There are a lot of sports/conferences/divisions that do have athletes announcing much earlier than senior year. Many of my daughter’s friends announced as sophomores (which has now been changed to Sept 1 of junior year by coaches’ rules). Even the Ivy school athletes did/do because they are competing for spots at top academic/top athletic schools and they can’t just wait until senior year or there will be no spots left.
It’s going to be even more of a balancing act with the new rules of few limits on scholarship dollars. Of course the schools can put limits on the scholarship, but where they used to be limited to X number of scholarships and those looking for money had to move on once a coach gave it all out, now the coach may be able to find some more money, or a booster can give money or the athletic director can move scholarships from soccer to hockey or basketball. It’s going to make things a scramble in the end.
The students will have to weigh the academics they are looking for, the money, the playing time available with increased roster sizes and a dozen other things. But if the student is looking across several conferences or divisions, I suggest not waiting until the summer before senior year. Many spots will be gone before then, even in the Ivies and NEACAC. The coaches may not be able to process pre-reads or give out official offers, but many know who the top picks are long before then. A student deciding between Duke and Yale or Stanford and Harvard may have to let Duke/Stanford know before July 1.