LAX PLUS RECRUITING SERVICES
Lax Plus is highly involved with the recruiting process. As you move through your high school years, the Lax Plus staff will continue to educate and guide you through the recruiting process. There will be informational sessions held throughout the year discussing the Division I, II, and III recruiting process. Players have the opportunity to purchase recruiting services through Jennifer Thomas.
Jennifer Thomas act as a liaison between our athletes and the college coaches at the schools they are interested in. This includes help with sending out emails to coaches, filling out questionnaires, and overall assistance as each athlete finds the best place for them at the college level. Jennifer will assist players who purchased the recruiting package with their recruiting online profiles, which is monitored by both the player and Jennifer. Players will receive feedback as to what level they would fit best academically and athletically for college lacrosse, as well as be provided any information from college coaches.
Kristen Mullady and Jennifer Thomas work together to utilize their expertise and connections with the college world to ensure that all players find a college/university that meets their academic and athletic needs.
Recruiting package payment for Summer 2024-Due by Saturday, June 1st.
Email laxplusrecruiting@gmail.com to reserve a spot for Summer 2024 recruiting services.
FULL YEAR
(Holiday Weeks - Off)
$1,000
SUMMER PACKAGE
(June 1 - August 1)
$600
FALL PACKAGE
(September 1 - November 13)
$600
WINTER PACKAGE
(December 1 - February 1)
$300
CLICK HERE for the recruiting options powerpoint
RECRUITING COORDINATORS:
Director of Recruiting-Kristen Mullady (Former Springfield College Head Coach & Hall High School Head Coach) kristen@laxplusclub.com:
Kristen has served as the Co-Director and Recruiting Coordinator for Lax Plus since 2006, and was the Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach and Associate Professor in Physical Education at Springfield College from 2009-2022. As a former standout for Springfield’s women’s lacrosse team, Kristen still holds SC’s all-time record for points in a season, and ranks sixth all-time in career points. As a coach Kristen has established her Springfield program as one of the best in DIII. Mullady has been honored as the NEWMAC Coach of the Year four times since becoming head coach (2011, 2015, 2017, & 2021), and was named the IWLCA Berkshire Region Coach of the year for 2021. She led the pride to three NCAA appearances, with 2016 being Springfield's first ever NCAA Sweet 16 appearance, and highest ranking as no. 10 in the DIII national standings according to Lacrosse Magazine. She has coached numerous players to receive All-Conference, All-Region, and Player of the Year Awards.
Kristen re-entered the collegiate coaching ranks after spending several years coaching high school and youth lacrosse in Connecticut. In addition to being the girl’s lacrosse coach for Hall High School in West Hartford, Kristen was named the President of the Connecticut High School Coaches Association for high school lacrosse for the spring of 2009, and has coached the U-15 Connecticut Select Team multiple times since 2000. She has been involved with running a number of high school and youth clinics, as well as coordinated strength and conditioning programs.
On the college level, Kristen also once served as the head coach for the Division I Central Connecticut State University women’s lacrosse program.
Recruiting Coordinator - Jennifer Thomas (Springfield College-Head Coach) laxplusrecruiting@gmail.com:
Jennifer Thomas '14 was named the head women's lacrosse coach and assistant professor of physical education at Springfield College on September 1, 2022.
A standout for the women's lacrosse program during her time as a student-athlete at Springfield College, she helped lead the Pride to New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championships in 2012 and 2013. Thomas also served as a team captain during her career at Springfield.
Thomas spent two years at Johnson & Wales University, where she was named the GNAC Coach of the Year in 2022 and led the Wildcats to an appearance in the 2021 NCAA Division III Championship Tournament, after winning the 2021 GNAC Championship. Under Thomas’ leadership, the Wildcats also earned the Team Sportsmanship Award in 2022. Prior to her time in Providence, Thomas spent five years as the head coach at Western Connecticut State University and also had stints as an assistant coach at Mercyhurst University and Mount Holyoke College.
Where Are Our Alumni Now
Our Lax Plus alumni are playing at a number of different schools at the collegiate level. Please visit our Alumni page to see where our alumni are today.
