How to Choose the Right College as an Athlete with Alanis Diaz

How to Choose the Right College as an Athlete with Alanis Diaz Getting recruited is only part of the process. The bigger question is: How do you know which college is actually right for you? In this Athlete Huddle, Drew Knuppel is joined by former Division II basketball player Alanis Diaz for an honest conversation about recruiting, transferring, scholarships, college fit and navigating one of the biggest decisions a young athlete will make. Alanis played her first three college seasons at Saint Leo before transferring to the University of Tampa for her final season. After completing her college career and earning two degrees, she is continuing her basketball journey professionally in Puerto Rico. Her experience gives her a unique perspective on both high school recruiting and entering the transfer portal. During the conversation, Alanis explains why athletes need to look beyond the biggest school name or highest level of competition and instead think seriously about where they are wanted, how they fit into the program and whether the coaches truly care about their development. Drew and Alanis discuss: Why “Division I or bust” can be the wrong mindset How to determine whether a college actually fits you What Alanis looked for when entering the transfer portal Why team culture and coaching relationships matter Questions athletes should ask coaches during recruiting How to evaluate your potential role in a program Why visiting a campus can reveal things recruiting calls cannot How to talk about scholarships and financial expectations The positives and negatives of NIL and the transfer portal Why athletes should consider academics alongside athletics The importance of knowing what you actually want from college sports Why mentorship can make recruiting easier to navigate One of Alanis’ biggest lessons from her own recruiting journey is simple: Go where you are wanted. The biggest school is not always the best opportunity. The highest level is not automatically the best fit. The right program is one where the coaching staff believes in you, the culture fits you, the academics make sense and you can see yourself growing both as an athlete and as a person. Alanis also reflects on something she wishes she had during her own high school recruiting process: a mentor who had already gone through it. Recruiting becomes easier to understand when you have someone who can help you ask the right questions, evaluate opportunities objectively and see things you may not recognize on your own. ABOUT SPORTS MENTORSHIP Sports Mentorship helps student-athletes navigate the parts of sports that coaches and trainers do not always have time to address. Our virtual 1-on-1 mentorship gives athletes a consistent person in their corner who understands the journey and can help with recruiting, confidence, pressure, academics, communication, decision-making, habits and life beyond sports. ➡️ Learn about 1-on-1 Mentorship: https://sportsmentorship.com/mentorship/ ➡️ Book a FREE Athlete Success Call: https://sportsmentorship.com/success-... https://sportsmentorship.com/ #SportsMentorship #CollegeRecruiting #StudentAthlete #BasketballRecruiting #TransferPortal #CollegeBasketball #AthleteMentorship