NCAA Softball Recruiting Calendar 2026-27

Division I and Division II · from the NCAA's published 2026-27 calendars

As of October 23, 2026: D1 softball: Evaluation period through Nov 8, 2026; D2 softball: Contact period until Nov 8, 2026 (Division II is a contact period all year except the listed dead periods).

Where every softball calendar stands today

Division I softball

Evaluation period through Nov 8, 2026.

Next: dead period Nov 9–12, 2026.

Division II softball

Contact period until Nov 8, 2026 (Division II is a contact period all year except the listed dead periods).

Next: dead period Nov 9–11, 2026.

Find and email softball coaches from your iPhone. CoachReach lists the coaching staff of every college program from official athletics staff directories, and the iPhone app includes the recruiting calendar.

Division I softball recruiting calendar 2026-27

Source: NCAA Division I softball calendar (PDF). Official NCAA 2026-27 D1 softball calendar (updated July 30, 2026). The June dead/contact boundary depends on the Women's College World Series end date.

Today: Evaluation period through Nov 8, 2026. Next: dead period Nov 9–12, 2026.

Current and upcoming periods
Dates	Period
Sep 4 – Nov 8, 2026	Evaluation periodScholastic only, except the weekends of Oct. 17-18, Oct. 24-25, Oct. 31-Nov. 1 and Nov. 7-8, when nonscholastic events are also allowed.
Nov 9–12, 2026	Dead periodSigning-week dead period (Mon-Thu of the initial week of the fall signing date).
Nov 13–22, 2026	Evaluation periodScholastic only, except Nov. 14-15 and 21-22 (nonscholastic also allowed).
Nov 23–24, 2026	Quiet period
Nov 25–29, 2026	Recruiting shutdownRecruiting shutdown: no recruiting of any kind (no visits, contacts, evaluations, calls, texts, DMs or social-media likes). (Thanksgiving)
Nov 30 – Dec 8, 2026	Quiet period
Dec 9–12, 2026	Dead period
Dec 13–21, 2026	Quiet period
Dec 22–26, 2026	Recruiting shutdownRecruiting shutdown: no recruiting of any kind (no visits, contacts, evaluations, calls, texts, DMs or social-media likes).
Dec 27–30, 2026	Quiet period
Dec 31, 2026 – Jan 2, 2027	Recruiting shutdownRecruiting shutdown: no recruiting of any kind (no visits, contacts, evaluations, calls, texts, DMs or social-media likes).
Jan 3 – May 31, 2027	Evaluation periodScholastic practice/competition only. Evaluations also allowed at high school regional and state championships that don't fall in a dead period.
Jun 1–11, 2027	Dead periodWomen's College World Series. If the Women's College World Series runs late, the dead period continues through the final game; contact begins the next day.
Jun 12 – Jul 31, 2027	Contact periodStart date depends on the Women's College World Series ending.

Earlier 2026-27 periods (3)

Dates	Period
Aug 1–9, 2026	Contact period
Aug 10–27, 2026	Evaluation periodScholastic practice/competition only, except weekends Aug. 14-15 and 21-22, when nonscholastic events are also allowed.
Aug 28 – Sep 3, 2026	Dead period

Division II softball recruiting calendar 2026-27

Division II is a contact period all year except the dates below, and one Division II calendar covers every sport except football. Source: NCAA Division II (all sports) calendar (PDF).

Today: Contact period until Nov 8, 2026 (Division II is a contact period all year except the listed dead periods). Next: dead period Nov 9–11, 2026.

Current and upcoming periods
Dates	Period
Nov 9–11, 2026	Dead periodSigning-date dead period (Nov. 9 7 AM - Nov. 11 7 AM) for high school prospects.

Key dates 2026-27

Date	What
Nov 11, 2026	Fall signing dateD1 softball, D2 softball · Initial signing date for D1/D2 non-football sports.

What each recruiting period means

Contact period: College coaches may have in-person contact with you and your family, on or off their campus, and may watch you play or practice.
Evaluation period: Coaches may watch you play or practice off campus (for example at your school or an approved event), but may not have in-person, off-campus contact with you.
Quiet period: In-person recruiting contact is allowed only on the college's campus. No in-person, off-campus contact and no off-campus evaluations.
Dead period: No in-person recruiting contact or evaluations, on or off campus, and no official or unofficial visits to the campus. Coaches may still call, text and email within the normal rules for your sport.
Recruiting shutdown: No recruiting of any kind: no contact, evaluations, official or unofficial visits, calls, texts, emails or DMs, and no liking or reposting a prospect's posts. (A Division I rule; contact with an athlete who has already signed is allowed.)

Periods limit what college coaches may do. You can email a coach at any time; whether and how a coach may answer depends on your sport, your grade and the period.

Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA and junior college

The NCAA publishes recruiting calendars for Division I (separate calendars for football, basketball, baseball, softball, women's volleyball and several other sports, plus one "Other Division I Sports" calendar) and Division II (one calendar for football and one for every other sport). The dates on this page come from those calendars.

NAIA and junior college programs (NJCAA, CCCAA and others) belong to separate associations, so the NCAA calendars on this page do not apply to them. Check with the program or its association for their rules.

Use the calendar to time your emails

You can email softball coaches during any period. The calendar tells you when they can come to see you and when they can meet you in person. Before a contact or evaluation period, send your schedule so coaches can plan to watch you. Start with the college softball coaches directory to find the staff at each program, then read how to email college coaches.

Recruiting guides

When can college coaches contact you?NCAA Division I and II contact rules, with sources.How to email college coachesWhat to put in the subject line and the first email.Recruiting email templatesFirst contact, follow-up, and after a camp.

Questions, answered

What NCAA softball recruiting period is it right now?

As of October 23, 2026: Division I softball: Evaluation period through Nov 8, 2026. Division II softball: Contact period until Nov 8, 2026 (Division II is a contact period all year except the listed dead periods). Dates come from the NCAA's 2026-27 recruiting calendars.

When is the 2026-27 softball signing date?

Fall signing date: November 11, 2026.

Can I email a college coach during a dead period?

Yes. You can email a coach at any time. A dead period stops in-person contact, evaluations and campus visits, but coaches may still call, text and email during a dead period within the normal rules for your sport. A recruiting shutdown is stricter: no recruiting communication of any kind.

Does the NCAA recruiting calendar apply to Division III, NAIA or junior colleges?

The NCAA publishes recruiting calendars for Division I and Division II. NAIA and junior college programs belong to separate associations, so the NCAA calendars do not apply to them.

More calendars and coaches

All NCAA recruiting calendars 2026-27Every sport, Division I and II, with today's period.Football recruiting calendarNCAA football periods and signing dates 2026-27.Basketball recruiting calendarNCAA basketball periods and signing dates 2026-27.Baseball recruiting calendarNCAA baseball periods and signing dates 2026-27.Volleyball recruiting calendarNCAA volleyball periods and signing dates 2026-27.Soccer recruiting calendarNCAA soccer periods and signing dates 2026-27.College softball coachesEvery program's coaching staff, by state and level.

Sources

Built from the NCAA's official 2026-27 recruiting calendar PDFs (ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com, updated July 30 and Aug. 4, 2026). NCAA rules change often, and some dates depend on championship schedules. Entries marked estimated are not yet officially published. This is informational only and does not replace the NCAA Manual or a college compliance office.

Email softball coaches from your phoneEvery coach is in the CoachReach app with AI drafts, tracked profile links and the recruiting calendar.

Get the app