As a growing sport in the United States, it has attracted so many scholarship applicants especially top high school players. Many colleges in USA offer scholarships to students that are talented in the game.
So if you are talented in softball or have interest in the softball, you can apply for softball scholarships in the colleges we will be talking about in this article as the United States is one of the best places to get softball scholarships.
There are over 1,600 schools in the U.S. that offer softball scholarships and with these softball scholarships, you will be able to pay off part or all your tuition fees and other expenses while studying at the university or college.
Scholarships are financial supports that are given to students to help them in their career pursuit and they are usually merit, need or achievement based. Scholarships could be full or partial and even given by university, government, organization or individuals.
So in this article, we will be looking at the best colleges for softball scholarships in USA.
What Is A Softball Game?
The softball is like a baseball game but it is played with a much larger ball, a bat and on a pitch that is small compared to that of baseball.
The game is played by two teams with 9 players, trying to get more runs. It is played in a period of 7 innings and the team with the most runs is declared the winner.
A team in the softball may include 1 pitcher, 1 catcher, 3 basemen, 3 fielders and 1 short-stopper.
The game was first played in Chicago, Illinois, United States and since then, it has grown to become a popular game in the U.S.
Best Colleges For Softball Scholarships In USA
We will be looking at the best colleges for softball scholarships in USA in two categories which are men and women’s softball
Best Colleges For Men’s Softball Scholarship
- Ohio State University
- Purdue University
- Stanford University
- University of Arizona
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California- Los Angeles
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of Michigan
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of Texas – Austin
- Yale University
· Stanford University
This is a private research university that was established on November 11, 1885 by Leland and Jane Stanford and it is located in the census-designated place of Stanford, California. The university is ranked among the top universities in the world.
The university always appears on the NCAA’s Division 1 rankings when it comes to softball.
The full athletic scholarship of Stanford University includes tuition fee, orientation fees, supplies, room and board fees, personal expenses, health and documentation fees, and travel.
With this type of scholarship, student-athletes are able to focus on their studies. One thing you should know is that the full scholarship doesn’t include the Cardinal Care which is the university’s student health insurance. It is usually waived before the deadline.
For more information about the scholarship, visit: www.admission.stanford.edu/student/athletics/intercollegiate/
· University of Florida
This is a public land-grant research university that was established in 1853 and it is located in Gainesville, Florida. The university’s intercollegiate athletic team is called the “Florida Gators” and they compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 and the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
The Florida Gators softball team players just like other athletic teams players are offered athletic scholarships in a way to recognize their contribution to the university’s vibrant athletic record.
For more information about athletic (softball) scholarships in University of Florida, visit: www.sfa.ufl.edu/academic-scholarships/
· University of California- Los Angeles
This is a public land-grant research university that was established in 1881 as a teachers college and had many names after that before getting its present name in 1919 which makes it the second-oldest of the 10-campus University of California system. The university is considered as one of the countries’ Public Ivies and ranked among the best universities in the world.
The UCLA athletic team is called Bruins and it competes in the Pac-12 Conference and NCAA Division 1 competition. The Bruins have won 119 NCAA team championships of which softball was among.
The Athletic scholarship program that is awarded by the university is merit-based which means that it is based on academic and athletic ability. These scholarships are funded by ticket sales, media contracts, corporate partnerships and private donations.
The university awards over 280 full athletic scholarships to its best student-athletes in various sports every year including softball. These scholarships cover tuition fees and some other expenses.
The applicants must meet the scholarship requirements and also be registered at the NCAA Eligibility Centre.
For more information about the athletic scholarship of UCLA, visit: www.ucla.edu/
· University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
This is a public research university that was established on December 11, 1789 and it is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The university offers academic experience similar to that of an Ivy League university.
The university’s athletic team is called North Carolina Tar Heels and the softball team competes in NCAA Division 1 softball and in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Most of the athletic scholarships that the university offers to its players are partial scholarships. Every student that has been awarded a scholarship has their unique scholarship agreement outlining the scholarship offered.
