Importance of Recs vs. friends

[UNCalum]

I've been reading a lot about the importance of Recs, especially in the SEC schools. I had a situation a few years ago that makes me think they aren't as crucial in some schools in different parts of the country. One of my friends from college asked me to write a Rec for her daughter who was going through rush at UVa. I happily wrote one, and know that at least 6 other friends from our sorority wrote one for her too. She loved our house, but was cut after second round. Several of her summer camp friends were in a different sorority and she wound up pledging there. To her knowledge, she didn't have even one Rec to that house (somehow I think someone in the sorority scrambled and got her one). She just had several active members standing up at the bid session and speaking up on her behalf. She only knew a few girls at her Mom's sorority and didn't know them well. It makes me wonder about the regional influence that Recs might have. I know UVa has a strong Greek presence and they have something like 18 or 19 sororities. In this situation the current members influence outweighed the letters written by alumni.