RECRUITING SOFTWARE
*Access to all college coaches with the most updated contact information at your fingertips
*Build your list of schools using the SportsRecruits search engine
*Never get lost in the process...our recruiting coordinators are able to track your progress every step of the way
*Set up a player profile and showcase your talents with unlimited video uploading
Lax Plus utilizes the latest recruiting software programs to assist each player in the recruiting process and allow our recruiting coordinators to track each players progress. Our coordinators act as a liaison between our athletes and the college coaches at the schools they are interested in. This includes help with sending out emails to coaches, filling out questionnaires, and overall assistance as each athlete finds the best place for them at the college level. Players will receive feedback as to what level they would fit best academically and athletically for college lacrosse, as well as be provided any information from college coaches.
With that being said, it is important to understand that college coaches prefer to evaluate players in a game situation rather than read a written evaluation from a club coach. Many college coaches feel that only through watching perspective athletes play multiple times can they make valid decisions. As much as we at Lax Plus are involved in the recruiting process, college coaches have made it clear that when NCAA rules allow, they prefer to have recruiting conversations with the athlete themselves, and not parents or coaches. This is because not only must a player fit with a team athletically, but socially as well. The coach is recruiting the individual athlete, and would like to get to know them. The athlete's personality during phone conversations, emails, and interviews, will help the coach determine if that athlete will fit in with their existing team. Through these conversation the college coach will also get a sense of how well the player will be able to handle the pressures of college academics and athletics
- Start the process early-before junior year
- Research colleges based on academic qualifications
- Make the initial contact with college coaches
- Realize coaches are dealing with 500+ recruits
- Support your daughter
- Proofread material
- Attend campus visits, ask questions
- Send too much information
- Excessively call or email coaches
- Expect coaches to get back to you immediately
- Allow your parents to do the work or make contact for you
- RESTRICT YOUR LIST
- Make contact with coach
- Call college coach
- Make first contact with coach at event
WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST DETRIMENTAL QUALITY TO POSSESS IN THE PROCESS?
A sense of entitlement. Getting recruited to play in college is not something you deserve. Playing in college is something that you have to want. Commit yourself to the process.
RECRUITING PROCESS TIMELINE
SOPHOMORE
- Focus on grades
- Create initial list
- Research colleges
- Send Cover Letter & Resume
- Complete Online Questionnaires
- Visit schools
- Play summer ball
- Attend camps and fall clinics
- Camps during the summer going into junior year
JUNIOR (FALL)
- Focus on grades
- Contact college coaches before tournaments
- Refine college list
- Continue Online research
- Complete Online Questionnaires
JUNIOR (WINTER)
- Focus on grades
- Take SAT and/or ACT
- Communication w/ coaches
- Attennd winter camps
- Investigate summer camps and clubs
- Online Questionnaires
- Focus on grades
- SAT and/or ACT
- Communication w/ coaches
- Visit schools
- Attend college games
- Commit to Summer camp/club schedule
- Summer tournaments/camps
- Communication w/ coaches
- Visit schools
- Set up official visits
SENIOR YEAR
- Do Not Stop Playing
- Continue doing what got you where you are at!! The college level only gets harder!
Lax Plus Tips to Recruiting
- Maintain good grades
- Keep communication with college coaches
- Be realistic as to what level you can play at (ask your HS and Club coaches)
- Choose a camp that has a lot of college coaches attending
- Don’t limit to one division (understand the difference between divisions)
COMPARING DIVISIONS
DIVISION I
- Athletic scholarships available
- Unofficial visits without assistance from athletic department or coaching staff prior to Sept. 1st of junior year
- Beginning September 1st of Junior Year
- 5 official visits with a limit of one per school
- Unlimited unofficial visits
- Players can contact coach at own expense
- Coaches can call, email and/or text
- Coaches can initiate off-campus contact at residence or high school only.
DIVISION II
- Athletic scholarships available
- Players can contact the coach at their own expense
- Beginning June 15th of your sophomore year.
- Unlimited official and unofficial visits
- Coaches can call, text, and/or email unlimited starting
- Coaches can arrange unlimited off-campus contact
- Can have you tryout during official visit
DIVISION III
- Merit money available
- Unlimited official and unofficial visits
- Players can contact the coach at their own expense
- Unlimited number of phone calls from coaches
Unofficial Visits
The college does not pay for you on campus
Can take unofficial visits any year of school
Official Visits
College pays for your visit to campus
DI: Can take official visits after September 1st of junior year
DII: Can take official visits after June 15th of sophomore year