Author

Preston Viltz

Co-founder and Head of Growth, NextCommit

Preston Viltz is a co-founder and Head of Growth at NextCommit. He played college baseball at Sacramento State, Lower Columbia College, and the University of Washington after graduating from Kentridge High School in 2018, and he ran his own recruiting outreach as a lightly recruited player, which is the process NextCommit was built to fix.

Background

Preston Viltz co-founded NextCommit after a college baseball career that ran through three levels of the game. He graduated from Kentridge High School in Kent, Washington in 2018, started at Sacramento State, played at Lower Columbia College, and finished at the University of Washington.

Preston was not a heavily recruited player and did most of his own outreach to coaches. That experience, and a spreadsheet of coach contacts shared by a former coach, became the starting point for NextCommit. He now leads growth and partnerships, including the club and organization programs.

Outside of baseball he appeared on Netflix's Squid Game: The Challenge. His writing covers football, softball, and soccer recruiting timelines, showcase strategy, and the recruiting calendar.

Credentials

  • Co-founder and Head of Growth, NextCommit
  • College baseball: Sacramento State, Lower Columbia College, University of Washington
  • Kentridge High School, Class of 2018

Covered by

Profiles

How NextCommit writes, sources, and corrects its guides is described in the editorial policy.

Guides by Preston

Recruiting Benchmarks

Average 40-Yard Dash Time: 4.8-5.2 for High School. Good 40 Times by Age & Position (2026)

See average and strong 40 times for every age from 12 to 18, the ranges college coaches want from WRs, DBs, RBs, LBs, linemen, and QBs at every division, and how to report your speed credibly.

Updated August 30, 2026

Recruiting Benchmarks

Average Softball Pitching Speed by Age: 10U-18U Chart + D1 Benchmarks (2026)

See average and strong pitching speeds for every age group, how fast D1 softball pitchers actually throw, and how movement and spin fit into the recruiting evaluation.

Updated August 16, 2026

Recruiting Process

National Signing Day 2027: Dates, Deadlines, and What the Class of 2027 Needs to Know

Every signing date the Class of 2027 needs: the December 4, 2026 early signing period, National Signing Day on February 5, 2027, what replaced the NLI, and the play if you are still unsigned.

Updated August 30, 2026

Recruiting Process

NCAA Recruiting Calendar 2026-2027: Contact Periods and Key Dates for Every Sport

One page with the 2026-2027 recruiting dates that matter: what each NCAA period allows, when coaches can contact you in every sport, and every signing window for the Classes of 2027 and 2028.

Updated August 16, 2026

Soccer Recruiting

How To Get Recruited For College Soccer: Timeline, Film & Emails

A practical college soccer recruiting guide for athletes who need film, profile, coach outreach, and a realistic school list before the best rosters fill.

Updated June 29, 2026

Soccer Recruiting

Soccer Highlight Video For Recruiting: Clips, Length & Coach Checklist

A coach-ready soccer highlight video should show role, level, pressure decisions, and repeatable actions, not just the prettiest goals or tackles.

Updated June 29, 2026

Recruiting Process

Softball Recruiting Timeline & Calendar (2026-2027): NCAA Dates, Showcases, Standards

Use this 2026-2027 softball recruiting calendar to know what to do freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior year, including contact dates, showcases, measurable tracking, and coach outreach.

Updated July 20, 2026

Recruiting Process

How to Get Recruited for College Softball: Grade-by-Grade Plan, Key Dates & Measurables (2026-2027)

Most softball families wait too long and target the wrong programs. Here is the data-driven roadmap with NCAA dates, division measurables, and the outreach process that actually gets coaches to reply.

Updated August 30, 2026

Recruiting Process

How to Get Recruited for College Football: Step-by-Step Process, Measurables & Camp Plan (2026-2027)

Most high school football players never email a college coach. The ones who do, and who know their measurables by division before they hit send, are the ones who end up on rosters. Here is the full playbook.

Updated August 30, 2026

Recruiting Process

Football Recruiting Timeline: The Grade-by-Grade Process From Freshman Year to Signing Day

The grade-by-grade football recruiting process: what to do freshman through senior year, when coaches can contact you, and how to run outreach, camps, visits, and signing decisions.

Updated August 16, 2026