Suicide Rates Among NCAA Athletes
Have DOUBLED in 20 Years.

We're losing student-athletes—not because they're weak, but because we're failing them. Next Play Partners provides sport-specific mental health programs for all 48 NCAA sports to stop the crisis before it's too late.

Schedule a Demo View All 48 Sports Take Assessment

How It Works

A comprehensive 4-step process to transform your athletic program's mental health support

1
Assessment
Athletes complete our Next Play Identity Assessment to identify their current mental health needs and identity development stage.
2
Sport-Specific Curriculum
Each team receives a customized 24-week curriculum designed specifically for their sport's unique pressures and challenges.
3
Weekly Conversations
Coaches facilitate 15-minute team discussions using our conversation cards—no mental health expertise required.
4
Ongoing Support
Athletes build resilience, develop identity beyond sport, and gain tools to navigate transitions—all before crisis hits.

The Student-Athlete Mental Health Crisis

2x Suicide rates DOUBLED since 2002
NCAA GOALS Study, 2023
64.5% Have elevated anxiety levels
NCAA Mental Health Best Practices, 2023
83% Struggle with identity loss when sports end
Journal of Athletic Training, 2022
10% Actually seek help (stigma prevents 90%)
NCAA Mental Health Initiative, 2024

Sport-Specific Programs for All 48 NCAA Sports

Every sport is different. Every curriculum is customized. Click any sport to learn more.

View All 48 Complete Curriculums

Flexible Pricing for Every Athletic Department

Investment varies based on number of sports, total athletes, and level of support. All tiers include complete 24-week curriculums, conversation cards, and assessment tools.

Pilot Program
2-3 sports • 50-100 athletes
  • Sport-specific 24-week curriculums
  • Conversation card sets
  • Assessment tools
  • Implementation guide
  • Email support
Prove ROI with real results before expanding
Get Pricing
Full Department
6-12 sports • 200-400 athletes
  • All Pilot Program features
  • Dedicated account manager
  • On-site training
  • Quarterly progress reviews
  • Priority support
Fan Favorite - Best Balance of Impact & Support
Get Pricing
Complete Program
All sports • 400+ athletes
  • All Full Department features
  • Crisis intervention protocols
  • Custom curriculum modifications
  • Alumni engagement support
  • 24/7 emergency support
Comprehensive solution for entire athletic program
Get Pricing

Conference-Wide Solutions

Looking to implement Next Play Partners across your entire conference? We offer custom packages for conferences of all sizes—bringing consistent, evidence-based mental health support to every school.

Conference Package
All schools • All sports • Unified support
  • ✓ Consistent implementation across all member schools
  • ✓ Conference-wide training & support
  • ✓ Aggregate data & insights across conference
  • ✓ Volume pricing for maximum value
  • ✓ Dedicated conference account manager
Request Conference Proposal

Final pricing customized based on your program size, sports coverage, and support needs. Contact us for a detailed quote.

Founder's Story

Maddi Banks - Former Division I Athlete & Mental Health Advocate

I played softball since I was five. Virginia Tech. Ole Miss. Miami of Ohio. I loved being a college athlete. But no one—not one person at any of those universities—prepared me for who I would be when softball ended. When I graduated, I didn't know what to do with my day. I had no team. No practice. No purpose. And I realized: I had no idea who I was without softball.

"We don't need to wait until athletes are in crisis. We need to build their mental resilience and identity development from day one—before the anxiety, before the depression, before it's too late."

I got a phone call at 1 AM. One of my teammates wanted to commit suicide.

Our sports psychologist was contacted. We got her into a mental health institute. She got better. She came back. She had a great season. Thank God I got that phone call.

But here's what haunts me: I shouldn't have been the one getting that call.

That's why I created Next Play Partners. After years of research, conversations with hundreds of athletes, and collaboration with sports psychologists, I built what I wish had existed for me: sport-specific mental health programs that prevent crisis instead of just responding to it.

Every curriculum is tailored to the specific pressures of each sport. Every conversation card is designed for athletes to use whenever they need reflection, self-discovery, and team bonding. Every assessment helps athletes build identity beyond their sport before they need it.

This is personal. This is urgent. And this is designed to make a difference.

Read My Full Story Let's Talk About Your Program

Get Started Today

Schedule a demo to see our sport-specific curriculums in action. We'll respond within 24 hours.

Research Citations

  1. NCAA Sport Science Institute. (2023). NCAA GOALS Study: Mental Health Trends Among Student-Athletes. Indianapolis, IN: National Collegiate Athletic Association.
  2. NCAA Mental Health Best Practices. (2023). Inter-Association Consensus Document: Mental Health Best Practices. Retrieved from NCAA.org
  3. Petrie, T. A., & Diehl, N. S. (2022). Sport commitment and the competitive athlete: Understanding identity foreclosure. Journal of Athletic Training, 57(8), 756-764.
  4. Brown, G. T., et al. (2024). Barriers to mental health service utilization among collegiate athletes. NCAA Mental Health Initiative Research Brief.
  5. Wolanin, A., et al. (2016). Prevalence of clinically elevated depressive symptoms in college athletes and differences by gender and sport. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 50(3), 167-173.