossit4fun]

Sort of relevant, sort of not:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/oct/19/englands-under-21-leagues-are-filled-with-players-whose-clubs-see-no-future-for-them

Bottom line is that even at the top levels in England, it's a difficult pathway and these are players who are at the very best clubs.  The idea that lots of college players are going to progress to long, well paid professional careers is optimistic at best.  I am guessing the ones that don't progress in England are some of the same ones coming in as more mature players at the college level and who would be undoubtedly attractive to many coaches.

Happens all the time, club players overseas (England, Germany etc. ) just look at the top D1 clubs loaded with european players. I was told a few years ago some of the european clubs provide a list of available or soon to be available players so they can be scouted by american colleges.

[SierraFD3soccer]

D1 coaches actually work with scouting organizations which is why they almost never go to scout US tournaments. Like this one among many others https://www.futureelitesports.com/

[pinball]

There's also a large number of international coaches and assistants that have relationships with their homes.  Marshall and West Virginia are great examples of English coaches who have a built in pipeline of older guys ready to come play college soccer.

[SierraFD3soccer]

There's also a large number of international coaches and assistants that have relationships with their homes.  Marshall and West Virginia are great examples of English coaches who have a built in pipeline of older guys ready to come play college soccer.

Coaches with English accents are obviously superior to US coaches. Hahaha. Amazing how many parents think that. Marshall has players from all over the world to include Brazil and brothers from Russia. 

[camosfan]

Coaches with English accents are obviously superior to US coaches. Hahaha. Amazing how many parents think that

that is true to a large extent!

[Freddyfud]

200 MLS signings in 3.5 years is pretty impressive. From MLS NEXT Pro to MLS: 200 First Team Signings

[SimpleCoach]

My Take on the US Soccer White Paper.

SC.

[Convict charlie]

Sort of relevant, sort of not:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/oct/19/englands-under-21-leagues-are-filled-with-players-whose-clubs-see-no-future-for-them

Bottom line is that even at the top levels in England, it's a difficult pathway and these are players who are at the very best clubs.  The idea that lots of college players are going to progress to long, well paid professional careers is optimistic at best.  I am guessing the ones that don't progress in England are some of the same ones coming in as more mature players at the college level and who would be undoubtedly attractive to many coaches.

Happens all the time, club players overseas (England, Germany etc. ) just look at the top D1 clubs loaded with european players. I was told a few years ago some of the european clubs provide a list of available or soon to be available players so they can be scouted by american colleges.

In the D1 Final Four last year only 22% of minutes on the field were given to a player born in America. They had it on the broadcast.

Even in Junior College there is a pretty big international contingent for players. Usually close to a top team that I was most familiar with is Genesee CC in Western New York. International coach and has had some astounding player over the years. Won a few national championships.