College D1 programs

It's too early to think about where you'll end up; it's only your sophomore year! Just focus on the process, staying healthy by not overdoing it & not increasing milage /workouts too quickly. Oh, and have fun!! You're not going to stick with running if you don't have fun with it in high school.

Good luck!!

run the times first then worry about going to what college

What is your training like? What are your plans to increase volume/intensity?

You are pretty good and making good progress, but will stall without a good plan.

I D1 XC/Track so I may be able to help

Don't listen to any of us on here. Contact coaches your interested in running for and they can reply to you with what the expectations are. Not sure what us telling you you have potential actually does other than gets you to write an email

i generally agree with the poster where it's more worth your time to study hard, make grades and scores, and get your times down, then worry about such things later. suffice to say you aren't ready for D1 recruitment.

in terms of specifics, look up the schools on TFRRS. they will show the fastest times this season on the front page. you can also look up "all performances." the short answer is they are nearly universally fast in texas at every event in D1 except for something like distance at an HBCU like TSU or prairie view. this is because texas is just generally faster than most other states besides perhaps florida or california. when you insist on D1 and texas you are denying your potential appeal elsewhere, and setting yourself up for tears trying to get on a team in texas.

texas does have good D2s and D3s that are easier to get on. some at good academic schools.

there are some D1s you might be competitive to walkon for in the NE like the patriot league schools, if you got in the mid-4:20s. but you'd still be a weak runner for the level and basically just able to say "i ran D1."

honestly right now you're like mediocre D3. not intended as a rip. many of those mediocre D3s are good academic schools. i am just saying that's where i'd start from in terms of evaluating next stops and encouraging recruitment. just that's what i'd be shopping for if i wanted college track with your times.

hence pushing you to just concentrate on school and running faster. at the level you'd get recruited right now, there are no scholarships, and the question is can you get admitted, and that won't be known for 2 years. so control what you can control and see if you can go faster or push your grades and scores up. that will help you more than trying to begin the recruitment game early from a weak position. i wouldn't be worrying about recruitment in your position until spring junior year, or unless someone calls you/pulls you aside.

I ran 9:40 sophmore year and got like 1 d1 letter but a lot of D3. This was 2015 so that 9:40 is closer to a 9:30 in comparison to today's Sophs.

When I ran 9:22 and 15:30 (top 10 in a big state meet) in Junior yr track/Senior yr XC, that's when I got flooded with D1 recruitment. basically run the times and the recruitment will either happen, or not happen.

I'd advise you to not be planning for the future the way you are. When I ran 9:22 junior yr I thought I'd run 9:10 senior year, and when I only ran 9:18 it just led to disappointment. If you want to think about colleges this early, assume there will be very little to no improvement.

in your position i would be looking more at, where in the country do i want to go to school. what type of campus life or location do i want. what classes am i good at. what do i want to major in. maybe even visit some places and see how you respond. don't pick now, just get an idea of types of schools and areas you would like.

because sorting out big/little, engineering/big state school/liberal arts, STEM/humanities/arts, urban/suburban/rural, coastal/mountains/hills/farms, just an XC team or also TF, religious/not, frats/not, kids from money/not, will help you think about who to put on a list. and for a smart applicant it's a decent size list so you have options as you see how interested and eager schools/coaches seem. sometimes a school you like could care less if you exist, ever run track there, or even attend for academics, and sends you a financial aid offer conveying that.

but anyhow, to sort that out, just without commitment visit some campuses and see what you think. and try a variety of types to help you really think what you want. that will get the wood burning. you can then online research schools like x that you adored, and avoid ones like y that you didn't enjoy the visit.

I would try to focus less on chasing the D1 commitment clout, and instead try to find the right fit for you. With your times right now you could go to a mid-major D1 school, but they will be trash and potentially poorly funded. With those same times, you could go to a well funded succesful D2 or D3 school that makes Nationals and competes for Conference championships.

With that in mind, you have to market yourself and reach out to schools you are interested in. Unless you are the next Lex and Leo Young coaches likely will not know about you, so you have to introduce yourself and let them know you are interested in learning more about their program.

This is a link of a virtual meet for every college in the state of Texas ranked off their top 5 runners best 8k time during the 2023 cross country season. It'll give you a start for the colleges you should start looking at to see if they have the academic program you are interested in to decide if you want to reach out to their coach or not. Enjoy the process and do not get discouraged when coaches do not respond.

One thing I recommend continually working on is your speed. It is final lap speed that wins championships.

Supplement that with a strength and conditioning regimen.

Benchmarks can vary but some things to aim for:

* 52-second quarter speed

* 25-second 200m speed

* uphill intervals

* ability to do pullups from hanging start, forwards and backwards

Weight lifting stations, plyometrics, ab cycles, core & balance exercises and healthy forms of leisurely activities such as bike commuting and hiking with gear all can help contribute to the cause. It's really a lifestyle not just an activity after school.

re marketing i generally agree that anyone who isn't the top several in their state, or leaderboard at one of these big youth meets, or the like, will probably have to toot their own horn. but based on merely ok, D3 type times as a HS soph, wait a year. see what you can put up this TF season, and next XC season. then worry about engaging coaches. to me there is no point in contacting coaches with youthful times and aspirations to go faster. they don't care what you think you can do -- at least not until your actual times are already interesting. they care what times you have done. those times can be doublechecked with a mouse click.

to me, for now, just work hard and be a HS student. i was a sprinter/hurdler and my times dropped seconds from now to the end of HS. your early contacts can help define who they think you are so i wouldn't get in touch with schools until i am well within their expectations and running more like i hope to do on your goal schedule.