So I know nothing about athletic recruiting but I an an NYU parent. Here’s a snip from a recent college publication that might be informative:
“Beckman said that as a Division III school, athletics play no role in the admissions process at NYU.
“[O]ur athletic teams are populated with students admitted through the standard admissions process,” the statement reads. “At NYU, the Athletics Department is not empowered to prescribe that certain students be admitted, nor do coaches have direct contact with admissions officers about particular candidates whom they may be interested in having for their teams."