What D1 Colleges Could I Run At?

Not one with a strong English program.

ks124 wrote:

Currently a junior...

5k (xc): 15:36

Mile (track): 4:33

2 mile (track): 9:26

Which D1 colleges would be realistic for me to target?

Totally depends on how well you run in spring track (and, of course, on your grades and test scores). Your best time is your 2 mile. If you can get that down to sub 9:15, you will get interest from some decent D1 programs. When I say decent, I mean programs that aren't regularly contending for the podium at XC Nats (e.g., Stanford, Colorado, Syracuse, Wisco, Georgetown, etc). There's a second tier of good programs (e.g., NC State, UNC, Virginia, Cal, UCLA, U Dub, Villanova, some Ivies like Princeton) that might show interest. There's another tier below that (e.g., Notre Dame, Duke, other Ivies like Yale) that sometimes qualify for XC Nats that would probably be interested. You can keep going down the ladder until you get to some D1 programs that would take you with your existing times.

You won't get a lot of $, but you could get an admissions bump and get into a school you would otherwise not be able to get into.

How are your grades?

If you're a very good student and your parents make $, you should consider some of the great D3 options like Williams, Haverford, Wash U, etc.

I coach in D1 and your 3200 is decent for a junior. You could probably walk on to quite a few mid-level teams. Other good teams probably would strongly caution against you walking on. Your 5k XC doesn't have much context. I don't know what course it is on. If you want coaches to look at you seriously in XC, you have to run fast on courses that a lot of people in your state run on. For most it is the state championship course or that one major invite (Bob Firman, Mt Sac, etc.). More importantly, you have to place well.

9:15 will be a walk on at UCLA most likely. Maybe books covered. Crazy? Yeah. That's D1. Sub 9:20 will get you some good money at a lot of mid level programs. We gave solid money to a 4:13/9:13 kid last year and a sub 15:00 5k runner. We aren't top of the food chain either. Just some perspective on what you should shoot for.

P.S. REACH OUT TO THEM. You would be surprised at the level of interest some schools would show. But if you wait around they might never notice you.

I ran 15:36 at the Stanford Invitational on the Stanford Golf Course. Also, a slight clarification, my 3200 was run last year at section finals.

Former Sub 13:30,

I was wondering if you could clarify what you mean by "books covered". Is that cost of books, full year tuition or fall term tuition? Is it one year at a time or 4year?