What college coaches actually look for in recruiting emails from players By Matthew DohertyFebruary 5, 2026 It's important to know the do's and don'ts when sending a recruiting email to a potential coach. For many high school soccer players, sending an email to a college coach represents the first step in their recruiting journey. But drafting that initial email can be daunting. What do you say? What do you not say? How do you stand out? As recruits obsess over each word and phrase, college coaches are seeing their inboxes flooded with emails. Coaches receive anywhere from 50 emails per day to 500 per week, especially during peak recruiting season. Understanding what coaches look for and how they handle incoming emails is crucial for prospective recruits. To help players learn what to do—and what not to do—when reaching out to a coach, we spoke with five New England college coaches about the state of recruiting emails in 2026. The responses range from Division 1 schools such as Fairfield and UNH to Division 3 NESCAC programs such as Tufts and Bates. Regardless of the league or division, all five coaches agreed on what every recruiting email needs and the common mistakes that raise red flags. Here’s everything you need to know about sending an email to a college coach. 1. What coaches actually do when an email hits the inbox College coaches typically receive hundreds of emails per week, especially during the height of recruiting season. But all five coaches said they prioritize opening and reading every email. The most important thing to remember is that your email will be read—and logged. “I will open an email and read it, especially if someone shows sincere interest in our school,” said UNH women’s coach Steve Welham. “It may get a response right away, then be logged in a list of players who have reached out.” From there, the goal for all coaches is to see that prospect play live. Thanks to the email, you are now on their radar.

By Jonathan SigalJanuary 30, 2026 Jake Beverlin has more than 140 career wins with UMass Boston. (Courtesy photo) There is no one-size-fits-all approach to college recruiting. Just ask Jake Beverlin, who is the winningest coach in UMass Boston men’s soccer history. He’s also heavily involved in club soccer, now with NEFC, after previous stops at Valeo and New England Surf. A major takeaway from talking with Beverlin about recruiting? The region has a big college soccer ecosystem, which continues to evolve and create new challenges for families to navigate. What’s a non-negotiable when you guys are recruiting, whether it’s on or off the field? We recruit a lot of Brazilian kids, and kids who are really comfortable with the ball. They can’t just be an athlete. I think a lot of schools do well with some really high-end athletes, but not as good of soccer players. We’re a little bit the opposite and try to meet in the middle with athleticism. Another non-negotiable for us is that they kind of have to be soccer junkies. The amount of stuff we make them do year-round, if they don’t love playing soccer, it’ll never work out. We have full-time strength and conditioning coaches, and they’re with them three or four days a week during the offseason. Our training block is usually at 8 a.m., so the guys are up early. The first thing they do in the morning is get up and play. They also have a game marker they have to hit in the summer, and if they don’t, then we would not welcome them back. With how short the preseason is, they’ve got to come in at something close to 95%. That way, we can hit the ground running. On the flip side, what are some areas in the recruiting process that could be a deal breaker? We don’t make any time for players whose heart isn’t in it. If you don’t want to be at UMass Boston, that’s totally cool. We’ll move on. We’re going to ask a lot of you when you’re here, so you really need to have that desire to be part of things.

Here’s what’s inside today’s edition: Double Down on the Divisions That Show Interest! Female Players - No more BS! What level can you really play at? Find out for Free READ FOR FREE - https://steves-newsletter-07aa53.beehiiv.com/p/so-you-want-to-play-college-soccer-double-down-on-the-divisions-that-show-interest Don’t miss out—stay informed and ahead of the game! #Recruiting #ClassOf2027 #NoBS #DoubleDown

Four takeaways from the last month in New England recruiting By Matthew Doherty January 29, 2026 January and February are the slowest months of the year for game action across New England. But that doesn’t mean recruiting news has quieted. In fact, with major national showcases for ECNL, MLS Next and Girls Academy occurring recently, the last month has actually been quite busy on the recruiting front. That is especially true on the boys’ side, where colleges are finalizing their 2026 rosters following the frantic transfer portal period. We’ve accounted for several Class of 2026 boys’ commits since the New Year began. Even though it’s been a slow drip, the boys’ Class of 2026 is fully forming. Elsewhere, girls from ECNL and Girls Academy have announced their collegiate plans in the aftermath of those national events. Recruiting season truly never stops, but this felt like a good time for a check-in following our December recruiting roundup. Here are four takeaways from the last month in recruiting, including the boys’ players who found homes and a look ahead to what’s next as spring looms. Let’s dive in. Boys Class of 2026 takes shape As mentioned earlier this week in our “Which NEPSAC boys teams have the most Class of 2026 college commitments” story, the Class of 2026 is starting to round into focus. Our database lists well over 100 players, and commitments have picked up more steam over the last month. Jonny Osinski, whose steady play on defense helped Mount Saint Charles capture the NEPSAC Class B title this fall, committed to the University of Rhode Island. Osinski earned All-American honors during his postgraduate season and plays club for IFA New England. Mount has seen a boost in recent weeks and now has eight players in its Class of 2026 committed to college programs. Goalkeeper Aiden Tucker is Providence-bound, while forward Johnluca Frenzilli, midfielder Ian Harmon and forward Carter Robbins are all committed to Division 2 Saint Michael’s.