DeSales vs Lebanon Valley: Softball Program Comparison

Two D3 programs in the MAC. DeSales runs $7,060 less per year.

Which one is right for you?

Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.

Lean DeSales if…

  • The number on the bill matters: DeSales lists $7,060 less per year in tuition and housing than Lebanon Valley, and neither charges by residency.
  • You want to leave with less owed: median debt at DeSales is $1,212 lower than at Lebanon Valley.
  • You need an evaluation this summer: we track 1 camp at DeSales against none listed at Lebanon Valley.

Lean Lebanon Valley if…

  • On the figures we hold, Lebanon Valley does not lead DeSales on any measure above. If you are choosing between them, the deciding factors are the ones no table holds: how the staff talks to you, where you would sit on the depth chart, and whether you would want to be there without softball.

What it costs to go there

Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.

What it costs to go there: DeSales compared with Lebanon Valley
MeasureDeSalesLebanon Valley
Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency.$44,800 DeSales leads on this measure: lower published tuition$50,320
Room & board$13,800 DeSales leads on this measure: lower room & board$15,340
Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.$58,600 DeSales leads on this measure: lower total cost per year$65,660

What you leave with

Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.

What you leave with: DeSales compared with Lebanon Valley
MeasureDeSalesLebanon Valley
Graduation rate71%73%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry$61,295/yr$62,621/yr
Median debt at graduation$25,788 DeSales leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door$27,000
Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.42%43%

Getting in, and what you'd walk into

Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.

Getting in, and what you'd walk into: DeSales compared with Lebanon Valley
MeasureDeSalesLebanon Valley
Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit.77%84%
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.2,9192,142
Where it isCenter Valley, PAAnnville, PA

The softball program itself

Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.

The softball program itself: DeSales compared with Lebanon Valley
MeasureDeSalesLebanon Valley
Head coachRachel TuroscyScot Adams

How you actually get in front of them

Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.

How you actually get in front of them: DeSales compared with Lebanon Valley
MeasureDeSalesLebanon Valley
Camps we track1 listed (1 with dates)
Recruiting questionnaireYesYes
Program on X / InstagramYesYes

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at NCAA Division III, so the scholarship rules are identical: 0 (no athletic scholarships). There are no athletic scholarships at D3 — by rule. But D3 schools often award generous academic merit and need-based aid that can rival an athletic scholarship elsewhere.

How D3 softball scholarships actually work →

What to do about it this week

Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. A program's own camp is where its staff does most of its evaluating — submit the questionnaire first so they know to look for you.

DeSales

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

Lebanon Valley

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

DeSales vs Lebanon Valley: common questions

Is DeSales or Lebanon Valley cheaper?
On published price, DeSales is cheaper — about $58,600 a year in tuition and housing, against $65,660 at Lebanon Valley. That is sticker price; athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off it, so ask both coaches what an actual offer would look like.
Which school graduates more of its students, DeSales or Lebanon Valley?
Lebanon Valley, at 73% against 71% at DeSales (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do DeSales and Lebanon Valley offer softball scholarships?
Both play at NCAA Division III: 0 (no athletic scholarships). There are no athletic scholarships at D3 — by rule. But D3 schools often award generous academic merit and need-based aid that can rival an athletic scholarship elsewhere.
Do DeSales and Lebanon Valley run softball camps?
We track 1 camp at DeSales and none currently listed at Lebanon Valley. Camp listings change through the year — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
How do I contact the coaches at DeSales and Lebanon Valley?
Both programs run a recruiting questionnaire, and that is the right first move — it is exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit it at any age. Fill out both, then follow with an email to each staff.

Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.

We work hard to keep all data for DeSales and Lebanon Valley accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

Still deciding between them?

Track both programs, log every coach you contact, and see where you actually stand against each one's recruiting profile.

Start free

Other comparisons worth making