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Division I · Big Ten Conference

Michigan State University Softball

East Lansing, MI · the Spartans · Michigan State University overview
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24
Roster
room for 1 under the cap of 25
$2.1M
Team budget
83rd percentile in Division I
$88,810
Per roster spot
median $46,727
4
Coaches
1 head · 3 assistant
988
APR
99% of players retained
84%
Admitted
lower half for selectivity

Michigan State University fields a softball team in the Big Ten Conference (NCAA Division I). In 2024–25 the roster carried 24 players, about the median of 23, with 1 head coach and 3 assistants. Team expenses were $2,131,446, well above the median of $1.1M — $88,810 per roster spot, top quarter of Division I softball programs. That leaves room for 1 under the Division I roster cap of 25 in force from 2025-26. The team's multi-year Academic Progress Rate is 988, about the median of 989, with 99% of players retained year to year. The school gave $8,241,631 in athletic aid across its women's teams, about $18,562 per roster spot.

Among Division I softball programs

Where this program sits against its 305 peers (percentile; the tick is the median).

#54Team budgetof 305 · Division I#55Spend per playerof 305 · Division I#98Roster sizeof 305 · Division I#151APRof 305 · Division I
Team budget$2.1M
Spend per player$88,810
Roster size24
Coaching staff4
APR988

Team budgets across the division

$234k$8.2M
this programevery Division I softball program

Roster sizes (cap 25)

1435
this programevery Division I roster

The program

  • Roster24 2024–25 season
  • Division I roster cap25 room for 1
  • Coaching staff1 head, 3 assistant
  • Team expenses$2,131,446 for the year
  • Operating expenses$523,468 game-day and travel
  • Spend per roster spot$88,810 division median $46,727
  • Academic Progress Rate988 multi-year; 976 latest
  • Players retained99% year to year
  • Eligible99% of player-terms
  • Athletic aid, women's teams$8,241,631 school-wide
  • Aid per roster spot$18,562 across women's teams
  • Recruiting spend, women's$749,892 school-wide

Coaching staff

NameTitleEmail
Sharonda Kelley head coachHead Coachnot on file
Sharonda McDonald-KelleyHead Coachnot on file
Danielle StengerAssistant Coach / Pitching CoachOn file · sign in
Bethaney WellsAssistant Coach / Hitting CoachOn file · sign in
Justin RickertDirector of Softball OperationsOn file · sign in
Annie SmithAssistant CoachOn file · sign in
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Recruiting timing

  • Coaches may first contact youSeptember 1 of junior year
  • Your own emailsAny time the rule limits what coaches send back
  • High-school softball players338,315 2024-25
  • Division I roster spots7,038 305 programs
  • Odds of a spot1 in 48 2.1% of high-school players hold a Division I roster spot

General NCAA rule for Division I; the softball recruiting guide has the date for each grad year, the eligibility checklist and what to put in a first email.

About the school

What an athlete asks first — each panel opens the full picture.

Campus

Full picture →
40,483undergraduates · 51,316 students in all
Women 53% Men 47%
Setting
City
Type
Public · Research university
Affiliation
None

Getting in

Full picture →
84%admitted · of 58,879 applicants
SAT middle 50%1150 – 1350
ACT middle 50%26 – 31
Test scores
Test-optional
Graduate in 6 yrs
83%

Softball

Full picture →
24on the roster · 2024–25 season
Roster vs the D-I cap of 2524
room for 1
Academic Progress Rate988
99% of players kept year to year
Team expenses
$2,131,446 $88,810 per roster spot · top quarter of Division I
Coaches
1 head · 3 assistant
Athletic aid, women's teams
$8,241,631
Recruiting spend, women's
$749,892

Cost

Full picture →
$24,630net price · after grants, aided first-years
Sticker, in-state$32,668
Sticker, out-of-state$60,052
Average net price$24,630
Net price by family income
$0–30k$8,119
$30–48k$13,980
$48–75k$20,378
$75–110k$25,940
$110k and up$28,327
Tuition & fees
$17,270 in-state · $44,040 out

Campus safety

Full picture →
1.46violent offences per 1,000 · students a year, 2022–2024
Violent1.46
Property1.36
In residence halls
52 burglaries · 109 sex offences over 2022–2024
Residence-hall fires
59 over 2022–2024

Majors

Full picture →
17%of bachelor's degrees in business · 28 fields · Bachelor's, Doctorate, Master's
Business1,469 · 17%
Biological sciences1,240 · 14%
Communication & journalism852 · 10%
Engineering754 · 9%
Social sciences683 · 8%

Research Michigan State University

School pages built around what an athlete needs to know — the program's money and roster room, admissions fit, what a family really pays, majors, campus life and safety.

Softball program24 on the rosterPeers, percentiles, nearby programs, comparisonsRankingsWhere it standsEvery list this school is on, nationally and in its divisionAdmissions84% admittedSAT/ACT ladders, test policy, graduationCost & aid$24,630 net priceSticker vs net price by family income, athletic aidMajorsBusiness · 17%Every field and program with degrees awardedCampusCity · 40,483Setting, who is on campus, housing costs, servicesCampus safety1.46 violent / 1,000Three years of reported offences against the divisionAthleticsEvery teamThe whole department: every team, staff and aid

Softball programs within 150 miles

Michigan State UniversityThe University of Olivet · 30 miAlbion College · 36 miAlma College · 46 miUniversity of Michigan · 49 miDavenport University · 54 miHillsdale College · 56 miCalvin University · 58 miSaginaw Valley State University · 60 miCentral Michigan University · 61 miAdrian College · 61 miNorthwood University · 63 miOakland University · 64 mi
SchoolMilesRosterBudgetAPRAdmitted
The University of Olivet Division III · Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association3017$56k—97%
Albion College Division III · Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association3627$223k—83%
Alma College Division III · Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association4631$262k—66%
University of Michigan Division I · Big Ten Conference4925$3.2M100018%
Davenport University Division II · Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference5424$511k—97%
Hillsdale College Division II · Great Midwest Athletic Conference56———21%
Calvin University Division III · Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association5825$219k—71%
Saginaw Valley State University Division II · Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference6024$581k—73%
Central Michigan University Division I · Mid-American Conference6124$943k99791%
Adrian College Division III · Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association6121$168k—68%
Northwood University Division II · Great Midwest Athletic Conference6342$424k—84%
Oakland University Division I · Horizon League6422$699k98570%

Other softball programs in the Big Ten Conference

SchoolRosterBudgetPer playerAPRCompare
University of Nebraska-Lincoln 2 over cap27$4.4M$164,016997vs
University of Washington room for 520$4.4M$218,581997vs
University of Oregon room for 223$4M$174,240962vs
University of California, Los Angeles room for 223$3.9M$171,560977vs
University of Michigan at cap25$3.2M$128,3081000vs
Northwestern University room for 520$2.9M$145,522992vs
University of Wisconsin-Madison 2 over cap27$2.6M$97,8961000vs
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities room for 520$2.6M$129,274993vs
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick room for 520$2.6M$128,751997vs
The Ohio State University room for 322$2.5M$113,577988vs
Indiana University, Bloomington room for 619$2.5M$131,482997vs
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 2 over cap27$2.4M$87,934994vs
University of Iowa 1 over cap26$2.3M$90,354976vs
Pennsylvania State University room for 421$2.3M$108,807984vs
Purdue University room for 124$2.3M$94,818969vs
Michigan State University room for 124$2.1M$88,810988vs
University of Maryland, College Park room for 520$1.8M$89,544990vs

Every Big Ten Conference softball program · Softball budgets ranked