The Truth About Division II Recruiting: Fit, Growth, and Learning Through Failure 🏀🎯

In Part 2 of this conversation, Matt Rogers sits down with Bill Cleary, Head Women’s Basketball Coach at NCAA Division II St. Thomas Aquinas College, to talk about the reality of college recruiting and athlete development.

This episode focuses on two critical truths families need to understand:

🏀 NCAA Division II is not a step down from Division I — it’s about opportunity, development, and the right fit.
📈 Too many athletes arrive at college without ever being pushed, challenged, or allowed to fail — and growth requires all three.

Matt and Bill discuss why honest feedback, higher standards, and strong support systems from coaches, parents, and mentors are essential for long-term success.

If you’re a recruit, parent, or coach navigating the college journey, this conversation will help you shift your focus from chasing level to building real readiness.

Find recruiting resources, including Significant Recruiting and the Basketball Recruit’s Journal, at CoachMattRogers.com

Learn more about Coach Bill Cleary at St. Thomas Aquinas College Women's Basketball

Send a text

Support the show

📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

🥎 Softball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qd4PFp

📍 All resources also available at coachmattrogers.com

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

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“Bet on You” – Building Confidence and Player Ownership with Bill Cleary (Part 1)

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Matt Rogers sits down with Bill Cleary, Assistant Athletic Director and Head Women’s Basketball Coach at St. Thomas Aquinas College, for a powerful and honest discussion about coaching women and developing true confidence in today’s athletes.

Bill shares what he’s learned over more than two decades of coaching about the growing challenge of self-worth, the impact of comparison and social media, and why many athletes struggle to recognize their own value. Together, Matt and Bill explore what it really means to build confidence that isn’t dependent on playing time, statistics, rankings, or outside validation.

You’ll hear why Bill tells his players to “bet on you,” how language shapes mindset, and how coaches can create player-led cultures where athletes learn to believe in themselves, embrace mistakes, and grow through adversity.

If you’re a coach, parent, or athlete who cares about leadership, mindset, and long-term development, this conversation will hit home.

Part 2 drops next, where Matt and Bill dive into the realities of college recruiting and what families need to understand about finding the right fit.

Resources for basketball families, including the book Significant Recruiting and the Basketball Recruit’s Journal, are available at CoachMattRogers.com.

Learn more about Coach Cleary: https://stac.edu/directory/cleary-william/

Send a text

Support the show

📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

🥎 Softball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qd4PFp

📍 All resources also available at coachmattrogers.com

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get y...

🏐 What Division I Volleyball Recruiting Really Looks Like | Emily Kohan

In Part 2 of this conversation on the Significant Recruiting Podcast, Matt Rogers sits down with Emily Kohan, NCAA Division I Head Volleyball Coach at Colorado State University, to break down what the recruiting process actually looks like from a coach’s perspective.

Coach Kohan pulls back the curtain on how Division I programs evaluate athletes, how early the recruiting timeline really starts, and what families need to understand about visibility, communication, and realistic expectations in today’s volleyball landscape.

This episode provides practical insight for players, parents, and club or high school coaches who want to better understand the realities of Division I recruiting.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• When Division I volleyball coaches start identifying prospects
• How video and online presence impact recruiting
• How many athletes coaches actually evaluate vs. offer
• What it means to be “recruitable” at the Division I level
• Why going where you’re valued matters more than chasing a label

If your athlete has goals of playing college volleyball, this conversation will give you perspective, clarity, and a better understanding of how to approach the process with intention.

Send us a text

Support the show

📆 To Schedule Matt Rogers to speak at your school or organization, you can schedule a discovery Zoom session here: https://calendly.com/mrogers_significantcoaching/speaking-inquiry-w-matt-rogers

📚 Books & Recruit’s Journals by Matt Rogers

Significant Recruiting: The Playbook for Prospective College Athletes
👉 https://amzn.to/3NbWP9S

Recruit’s Journal Series (Sport-Specific Editions):

⚽ Soccer Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3M4PFDX

🏐 Volleyball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qMLr2S

🏀 Basketball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4bxljEJ

⚾ Baseball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/3ZGbCMQ

🥎 Softball Recruit’s Journal
👉 https://amzn.to/4qd4PFp

📍 All resources also available at coachmattrogers.com

Listen on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, iHeartRadio, and all your favorite podcast platforms.

Did you like what you heard and want more?
New Podcasts every week. Remember to subscribe and follow wherever you get y...