Lightning\'s College Matchmaker (included with the Pro tier) generates a personalized target list of college programs that fit your recruit\'s actual numbers. It runs nightly against your verified stats and updates as your numbers change. Here\'s what\'s under the hood.
Inputs
The Matchmaker pulls from your profile:
- Verified stats by position — 60-yard time, pitch velocity, batting line, etc. (Sport-specific; pulls only relevant metrics.)
- Grad year — determines which recruiting class to match against.
- Height, weight, position — used as filters at programs with position-specific size preferences.
- Academic profile — GPA, SAT/ACT — to filter for schools where you\'re both athletically AND academically realistic.
- Geographic preferences — region(s) you\'re willing to attend.
- School-size preferences — large state school, mid-size, small liberal arts.
Matching logic
For each potential college program, the Matchmaker checks:
- Athletic level fit. Are your verified stats within the typical range that program recruits? (Uses division-level benchmarks and the program\'s historical recruiting data.)
- Position fit. Does the program need your position in your recruiting class?
- Academic fit. Are your grades and test scores admissable at that school?
- Geographic fit. Is the school in a region you\'ll accept?
Each program gets a match score (1–100) reflecting how well it fits across all dimensions. The Matchmaker surfaces your top 50 matches, sorted by score, with the contact info you need to reach out.
What you get back
For each matched school:
- Program name + division + region
- Head coach + position coach contact info (email, phone where public)
- Recent recruiting class profile (so you know the type of athlete they target)
- Suggested outreach email template (AI-generated, you edit)
- Match score breakdown showing WHY this school is a fit
What it isn\'t
- It isn\'t a guarantee. A high match score means the program is a realistic target, not that they\'ll offer.
- It doesn\'t auto-submit your profile. The Matchmaker surfaces targets and writes drafts; YOU send the email. Coaches respond to athletes, not to platforms.
- It isn\'t a "spray and pray" outreach tool. Sending 200 generic emails to 200 schools doesn\'t work in college recruiting. The Matchmaker gives you 50 realistic targets so you can craft 50 personalized messages.
How to use it well
- Build a complete profile with verified stats first. The Matchmaker is only as good as the inputs.
- Run the Matchmaker, review the top 50.
- Sort into tiers: 10 reach, 20 target, 20 safety. Reach out to the target tier first; that\'s where most offers come from.
- Personalize every email. The AI draft is a starting point — add one specific reason you\'re interested in THIS program.
- Re-run the Matchmaker each semester as your stats and academic profile change.