Ben_Slingerland

Having been a recruited NCAA Division 1 men’s college soccer student-athlete myself at Georgetown University, I have first-hand experience of the process of getting recruited from high school to going on to play the sport I loved at the collegiate level. For the last 13 years, I have had the privilege of working with hundreds of high school soccer student-athletes who have navigated this process and gone on to numerous colleges and universities at the Division 1, 2, and 3 levels.

There are many perks of becoming a college athlete. The most obvious benefit is the financial one; college athletes, on average, pay less for their college degree than non-athletes. From an admissions stand point, if your goal is to get into a more selective school, having a college coach hand-deliver your admissions packet gives you a better chance of getting into that school than does the traditional route. Another perk of being a college athlete is the experience. Having the chance to play at the highest level, learn from the best coaches, the facilities, the gear, the travel, the camaraderie, the pride of representing your university, playing in front of big crowds, the rivalries and the traditions all make it a very special experience. It comes once in a lifetime for a very small fraternity of people, and for those who get a chance to experience it, leave with lifelong memories. Another huge perk is time management for those students that value some structure in their life. Being a college athlete isn’t too unlike having a real job where you have responsibilities and accountabilities. As a collegiate athlete you get many types of academic support that are not necessarily granted to regular college students, you get special access to tutors, academic advisors, guaranteed classes, help getting caught up after long road trips. And the last perk, which may be the most important but often the most overlooked, is the lifelong network. The personal relationships you create as a college athlete are what matter most. As college-level athletes you share a common bond that is rarely understood by those who didn’t experience it. It’s a bond you will hold dear to your heart for the rest of your life.

The recruiting process can be overwhelming for many high school student-athletes and their families. Having worked with several families, I have discovered many are in a similar boat to the one I was when I went through the process 18 years ago … That is, not knowing what they don’t know about the process. Given my network of college coaches and my experience in the space, I offer a college soccer recruiting service to high school athletes and their families.  I help student-athlete prospects create their highlight recruiting video and then make personal introductions for the prospects to college coaches. From there, I then help the student-athlete and their parents strategically manage the process, offering consultative advice on how to communicate with coaches, what ID camps are worthwhile to attend, while managing the timeline.

Here are a few student-athletes I have worked with in the past:

JACK WILKINSON: Alfred University. A 2026 CDM from Maynard, MA, Jack played his club ball with the New England Surf. Captain of his Maynard High School team, Jack proved through the entire process he was a complete box to box central midfielder who could connect well in the center of the park and win most 50-50 balls. He’ll look to earn some playing time right away as a freshman for the Empire 8 school.

“Ben was a huge help during my entire process. He showed me how to write professional and attention grabbing emails, made multiple highlight reels for me, and taught me what to look for when trying to play college soccer. He guided me throughout the entire process and I couldn’t have done it without him.”

KAMAL SAAD: Nichols College. A 2025 Left Back from the Michigan Wolves in MLS Next, Kamal graduated from Northville High School. Kamal has played at a very high level for several years including time with the Lebanese National Team. He tackles hard and gets up and down the left wing exceptionally well. Kamal should play from Day 1 at the D3 program in Massachusetts.

“Ben would be someone you would love to have by your side in the recruiting process. From doing my highlight reels to reaching out to coaches for me, and guiding me through the process, I really appreciate what Ben contributed to my journey. Most importantly, as an athlete, having someone like Ben, who is well connected and can reach out to high level coaches while gathering detailed recruiting information about their positional needs and their direct stance on you as a player, is super helpful to both parties.”

CADEN WALKER: Union College. A 2025 CB out of Chicago, IL, Caden graduated from St. Ignatius Prep while playing his club soccer for Chicago Fire in the NPL. Caden is a big (6’2”/190 lbs), athletic defender who should make an immediate impact at Union.

“Coach Ben was instrumental in my recruitment process. He really focused on finding the best fit for me both on and off the field. His guidance throughout the recruiting process – from reaching out to coaches to helping me showcase my abilities – made a huge difference. I’m truly grateful for Coach Ben’s dedication, support, and belief in me. I would definitely recommend his work to anyone looking to play at the next level.”

