Northern Arizona University (NAU) is the latest NCAA school to sign a university-wide deal with PlayerData, bringing GPS tracking technology to football, men’s and women’s basketball, and women’s soccer.

This school-wide setup means multiple teams can now use the same system to track athlete performance—without extra hassle. PlayerData’s tech is quick to set up, simple to manage, and all data uploads automatically to the cloud, so coaches don’t waste time with downloads or manual work.

“We’re delighted that NAU has chosen to leverage PlayerData’s cutting edge technology for their athletes,” said Christian Wood, a former Division 1 men’s soccer stand out and current Account Executive at PlayerData. “The system is quick and easy to set up, and it accurately delivers the distance and speed data coaches and players in football, basketball, and soccer need. This will no doubt ensure proper development and peak performance for their athletes.”

Before switching to PlayerData, NAU had only a few sets of GPS units that had to be shared between teams. Coaches had to coordinate who could use them, and there weren’t enough for every athlete. Now, with a university-wide rollout, each sport has its own set—making it easier for coaches to get the data they need, when they need it..

"We are blown away by what PlayerData brings to our athletic department. Before PlayerData, we had to share GPS units across sports and didn’t have enough for all the athletes who needed one,” said Kees Grondstra, Director of Olympic Strength and Conditioning at NAU. “Now, we’re able to kit out multiple sports. At NAU, we’re committed to offering our student-athletes a world-class experience, and PlayerData is helping us do just that." 

PlayerData got its start in the UK in 2017 and has since expanded globally – entering into the U.S. market in late 2023. As one of the most innovative sports tech companies on the planet, it’s no surprise that adoption of PlayerData has been rapid across professional, college, and grassroots sports in the States. In fact, both of the most recent Division 1 and Division 2 NCAA women’s soccer champions this past season are part of PlayerData’s robust client list – UNC and Cal Poly Pomona. 

PlayerData launched in the UK in 2017 and entered the U.S. market in 2023. It’s quickly becoming the go-to solution for colleges looking for an affordable, easy-to-use GPS system across all sports. Both the 2023 NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 women’s soccer champions—UNC and Cal Poly Pomona—used PlayerData last season.

“It’s very exciting to see a program like NAU implement our technology. We’re really proud to see it help boost performance for athletes all over the world,” said Roy Hotrabhvanon. “We wanted this technology to be accessible and transportable, and we’ve accomplished that. Our whole system fits easily into a backpack.”

Schools across the country are realizing the value of school-wide performance tracking. PlayerData makes it easy to give every coach and every team the tools they need—without overcomplicating the process.