Walking On at DI Schools

there is so much variation on walk-on policies that question is nearly impossible to answer without a specific school given. my average d1 school has several former walk-ons among our top mid-distance guys, including a couple conference finalists

It's been nearly 20 years, but ...

I walked on to my DI college cross country team with high school bests of 2:12 and 4:55 (1,600). And I'm a guy. I know, I sucked, but I busted my ass in college, which I never did in high school, and earned two varsity letters. True, it wasn't a good running school, but I got my 8K down to low 27s and was a solid No. 5-7 guy.

1:58/4:05

it's a little messy but you should be able to figure it out

University of Colorado

Minimum Scholarship, Walk-On and Tryout Guidelines

Men Men Men Women Women Women

EVENT Scholarship Walk-on Tryout Scholarship Walk-on Tryout

100 Meters 10.60 10.75 10.9 11.90 12.25 12.60

200 Meters 21.60 22.00 22.30 24.50 25.25 25.80

400 Meters 47.50 48.50 49.00 57.00 58.25 59.00

800 Meters 1:51.50 1:53.50 1:55.00 2:12.00 2:15.00 2:17.00

1,600m 4:10 4:15 4:18 5:02 5:10 5:12

3,200m 9:05 9:15 9:20 10:40 10:55 11:10

110 Hurdles 14.10 14.50 14.80

100 Hurdles 14.00 14.50 14.75

300 Hurdles 36.50 38.00 39.50 43.50 45.00 47.00

400 Hurdles 53.00 55.00 56.50 59.00 61.50 63.00

High Jump 7'00" 6'10" 6'8" 5'8" 5'6" 5'2"

Discus HS-180'0" HS-170'0" HS-160'0" HS-140'0" HS-130'0" HS-120'0"

Javelin HS-200'0" HS-180'0" HS-170'0" HS-135'0" HS-125'0" HS-115'0"

Shot Put HS-60'0" HS-55'0" HS-50'0" HS-45'0" HS-40'0" HS-37'0"

Decathlon 6300 6000 5500

Heptathlon 4700 4500 4000

Pole Vault 16'6" 15'6" 14'8" 12'6" 11'6" 11'0"

Long Jump 24'0" 23'00" 22'6" 18'8" 18'0" 17'6"

Triple Jump 48'0" 47'0" 46'0" 38'6" 37'6" 36'0"

Scholarship Column: These are the minimum performances needed to earn a scholarship.

Walk-on Column: These performances usually earn an athlete a spot on our team.

Tryout Column: These are the minimum performances needed to tryout for the track team.

Albiet, not all D1 schools are nearly this tough, especially to just walk-on.

Tried out and was allowed to walk on at one of the best 800 school sin the country with almost a 1:56 out of high school. Improved to 1:49, there's a guy there now who ran about what I did in high school and ran 1:47 there. Good coaches will look for diamonds in the rough. There were also guy who had run around 1:59 or 2:00 who ended up on the team.

I know it's up to what each coach thinks, but I can't believe Colorado has people have to run 1:55 flat to try out, especially since a lot of his walk ons are probably coming from altitude and may not have faced much competition in high school.

We use - 2:00, 4:35, 10:00.

One guy ran who never ran 4:35 in high school placed in the fifties at NCAA Divion I xcountry championships. I'm still blown away by that.

Which school was that? Might have a look at it for my son.

Thanks.

I sort of sweet talked my way in (got cut but then came back) and it took two years to really grab a spot where I didn't have to watch my back all the time.

HS PRs:

800 - 2:00

Mile - 4:19

2 Mile - 9:48

Xc 5k - 16:09

Once I actually got to the point where I could keep up with the varsity in practice, I improved A LOT. It took some hard work, though, and a lot of afternoons alone in the back.

University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

I'm guessing you need to have run any of the following times to get a Cross Country scholarship (UWGB does not have Track):

800 - 2:08

1600 - 4:50

3200 - 10:45

5k - 17:45

I'm too lazy to check, but I believe in running with the buffaloes they discuss a number of their guys who didn't break 9:20 in high school (including, I believe Mike Friedberg).

I can't imagine that their standards are now tougher.

Impressive effort and courage to walk on to a D-I program and improve yourself. I had very average times in HS and walked on to an NAIA program, made it and lettered immediately. We were no great shakes, but it felt good. I also improved greatly ... I didn't have the courage you had to walk on to D-I.

I'm impressed by the improvements of the guys in this post. A ton of U.S. kids are either under-trained or not trained correctly in high school. When you get into a pack of quality runners in practice day after day, good things happen and you can't help but improve.

Snook wrote:

Which school was that? Might have a look at it for my son.

Thanks.

University of Missouri. The mid-d coach there (Jared Wilmes) was another guy who improved there, I think he went from something like 1:58 to 1:48. They have an awesome training group out there, especially with the post-collegians. Anyway, good luck to your son, hope he goes wherever it is that's best for him. Mizzou has 800 training down pretty well. Coach Pigg (now at Florida) used the same type system when he was out there and I would guess still uses it now.

Here's What I Did:

"Hello coach _____ and coach _____, I'm ______, the reason I've asked to meet with you is because I'd like the opportunity to walk-on to the team and earn a varsity letter and a scholarship. Here's what I did in high school (printed results), here's my coaches name and telephone number. He can verify what a hard worker I am. Thanks for meeting with me."

Coaches:

"Welcome to the team son. Talk to ______ and she'll give you all of the information you need to know as a student-athlete. See you at practice."

Here's What I Did:

"Yes! Thanks coach ______ and coach _______! See you at practice."

The only advice I have is to do it if you have the chance. I didn't go to a very good school, but I walked on and got a small scholarship that eventually turned into a pretty big scholarship by my last year.

Also, I had an absolute BLAST.

The only regret I have is that I didn't go to a school with a better program.

Do it.

There is nothing like collegiate XC and track.

Just remember, when talking to a coach, s/he will lie about what you must do to walk on. 10 years ago the Mankato State coach told me I needed to run sub 4:20, sub 19:30, sub 15:45 if I wanted to walk on. I reminded him I was from COLORADO and these times are pretty fast for high altitude. He said I know thats what I am looking for from altidude. I kindle replied that if I run those times, I will take my self to CU, as that is about what Chis Valenti ran that same year.

And how many points did Colorado men score at outdoor nationals? 0.

Many thanks.

im guarenteed a spot on UW-Madison's track team. my times are

200-22.5

400-49.7

800-1:56.2

1600-4:24

5k XC-16:16

those times arent very impressive but the coach told me i have a spot on the team ..