We have scoured our database of 2025 rosters and have some interesting data to present on the D3 player landscape for the upcoming season. Just 3 teams thus far have not published their new season roster (Yeshiva, CCNY, and Medgar Evers) so we have roughly 98% of the data here. We look at some different variables in our presentation, but some are consistent with previous years analysis.
D3 Men’s Volleyball Player by Grade
Unlike high school players which skew downward senior to freshman, the opposite occurs at the D3 college level. In HS, typically 45% of the players are seniors, 35% are juniors, 15% are sophomores and 5% are freshman, the college landscape is reversed at D3.
Based on the 2,028 population of players, here is the current distribution:
It’s very apparent that fatigue sets in as college careers play out. The grind and commitment needed to sustain a 4-year athletic career while balancing academics is visible as roster numbers decline from start to finish. As younger players arrive that cut into playing time for upperclassman, some players obviously jump out as well. Life gets in the way for many players who have developed internships, new job opportunities, concentration on academic challenges, or new romantic relationships that can shift priorities. The best coaches find ways to keep playing fun for junior and senior players, as well as personally fulfilling.
Where do D3 Volleyball Players come from?
For the men’s side of things, we have quite a wide distribution of geographic locations contributing to rosters for 2025. The visualization shows the complete distribution. New York (375) and Pennsylvania (288) lead by a significant margin. Players from outside the continental United States, most from international sources, include those from Brazil, Spain, Dominican Republic, Canada, Japan, and other countries. There’s representation from 43 US states, with Arkansas, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming not represented in the data.
4.1% of all players on rosters came from outside the United States. 83 players in total representing 40 countries around the world. Here is the breakdown:
40% of the international players are from the top 4 countries: Brazil, Canada, Spain, and Dominican Republic. If you are a player from outside the US and would like to connect with other players from your country, contact us at insidehitter@gmail.com and we will provide you the information.
Height Distribution for Rostered Players
As usual, we see a normal curve of individual heights across all teams. With one exception, the same as last season. Any player that is 5″ 11″ inches in height have an uncanny way of reporting their height at 6′ rather than 5′ 11″. The curve is completely normalized other than that exception. Based on the curve, we estimate 45 players are actually 5′ 11″ rather than 6′. The range on height is from 5′ 3″ to 7′ 1″. Here is the distribution as well as a visual presentation:
D3 Big Men
According to the 2025 roster information, here are the tallest players at the D3 level:
And lastly, what specific cities provide the largest number of Men’s D3 volleyball players?
The top 4 cities are Chicago, IL with 21, The Bronx, NY with 22, Pittsburgh, PA with 23… and the biggest city is Brooklyn, NY with 26!!
Over 2,000 players on D3 Rosters. 40 countries, all shapes and sizes and skill levels. All brought together by volleyball and academics. It’s a beautiful thing.