Lenoir-Rhyne vs Mount Olive: Softball Program Comparison
Two D2 programs. Mount Olive runs $6,222 less per year; Mount Olive graduates 4 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 Lenoir-Rhyne if…
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Lenoir-Rhyne is $1,209 lower than at Mount Olive.
Lean Mount Olive if…
- The number on the bill matters: Mount Olive lists $6,222 less per year in tuition and housing than Lenoir-Rhyne, and neither charges by residency.
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Mount Olive graduates 4 percentage points more of its students than Lenoir-Rhyne.
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: Mount Olive graduates earn about $1,596 more per year a decade after enrolling.
- You need an evaluation this summer: we track 1 camp at Mount Olive against none listed at Lenoir-Rhyne.
What it costs to go there
Published sticker price: tuition from the federal College Scorecard, room and board 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 | Lenoir-Rhyne | Mount Olive |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency. | $31,900 | $27,366 — Mount Olive leads on this measure: lower published tuition |
| Room & board | $12,900 | $11,212 — Mount Olive leads on this measure: lower room & board |
| Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $44,800 | $38,578 — Mount Olive leads on this measure: lower total cost per year |
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 | Lenoir-Rhyne | Mount Olive |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 48% | 52% — Mount Olive leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $45,543/yr | $47,139/yr — Mount Olive leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 — Lenoir-Rhyne leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door | $27,209 |
| Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back. | 57% | 58% |
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 | Lenoir-Rhyne | Mount Olive |
|---|---|---|
| Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit. | 85% | 76% |
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 2,230 | 2,128 |
| Where it is | Hickory, NC | Mount Olive, NC |
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 | Lenoir-Rhyne | Mount Olive |
|---|---|---|
| Conference | SAC | CC |
| Head coach | Shena Hollar | Jason Deitz |
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 | Lenoir-Rhyne | Mount Olive |
|---|---|---|
| Camps we track | — | 1 listed (1 with dates) |
| Recruiting questionnaire | Yes | Yes |
| Program on X / Instagram | 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.
Lenoir-Rhyne
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.
Mount Olive
Open the recruiting questionnaireCamps we track
- All Skills & Scrimmages12/05/2026 · 8th Grade - 12th Grade · $275
Lenoir-Rhyne vs Mount Olive: common questions
- Is Lenoir-Rhyne or Mount Olive cheaper?
- On published price, Mount Olive is cheaper — about $38,578 a year in tuition and housing, against $44,800 at Lenoir-Rhyne. 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, Lenoir-Rhyne or Mount Olive?
- Mount Olive, at 52% against 48% at Lenoir-Rhyne (College Scorecard). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Lenoir-Rhyne and Mount Olive 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 Lenoir-Rhyne and Mount Olive run softball camps?
- We track 1 camp at Mount Olive and none currently listed at Lenoir-Rhyne. Camp listings change through the year — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
- How do I contact the coaches at Lenoir-Rhyne and Mount Olive?
- 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.
Tuition, graduation, earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard (U.S. Dept. of Education, released June 10, 2026). Room and board, enrollment, and graduation rates at two-year colleges from IPEDS (2023-2024). 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 Lenoir-Rhyne and Mount Olive accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.
Still deciding between them?
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