Hi! I am a girl and I am finishing up my sophomore year of highschool. I’m a competitive track runner. I usually run between a 5:15 and a 5:20 for the mile and my 800 PR is a 2:24. I can also go down to a 63 in the 400 or a 28 in the 200.My two top choices are Middlebury and Williams (I plan to email the coaches next week!). I also would love to know which school, between Bowdoin/Colby/Bates, has the most competitive women’s track program. As for academics I haven’t taken the SATs but I have a high gpa (3.96 UW and 5.93 W on 4.0 scale) and take Honors/APs. Is it too early to talk to coaches and go visit? I just need some guidance I want to make sure I am ahead of the curve. Thanks!
Bates ladies were 4th this year. Bowdoin not competitive, Colby was 5th but well behind Bates.
It’s probably too early. Start in the Winter or Spring of your junior year by doing the online recruiting questionnaires. Then get pre-read once Junior transcripts are finalized. You should know by July which schools want you for sports and your chances of acceptance.
Let me offer another perspective. Unlike a lot of team sports in which being a really great player with ho-hum teammates compromises your ability to perform, it doesn’t make a huge difference in track except for the relays. Regardless of whether your team-mates are amazing or not, you’ll have a chance to shine on your own. You’re in the enviable position of being able to consider the schools on their own merits. You can, of course, meet the coaches when you visit and see whether or not you’d like to work with them. The beauty of timed sports is that the coaches don’t have to see you play and try to imagine how you’d fit in with the rest of the team in order to determine whether you’d be of interest. The clock doesn’t lie!
These links may help you. You can see the times in your events.
http://nestiming.com/events/view/nescac16
http://static.psbin.com/q/j/uaaph5uxetkfx7/nescac_pdf_results.pdf
https://www.colby.edu/athletics/2016/01/23/womens-indoor-track-has-six-winners-at-bates/
2016 NESCAC T&F Championships - women’s team rankings.
- Williams 207
- Tufts 182
- Middlebury 122
- Bates 92
- Bowdoin 59
- Amherst 36
- Wesleyan 30
- Colby 30
2015 NESCAC T&F Championships - women’s team rankings.
1.Williams 170
2.Tufts 148
3. Middlebury 98
4. Bates 77
5. Amherst 66
6. Bowdoin 63
7. Colby 59
@Sue22 I think those are the men’s results.
Women - Team Rankings - 21 Events Scored
1) Williams 165 2) Middlebury 140
3) Tufts 123 4) Bates 106
5) Colby 89 6) Bowdoin 56
7) Wesleyan 42 8) Connecticut College 35
9) Trinity 33 10) Amherst 19
- Hamilton 9
OOPS, @OnTheBubble you’re right! I copied the wrong column. Too late to edit my post, so OP my 2016 numbers are wrong. Go with OnTheBubble’s. In any case, the rankings remain substantially the same. Bates has edged Colby and Bowdoin out by a bit for the last few years but IMO the difference is not enough to make your decision on that basis. I’d meet the coaches, but more importantly, do some research on the schools. Which would you want to attend if you blew out your knee freshman year? That’s the school you want to target.
The fortunes of most NESCAC teams rise and fall from year to year, but it seems like Williams and Midd are always strong at both women’s track and field and cross country.
Contact the coaches now, but I have to tell you, so far your PRs may not be fast enough to entice them into recruiting you, at least not yet. If you can shave a few seconds off those times your junior season, you will be in a much better position.
I also suggest that you choose your school based on academic and lifestyle fit, not on which school currently has the fastest track team. Cast a wide net at first. Get on the radar of every coach who is at a school you might like to attend. You may decide that the best college for you (and the nicest coach and teammates) are at the school that came in dead last in NESCAC lat year.
Impressive times and good luck with your search. I think you’ll notice in the NESCAC that results vary from year to year. A few constants, at least recently, are that Williams, Middlebury, and Tufts consistently pile up the most team points at the NESCAC championships. Williams and Middlebury are especially strong. As for the Maine schools, you’ll see they are interchangeable. Some years one school is more competitive and some years it’s another school. My guess is that it’s all about the athletics who choose to attend that particular school and they may do so because of the culture of the school and team. Connecting with coaches is the best first step. Again, keep up the hard work and I hope you find the school which best meets your academic and athletic dreams. Here’s the NESCAC link to women’s track and field history and from there perhaps you’ll do further investigation. Best.
http://www.nescac.com/sports/track/archive