Factors Influencing College Selection by NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Players

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III basketball, coaches are often faced with the challenge of stretching resources to successfully recruit players who will represent the institution without the benefit of athletic scholarships. Having a better grasp of the factors that influence the college selection of NCAA Division III players might assist these coaches in more efficiently maximizing their resources. The purposes of this study were to (a) examine specific factors which influence why DIII basketball players made their choice to attend a particular school, (b) determine if there were differences based upon the type of school attended, and (c) examine whether there were categorical factors that differed on the basis of a players recruitment, year in school, race/ethnicity, playing status, or financial aid status.   Using the revised Influential Factors Survey for Student Athletes (IFSSA-R; Pauline, 2010), 503 DIII men’s basketball players were surveyed. Participant responses indicated that ‘career opportunities’ was the most vital item affecting college selection. With regard to the five categorical factors (academic, athletic, coaching staff, financial aid, and social atmosphere) academic factors were also found to be important.   Analyses revealed significant (p < .05) differences as determined by type of school for the athletic, academic, and financial aid subscales.  Results of the study will provide useful information for DIII men’s basketball coaches and college administrators throughout various points in the recruiting and college selection process.  Keywords: coaching, recruiting, basketball, NCAA Division III, college selectio