Lake Erie vs Walsh: Softball Program Comparison
Two D2 programs in the G-MAC. Walsh lists $1,437 less in tuition; Walsh graduates 20 points more of its students.
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 Lake Erie if…
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Lake Erie is $1,000 lower than at Walsh.
Lean Walsh if…
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Walsh graduates 20 percentage points more of its students than Lake Erie.
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: Walsh graduates earn about $9,347 more per year a decade after enrolling.
- You need an evaluation this summer: we track 1 camp at Walsh against none listed at Lake Erie.
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.
| Measure | Lake Erie | Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency. | $36,032 | $34,595 — Walsh leads on this measure: lower published tuition |
| Room & board | $11,592 | $11,810 |
| Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $47,624 | $46,405 |
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.
| Measure | Lake Erie | Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 42% | 62% — Walsh leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $50,417/yr | $59,764/yr — Walsh leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 — Lake Erie 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. | 52% | 45% — Walsh leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn |
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.
| Measure | Lake Erie | Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit. | 70% | 71% |
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 942 | 2,160 |
| Where it is | Painesville, OH | North Canton, OH |
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.
| Measure | Lake Erie | Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Shannon Schaub | Katie Connell |
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.
| Measure | Lake Erie | Walsh |
|---|---|---|
| Camps we track | — | 1 listed (1 with dates) |
| Recruiting questionnaire | Yes | Yes |
| Program on X / Instagram | Yes | Yes |
Scholarship money, honestly
Both programs sit at NCAA Division II, so the scholarship rules are identical: 7.2 (equivalency). Full athletic rides are rare at D2. With 7.2 equivalencies spread across a roster, nearly every scholarship is partial — but athletic aid stacks with academic and need-based aid.
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.
Lake Erie
Open the recruiting questionnaireCamps we track
None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
Walsh
Open the recruiting questionnaireCamps we track
- Advanced High School Prospect Clinic08/17/2026 · 9th Grade - 12th Grade · $75
Lake Erie vs Walsh: common questions
- Is Lake Erie or Walsh cheaper?
- Published cost is effectively the same — about $47,624 a year in tuition and housing at both, before any aid. Cost is unlikely to be what decides this one.
- Which school graduates more of its students, Lake Erie or Walsh?
- Walsh, at 62% against 42% at Lake Erie (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Lake Erie and Walsh offer softball scholarships?
- Both play at NCAA Division II: 7.2 (equivalency). Full athletic rides are rare at D2. With 7.2 equivalencies spread across a roster, nearly every scholarship is partial — but athletic aid stacks with academic and need-based aid.
- Do Lake Erie and Walsh run softball camps?
- We track 1 camp at Walsh and none currently listed at Lake Erie. Camp listings change through the year — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
- How do I contact the coaches at Lake Erie and Walsh?
- 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 Lake Erie and Walsh 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.
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