My DD is a recruit at a D3 LAC and she applied ED. She received an email from the coach the other day that indicated the admissions staff is aware she is a recruit and hopefully in the next couple of weeks she should be hearing great news. This school is her first choice and she is very nervous.
Not really a Likely since not from admissions but should be taken as excellent news in any event. I don’t think the coach would be telling her to expect great news unless he had a sound basis for doing so. I would definitely he knows which of his prospies are on the accept list.
A true LL is from the admissions office and says something along the lines of. “Congratulations, you can expect a positive notification on the official date provided that you maintain your grades, etc” So your daughter’s email isn’t really equivalent to a LL, but in the world of D3 athletics, that’s about as positive of an indication as you can expect.