Hi!
I am a senior in high school and just finished my cross country season. I was wondering if it is too late to be recruited now. I was looking at d3 schools because my times are definitely too slow for d1 schools. My 5K PR is 20:08 and my Mt. Sac PR (2.93 very hilly miles) is 19:19. I’ve only ran xc for 2 years, and distance track for 1 (will be 2 years once track starts though), so that’s a bummer. I also heard that coaches look at track times more but I’ve improved significantly since my track season (my official track 1600 PR is 5:49 but I’ve run 5:35 during cross country workouts already so I know I’m way faster now).
I contacted a few college coaches (American U, UC Davis, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Pomona-Pitzer, U Chicago, and Cornell just for the hell of it). American and Cornell emailed me back with the times that they want, and I’m too slow right now. I emailed UC Davis 5 times and DM’d their instagram page (I’m desperate okay) and they’ve never replied. CMS and Pomona-Pitzer replied, and Pomona-Pitzer showed some interest and the coach wants to talk with me about it (I assume she means by phone).
So is it possible to be “recruited” for d3 schools? Because I know a girl who said she “committed” to U Chicago for xc and track and received a likely letter and what not. Also would it be too late to be recruited during my senior year track season?
Also looking at my times, are there any other schools I could try to contact? My ACT score is 34 and my weighted GPA is 4.06, so not extremely stellar. I’m looking to major in Psychology or Nutrition.
Thanks in advance!
@happywaffles, a 20:00 5k PR and a 5:35 1600 won’t enable you to be recruited at the D1 level that you referenced, but it’s definitely fast enough to run at a really good D3 school.
Timing is going to be tricky as coaches at the top D3 schools have already gone through pre-reads and overnights given they want their recruits to apply ED (which we know the deadline just passed, so next step!).
So, the coaches at the most selective schools don’t always get all their recruits accepted through ED admisisons, so then they look for ED2 commits, and then even RD.
Given that you have strong academic stats, you’ll have a good chance of getting a coach’s support all the way through RD (meaning that they will tell you whether you’ll have spot on the team if you are admitted, and if they want you a lot they’ll tell you that you are on their final recruit list for RD).
So, fill out the recruiting questionnaires and keep emailing them, and yes if they want to talk to you jump on it!
PM if you want more insight as our DD, with a similar academic profile, went through the process last year at several NESCAC, Centennial and North Coast Conference schools. Happy to report that she had a really great Freshman XC season (meaning faster times, but most importantly she loves the school and her teammates) and now she is training for Indoor season.
Good luck!
My S’s gf had a great fall XC season and began reaching out in mid/late October. Last night she told me 3 coaches are interested, but academically she is nowhere near where you are. I say it can’t hurt to email coaches of schools you are interested in–worst that can happen is they say thanks but no thanks.
It is not the case that someone doesn’t have the times for D1 so then goes to D2 and D3. There are many schools at D3 that are faster than the lower ranked (or unranked) D1 schools. You have some D1s on your list so you know you can keep up with the big dogs.
You should also note, that there is a difference between being ‘recruited’, meaning the coach tells admissions you are one of his top picks, and being told you can run on the team if you are admitted. In that case, the coach may put in a word for you but it is not a recruit spot. A 5:35 may be good enough for the team but not good enough to get a recruiting spot.
@twoinanddone, absolutely agree that’s why I said the “the D1 level that you referenced, but it’s definitely fast enough to run at a really good D3 school” as plenty of top student-athletes head to non-D1 programs.
While there are plenty of D1 schools where the athletes times are well below the fastest D2 or D3 schools, based on the schools OP referenced it sounded like she only had an interest in a highly selective school thus the D3 conferences I referenced - I know there are many others, but these at the ones our DD worked with so we have insight there.
@wisteria100, given xc/track athletes are rarely given recruiting slots in D3, at least in NESCAC since they are so limited in #, I think a tip is important as it better ensures one a spot on the team after they are admitted. I know my DD’s team did not allow walk-on’s and she was told the same from other coaches that she met with during the process.
That said, I do know that at least one Centennial Conference school was over recruited/admitted and they ended up having tryouts before XC season started, so no guarantees. I know the top D3 lax teams are doing that as well - it has been confirmed to me by coaches at both Centennial and NESCAC D3 schools.
