Question about college sports (volleyball) recruiting

[Flaxbee]

OK, I have a niece who's a terrific v-ball player and she was choice #2 at her #1 university choice, a public, state-funded university. She found out last night that she'd been "released to pursue other opportunities" b/c the school had gotten its first choice, and my niece is devastated.

Apparently the school had recruited into Canada, and the spot my niece wanted went to a girl from Canada.

Now, I am in no way, shape or form xenophobic, I'd gladly live elsewhere if I could, blah blah blah. But how can a state-funded school choose a player from outside the country over an equally qualified student from the US (my niece also had strong alumni ties)? Is that normal and OK? My protective instincts are kicking in about my niece, I want her to be happy, and while I have no doubt this girl from Canada is wonderful (as are all Canadians I've ever met, including those on this board) I WANT MY NIECE TO HAVE THAT SPOT! It was my niece's best chance at a full scholarship, too. That's what makes the blow that much worse, b/c she can't afford college otherwise.

Damn. Can I complain to the school? Or is just the norm these days to recruit out of the country for college athletics?

[Flaxbee]

1. kick

thoughts please?

[Aiptasia]

2. Look at it this way...

Especially for kids drafted under an athletic scholarship, unless your neice had incredible volleyball skills worthy of a national championship run, it's likely she's being baited into the school through the use of the partial or full scholarship for the first two semesters.

My alma mater used to draft football players (USC) in their freshman year under a full or partial ride (scholarship), only to reduce or remove their scholarships in their latter school years. They'll promise the kids a free ride, then renig on it if the kids don't live up to expectations stop due to injuries. In order to keep a full ride scholarship, the kids would either need to be super athletes or have that potential.

Your neice should also be picking a school based on what she wants to study, not just which ones will give her a scholarship. Chances are, she won't be playing on the olympic volleyball squad anytime soon, so she should be focused on her education.

Sad facts, but I dated a girl that had a full soccer scholarship that had to drop out of school when she injured her knee in her Junior year. She only had a partial ride, but that was the financial difference between attending school and dropping out.

[Flaxbee]

3. yeah, I know ...

... she might not get the full or partial ride the whole time, but I'm more curious about how regularly schools are now recruiting outside the US for talent.

[Flaxbee]

4. another kick...