The scholarship agreement could be multi-year or single-year contracts that can be renewed.
The full-ride scholarship has a value of about $25,400/year for an in-state student and $52,400 for an out-of-state student.
For more information about the UNC athletic scholarships and financial aid, visit www.studentaid.unc.edu/incoming/what-aid-is-available/scholarships/
· University of Michigan
This university is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and it was founded in 1817 by an act of old Michigan Territory and it is the oldest university in Michigan. It is the oldest university in Michigan.
It is ranked 21st in the QS Global World Rankings 2022 and it is a member of the Big Ten Conference. The university’s athletic team is called Wolverine athletes and they have won 188 medals at the Olympic Games.
The university awards a lot of full athletic scholarships to its best student-athletes in various sports every year including softball. These scholarships cover tuition fees and some other expenses.
The applicants must meet the scholarship requirements and also be registered at the NCAA Eligibility Centre.
For more information about the scholarship, visit: https://leadersandbest.umich.edu/
The Best Colleges For Women’s Softball Scholarship
- Baylor University
- Boston University
- Florida State University
- James Madison University
- Texas A&M University – College Station
- The University of Alabama
- The University of Tennessee – Knoxville
- University of Arizona
- University of California – Los Angeles
- University of Florida
- University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
- University of Notre Dame
- University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
- University of Tulsa
- University of Washington – Seattle Campus
· University of Notre Dame
This is a private Catholic research university that was established in 1842 and it is located in Norte Dame, Indiana outside the city of South Bend. The university’s athletic team is collectively known as the Fighting Irish.
Softball is a women’s sport in this university and the team brought revenue of over $170,756 in a single year.
For more information about the scholarship, visit: https://www.nd.edu/
· Princeton University
This university was founded in 1746 and it is a private owned institution located in Princeton, New Jersey United States. This university is the fourth oldest university in the United States. It officially became a university in 1896 and that was when it got its name. It is ranked among the best and most prestigious universities in the world.
The athletic team of Princeton University is called the Princeton Tiger and has competed and won many titles in the NCAA Division 1 and Ivy League.
Softball is a women sport at Princeton University.
The full athletic scholarship of Stanford University includes tuition fee, orientation fees, supplies, room and board fees, personal expenses, health and documentation fees, and travel.
For more information about the Princeton University Athletic, visit: https://goprincetontigers.com/sports/
· University of Arizona
This is a public land-grant research university that was established in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature and located in Tucson Arizona. It was the first university in the Arizona Territory.
The athletic team of the university is collectively called Arizona Wildcats and they are a member of the Pac-12 Conference of the NCAA. They have won national titles in several sports including softball.
The women’s a softball team at the university took home $1,109,688 in revenue.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I get a college scholarship for softball?
Yes, there are available softball scholarships for NCAA D1 and D2 levels and also NAIA schools and junior colleges.
- How many scholarships does D1 softball get?
D1 softball programs offer up to 12 scholarships a year and this is a mix of full-ride scholarships and partial scholarships.
- What colleges offer softball scholarships for men?
- Ohio State University
- Purdue University
- Stanford University
- University of Arizona
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California- Los Angeles
- University of Florida
- University of Georgia
- University of Michigan
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of Texas – Austin
- Yale University
- What colleges offer softball scholarships for women?
- Baylor University
- Boston University
- Florida State University
- James Madison University
- Texas A&M University – College Station
- The University of Alabama
- The University of Tennessee – Knoxville
- University of Arizona
- University of California – Los Angeles
- University of Florida
- University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
- University of Notre Dame
- University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
- University of Tulsa
- University of Washington – Seattle Campus
Final Note
Athletic scholarships are all over the world and many institutions provide students with sports scholarships to support and help them build their career in specific sport.
Softball has become a popular sport in America and a lot of universities in USA invest greatly in this sport.
Several colleges are involved in supporting students with a scholarship to build their chosen sport. With the list, you have choices to pick from, if you are planning to study abroad.
Reference
wikipedia.org – universities in usa
ncsasports.org – best softball colleges
collegefactual.com – top women’s softball schools