@twoinanddone, in posting #5, I meant to say “there are plenty of D1 schools where the athletes times are much slower than the fastest D2 or D3 schools…”
@Chembiodad @twoinanddone The issue of D1-3 hierarchy seems to come up often in these discussions, and usually generates disagreement. My view is that there is a lot of regional and sport variation. In the West, where the OP appears to be from, there’s very little overlap between these levels in track/xc. D1 programs attract the strongest athletes and those who aren’t ‘D1 caliber’ end up at D2 or D3 schools. There just aren’t D3 schools in the region where the runners are at the same level as their D1 counterparts, with only a few occasional exceptions. For example, no one would confuse a Harvey Mudd runner for a Cal, Oregon, or even Montana State runner. In New England the situation is different, partly due to the relative weakness of some of the D1 programs. I think it’s worth pointing out to folks like the OP that things can be different in other regions, but also keep in mind that her perspective is probably based in some truth given that she is from CA. So if she wants to end up in the West, she’s probably correct to view D3 schools as less of an athletic reach on average. I know you are both aware of these regional differences, but wanted to point it out in case the OP isn’t.
thanks all!! Yeah so the Pomona-Pitzer coach emailed me back and we’ve set up an “interview”-ish thing over the phone. Hopefully things work out. I’m pretty sure my academics aren’t enough to get me into Pomona or Pitzer because they’re just so highly selective. Can anyon recommend some more D3 schools that are also academically selective? Just trying to broaden my horizons here 
@happywaffles is cost an issue? Part of the attraction of selective schools for some is that they often provide generous need based aid. Carleton is one such school, as are the nescac schools. If you don’t need to limit your search based on affordability, you might want to take a look at places like Whitman, Willamette, Lewis and Clark, Washington U, St Olaf, etc. as well as those in your area, Redlands etc.
@politeperson our yearly household income is about $150,000 so we are pretty well off. However, only my dad works and we have a family of 5 in southern california where the costs of living are really high. So I’d probably try to get scholarships but unfortunately D3 doesn’t offer any athletic scholarships 
Agree that Carleton is great a great academic and athletic choice, but that may be a tough one to get recruited at as they are a top-10 D3 xc/track school - #5 at D3 Nationals. So, while admission is possible running may not.
NESCAC’s schools are also great choices as the conference is stout and schools are great. Once again, some of the NESCAC schools have very competitive nationally ranked teams - Williams was #5 and Middlebury was #8 at D3 Nationals.
As result, some of these schools have such strong teams that recruiting/cut times are likely around 2:19 (800m) / 5:15 (mile) / 11:35 (2-mile).
@happywaffles, There are a bunch of other highly selective schools in the NESCAC conference with strong running programs, so plenty of other choices. DD had Bates and Hamilton as her final choices and chose Hamilton. Hamilton sent two women to D3 XC Nationals so well represented, and they had a strong recruiting class this year so future looks bright. Here’s a link so you can see more as it could be a great fit - Hamilton as Home https://youtu.be/7uEVIBgZR3Y.
With a family of 5 in Southern California, financial aid may be likely at many of the D3 schools that are need blind and meet 100 of demonstrated need; you would need to run NPC. Two North Coast Conference schools, Kenyon and Oberlin, are great schools, have strong teams and offer merit aid.
Take a look at UAA Schools–Wash U, NYU, Carnegie Mellon, Emory, Chicago, a few others.
I can’t imagine you would not get accepted to Pitzer with those stats. And don’t forget, that if you get into one of the 5C’s you can cross register and even major at one of the other schools. If the coach wants you, you may be able to get an admissions preread to Pomona and Pitzer for ED2. Here is some info regarding ammissions to the5C’s for last years class. http://tsl.news/news/6726/ Good Luck
Other schools to reach out to if they have your academic major of interest:
Occidental – D3 (used to recruit heavily for track)
UNLV – Only have a Women’s team, and not many distance runners, worth an e-mail
Grand Canyon (Phx AZ) – just finished transition to D1 from D2, but still building up distance program, worth an email
Azuza Pacific – D2 and attend all the big west coast meets, your times put you in the mix
UC Davis & Cornell will be a stretch based on your current times, and coaches will be comparing you to other athletes that have better indoor times. You may be a better fit for UC San Diego since they are D2.
But as others have said you won’t know if you don’t reach out. For schools where you have an interest and haven’t been told no yet by a coach, make sure to apply to the school in time to be considered for any academic/merit aid, most of those deadlines are coming up.
Hey! I’m a fellow senior who is planning on running for Cornell if all goes well. Many of my initial contacts were D3 schools including Johns Hopkins, Bowdoin, Williams, Middlebury, and Wash U! I was given positive pre reads for them all, but unfortunately couldn’t afford to go based on financial aid packages. I think the best thing you can do right now is to reach out to as many coaches as possible. It’s important that you reach out ASAP! Feel free to PM if you need help reaching out. I have a good relationship with most of the coaches of those schools and can give you their contact info if need be! Best of luck
The following D3 colleges offer academic scholarships: Emory, Wash U, Kenyon, Denison, Oberlin, Washington and Lee, Trinity TX, Dickinson. Trinity has a chart of SAT/ACT plus GPA and the amount of scholarship. Definitely the most transparent. Your ACT should give you some options for merit money.
Where did she end up running?
Let’s try and stay off of dead old threads. I will keep this open for a day or so in case the OP come back, but after that it will be locked.