“Ben helped me throughout my entire process within the portal. Ben was very attentive and kept pushing me to reach out to coaches. His many connections gave me drive in finding my next home. I would recommend him to anyone whose is having doubts when entering the transfer portal. 10/10.“

LUKE PONCIROLI: St. Louis University. From St. Louis, MO, Ponciroli attended Chaminade College Prep while playing for the ECNL U19 Scott Gallagher team. He is a versatile attacking box to box midfielder.

“Ben played a massive role in my recruitment process. He helped me connect with coaches and he talked to coaches on my behalf. Ben believed in me from the start and he knew I could do great things. The amount of effort Ben put into me is unbelievable. I most definitely would not be in the place I am right now without Ben. If you have a dream to play college soccer, Ben will make that dream a reality!”

DREW ROSEN – St. John’s University. From New York, NY, Rosen attended Winston Prep while playing his club soccer at Met Oval Academy, before choosing to attend St John’s.

“Ben was extremely helpful to me while I was going through the recruiting process as he had connections everywhere and has great knowledge about college sports. He helped me get my name out there in the college world, connecting me to various coaches. I eventually ended up at St. John’s University where I enjoyed a 5 year career.”

ZACH ROWELL – Umass Lowell. From Haverhill, MA, Rowell went to St John’s Prep and began his collegiate career at Assumption College. After his Freshman year at Assumption, Rowell transferred to UMass Lowell where he went on to start 16 of 19 total games through his career as a Goalkeeper.

“Ben was absolutely instrumental in guiding me in the transfer process within college soccer and helping me find the right home and rediscovering my love for the sport. He’s a knowledgeable, thorough, and incredibly passionate mentor and I would recommend him to anyone looking at finding their right place in collegiate athletics.”

HAYDEN LANDIS – Washington & Lee University. This Texas native was a pleasure to work with from the beginning as he found his dream Division 3 liberal arts school in Virginia. Landis is a hardworking defender who played his club at SA City in the ECNL and found himself as a top recruit in the Generals’ 2024 recruiting class.

“Ben was absolutely critical in my college soccer recruitment. From advice on emails to his countless connections in the college world, everything Ben does is first class. From the very beginning of my process Ben was there walking me through step by step. If you want to play at the elite collegiate level, Ben’s the man.”

SAM SIEGEL – University of Indianapolis. From St. Louis, MO, Siegel played his club with St. Louis FC in MLS Next. After getting limited action his first two years at Dayton, Siegel decided to transfer to Division 2, University of Indianapolis in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, while pursuing a pre-medicine path.

“Ben was very helpful during this transfer process. He had connections everywhere, along with extensive knowledge about college sports and specific programs. He helped guide me through this transition and gave me important advice for determining what program I should ultimately attend.”

ORLANDO CAVACEPPI-DOVE – Middlebury College. From Washington DC, Cavaceppi-Dove attended Sidwell Friends School while playing for Alexandria Soccer Club. He started 18 of 18 games in center midfield as a freshman, tallying 1 goal and 2 assists.

BEN BROPHY – Air Force Academy. The forward from Austin, TX, Brophy played for Lonestar Soccer Club from 2023-25 as well as varsity football for St. Michael’s Preparatory School. Brophy started 13 of 17 games for Air Force his freshman year.

CAROLINE APONTE – Catholic University. The sophomore transfer from Fordham University, Aponte started 17 of 20 games, leading the team in points with 6 goals and 4 assists. The Darien, CT native, Aponte appeared in 3 games as a freshman at Fordham before making the decision to transfer to Catholic. She became a 2025 1st Team All Landmark Conference selection, helping to lead Catholic to the Landmark Championship game.

SHAUNA O’BRIEN – Bucknell University. The class of 2027 striker from the 2009 FC Stars ECNL Blue National team, O’Brien committed to the Patriot League power, Bucknell University, this summer. The Topsfield native attends Pingree School.

Other colleges I’ve helped place high school student-athlete prospects to: 

• Princeton
• Brown
• St. Louis University
• Middlebury
• Bucknell
• Catholic
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Washington & Lee 
• Grinnell College
• Vermont
• Harvard
• Univ of Tampa
• Johns Hopkins
• Binghamton
• Florida Southern
• Tufts
• Eckerd College
• Union College
• University of Indianapolis

If interested in this service, please email me at bsling88@gmail.com.