Soccer center back benchmarks: what each level actually looks like
These are the numbers Athlete Quotient scores every soccer center back against - not a coach's opinion, and not a chart copied from a message board.
Center Back benchmarks by level
| Metric | D1 elite | D1 average | D1 below average | D2 average | D3 average | HS varsity average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assists Per Season | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Goals Per Season | 2.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
A D1 center back is not the same as a D1 soccer player in general. Against the sport-wide D1 average, this position asks for assists per season: 1.0 (3.0 lower than the soccer D1 average), goals per season: 0.8 (5.2 lower than the soccer D1 average).
See where your numbers actually land
A table tells you the bar. Your AQ Score tells you where you stand against it - all five dimensions, your gaps, and the level you actually fit, scored by the same engine these benchmarks come from. Your first score is free.
Get my free AQ ScoreOther soccer benchmarks
These are measured sport-wide rather than by position, so they apply to a center back the same way they apply to anyone else on the roster.
| Metric | D1 elite | D1 average | D1 below average | D2 average | D3 average | HS varsity average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beep Test Level | 13.5 | 12.0 | 10.5 | 10.0 | 9.5 | 9.0 |
| save_percentage | 0.789 | 0.710 | 0.686 | 0.662 | 0.626 | - |
| 2-Mile Run (minutes) | 11.75 | 12.00 | 12.80 | 13.00 | 13.30 | 13.80 |
Common questions
What is a good assists per season for a center back?
A D1 center back averages 1.0. D2 averages 0.4, D3 averages 0.3, and a high school varsity center back averages 0.2. Elite D1 is 2.0.
What is a good goals per season for a center back?
A D1 center back averages 0.8. D2 averages 0.3, D3 averages 0.2, and a high school varsity center back averages 0.1. Elite D1 is 2.0.
How to read these
Each column is a level, not a cutoff. "D1 average" is what a typical D1 center back does, which means roughly half of them are below it. "D1 elite" is the top of the distribution, not the entry price. Being under a column does not close a door - it tells you the size of the gap, which is the only number you can actually train against.
Benchmark set 2026.08.10+30cbb911a057. These tables are the same ones the scoring engine uses, exported from it rather than retyped, so a page can never quietly disagree with a score. Method: how AQ builds benchmarks.