<p>Oftentimes, Colgate's Div. I Athletics are cited to distinguish it from the other selective LAC's.
If you're a prospective student-athlete who wants to combine the academic opportunities of a selective LAC with Colgate's niche in Div. I, that may be an attractive enticement to apply/enroll.</p>
<p>But, I wonder how significant a draw this is for the student who doesn't plan to participate in intercollegiate athletics ? Is this a draw for them ? Is there a significant % of the student body that regularly follow teams and attend a range of intercollegiate contests ? Is there enthusiasm for Patriot League and ECAC hockey tournaments when teams qualify ? </p>
<p>Is this distinction between Colgate's Div. I sports and NESCAC Div. III sports that significant ?</p>
<p>As a student and now as an alumnus, I have long supported Colgate varsity sports. Yes, I have attended lots of soccer, football, field hockey, volleyball, basketball, ice hockey, lacrosse and softball games as well as swimming and tennis. </p>
<p>Why?</p>
<p>There’s the quality of the competition matched by commitment of my friends who practice and compete. No, you cannot compare what the NESCAC schools do at their level with Patriot League and ECAC caliber student-athletes and coaches e.g. nearby Hamilton College’s 8 game season in football.</p>
<p>Then there is Colgate’s tradition as self-proclaimed “giant killer” whereby Colgate competes often against schools many times its size. This is a source pf pride to me and the idea that Colgate ever drop to D III is anathema to the typical ‘gate alumnus’ or alumna’s DNA.</p>
<p>For many of us, sports is one of the big draws to visiting campus for the weekend alongside
opportunties to engage with students and our former professors. And the Colgate administration, in supportng these activities, makes our campus vital, productive and enjoyable for us!</p>
<p>In a couple of months the Patriot League will formally welcome new full members Boston University and Loyola of Baltimore, Maryland. The addition will bring challenges to Colgate and the other founding schools but we encourage what that means- a vital competitive varsity sports atmosphere for those who choose to participate.</p>
<p>Go 'gate and good luck with your college search!</p>
<p>Thanks for your response, Markham.</p>
<p>To answer one of the specific questions that I’m asking, I’d like you to get outside of your own preferences, for the moment.</p>
<p>To many who apply to LAC’s, Williams is considered a very “Sporty” campus culture among the competitive well known schools listed on this Board. But Williams plays NESCAC Div III competition.</p>
<p>For the non-student athlete, is watching Div. III athletic events a “downer” compared to watching competition in the Patriot League or ECAC hockey ? </p>
<p>Granted, the alumni probably get enthused about a “giant-killing” venture like the Gate football team’s encounter with the Air Force Academy next year. But will that game engender more enthusiasm among current non-student athletes at Colgate than the annual Williams-Amherst football game ?</p>
<p>Would Colgate lose alot of its overall distinctive luster if it played NESCAC Div. III sports and had to be judged as just another LAC, albeit with its remaining distinctive features ? Is there a real benefit to the 2300 plus non-student athletes of attending this LAC because of its Div. I sports ? Is part of that level of Div. I competition actually reflected in a unique cultural experiece for current non student-athletes ? Or is it myth ? Is it as relevant today to the men and women who aren’t going to play intercollegiate sports who choose Colgate today over other LAC’s ?</p>
<p>I don’t attend Colgate but I think it would be very unwise for the school to eliminate D-1 sports. Most LACs suffer tremendously from a lack of name recognition. On the East Coast, I was always familiar with Colgate however I never heard of schools like Bowdoin, Colby, Bates, etc. until I stumbled on College Confidential.</p>
<p>I really feel the D-3 comparison of Williams-Amherst is a bad comparison. Those two LACs are probably the strongest and already have powerful name recognition for LACs. </p>
<p>If Colgate slipped to D-3 and became rivals with Hamilton, it would hurt the schools name recognition and I think it would take away one of the schools primary selling points.</p>
<p>I agree that dropping Div. I athletics would hurt Colgate’s name recognition.
I’ve also acknowledged that Div. I sports are great for galvanizing Alumni interest, especially in sports that get national TV exposure or represent “giant killing” competition, from time to time, as happens in the football, hockey and lacrosse seasons.</p>
<p>But, the question remains unanswered as to whether many non-student athletes are drawn to attend Colgate because it’s an LAC that plays Div. I sports? More specifically, does Colgate’s participation in Div. I sports contribute to a unique campus culture that might motivate a student to choose to attend Colgate over an equally or more selective LAC or national university ?</p>