I agree with those who feel conference doesn't matter as much as the quality and visibility of the individual team. There are two sorts of players: team first or me first. (Clearly many fall into some sort of sliding scale between the two, but it's usually weighted one way or the other.) The team first players will go for any program that gives them playing time so they can contribute and the ability to win within whatever conference they're in. That doesn't necessarily mean a championship; some kids end up in mid-level programs because they're mid-level players and it's the best fit. They just want to be in a program that's competitive. The top players obviously are searching for a national-championship level team, and those are scattered about the country. No matter the level, a high level of importance is placed on being comfortable in the location of the school, the school facilities (and that's beyond athletic facilities, there are a lot of really smart kids playing sports) and of course team chemistry. Also falling into this category are those players who are really in it for the education, and the athletic scholarship is their vehicle.