Choice Factors and Best Fit Principles Encouraging

G. Cooper, Coyte; Huffman, Landon; Weight, Erianne

doi:10.21608/jass.2011.84892

Choice Factors and Best Fit Principles Encouraging "Best Fit" Principles: Investigating College Choice Factors of Student-Athletes in NCAA Division I, II, and III Men's Wrestling

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

University of North Carolina, United States

10.21608/jass.2011.84892

Abstract

Title: Encouraging “Best Fit” principles: Investigating college choice factors of student-athletes in NCAA Division I, II, and III men’s wrestling.
Purpose: To examine the college-choice factors of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) student-athletes in men’s wrestling (N = 779) to encourage “best fit” principles in the recruiting process.
Method/Sample: An online survey was utilized to investigate the college-choice factors of NCAA Division I, II, and III student-athletes in men’s wrestling across the United States.
Scope of Study: The scope of the study is limited to the recruiting process that takes place in college athletics in the United States.
Discussion: Collegiate athletic departments across the United States are often susceptible to an identity crisis as athletic department staff considers their department’s role in an institution of higher education. In the wake of dualistic ideologies, athletic departments must define “success” so they can form a strategic approach that allows them to bring in student-athletes that enhance their vision and subsequent brand.
Results and Conclusions: The data illustrated that academic-based factors (e.g., total academic value of college/university’s degree, degree programs and academic courses offered) were major considerations for prospective collegiate wrestlers when choosing their respective institution.

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