Anyone have a good list of LACs with a sporty vibe? Our S19 likes the idea of a small school but loves the school spirit of a big state school. He’d love to pick up club soccer or ultimate.
The only one that comes to mind is Middlebury. Maybe Denison? We are sticking with Midwest, East Coast, and Mid Atlantic schools - no deep south or west. Not sure of scores yet but he’s a good student. Honors classes and will have ten APs by graduation. Not sure what he wants to study yet, but no engineering. Thanks for any suggestions!
Since we made the rounds for my kid as a prospective recruited athlete, here are some thoughts.
Denison has lots of school spirit and men’s football and basketball had good runs this season with a lot of students going to games. While there was some football tailgating, nothing that could be confused with a Big 10 school! The athletic fields (other than baseball/softball) are centrally located, you can walk out of your dorm and see that lacrosse or football is playing and head over. In comparison, for instance, at Kenyon the athletic facility and fields are way down the hill, not really visible from the main part of campus.
St Lawrence is another one – really strong men’s soccer, and of course, a D1 hockey team with storied rivalries. Fields are also right there, across the street from Admissions etc, with gorgeous work out facilities (not just the Varsity training rooms).
Dickinson seems another possibility – though the soccer field is a few blocks from the main part of campus, the turf field is centrally located and the athletic facilities are gorgeous.
Holy Cross is D1 (as is Lehigh, Lafayette, Bucknell and Davidson) so could have strong club programs for the non D1 athlete who still wants to compete.
Middlebury’s athletic venues are second to none within NESCAC and other LACs. One of the few schools that you can get on your skis and watch varsity slalom from the slopes. “Sporty” at Midd extends beyond sports to other outdoor activities like hiking, running, biking, skiing … and its outdoor mountain club is extensive. So “sporty” at Midd is not just “rah, rah” school spirit. The trails around Midd and the nearby Green Mountains are fantastic. I think that the percentage of varsity athletes is highest at Williams of any NESCAC, though I don’t know how that translates to vibe on campus as I have never been there. Sports are big at Amherst as well, with varsity athletes making up a huge percentage of the student population. Good luck with your college search!