D2/D3 Walk on questions

You could walk on to most D3 schools depending on how full their program is. I don't know much about D2, but I would guess that you are very far from getting money from anyone except maybe one of the worst schools. Those are roughly the times I ran in high school and I ended up doing moderately well in D3

Everyone walks on at D3.

But not everyone makes the team. Some programs make cuts.

You need to be at least sub 4:40 and sub 10:00 to walk on at any but the bottom rung D2 schools.

You'd probably have to try out for most decent D3 programs (decent = regularly go to nationals).

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Azaleas wrote:

You'd probably have to try out for most decent D3 programs (decent = regularly go to nationals).

False. If a D3 coach says the words "try-out" or "cuts" you should turn around and walk out of their office; they are not worth your time. Any monkey can get a team regularly to baby nationals just by recruiting some decent high school talent and completely ignoring any slower recruits.

If they say something like "we expect the 4:59 high school guy to contribute just as much as the 4:20 high school guy" then you have found a place where your above-average, but clearly D3-level, talent can be developed.

That's nice in theory, but in practice coaches have limited time, limited roster size, and limited travel funds. If your AD gives you a roster limit of say, 40 guys, you can't just let everyone out there walk on the team.

FWIW many legendary coaches do have tryouts, so I'm not sure where you got this idea that everyone worth listening to will coach a 4:59 guy.

Azaleas wrote:

You'd probably have to try out for most decent D3 programs (decent = regularly go to nationals).

I'm a senior at a DIII school, a top 10 program for the last few years.

I had times of 4:38 mile, 2:00 800, 10:14 2 mile, and 17:11 5K and when i contacted my coach when I was in HS he told me I would have to try out. I ultimately made the team, but alas I did have to try out.

I'm not sure what program you are looking at, but I agree with some of the statements made here that for at least DIII, at a quality program you'd most likely have to try out and perform a little better than those times. There are some programs I know of though that regularly are contending on the national stage like NCC and Haverford that allow walk ons with no try outs, but then I think its a case of you will have limited race opportunities and attention compared to their stronger runners. There are certainly a lot of trade offs on either end.

You are getting A LOT of bad info in this thread.

I talked to a lot of schools when I was in high school and found that walk on standards are rarely correlated with the prestige of the program. You'd really be surprised.

Just send an email to the coach of whatever program you are interested in. Both Western and Adams let just about anyone walk on to the team as long as you are a good human being. Yet, some mediocre D2 schools won't even return your email. That is probably why they are mediocre.

Now just because Adams and Western would let you walk on does NOT mean that it would be a good for you. Find a D2 school that wants you, somewhere you can step in and be the 7-10 guy instantly.

my perspective wrote:

I'm not sure what program you are looking at, but I agree with some of the statements made here that for at least DIII, at a quality program you'd most likely have to try out and perform a little better than those times. There are some programs I know of though that regularly are contending on the national stage like NCC and Haverford that allow walk ons with no try outs, but then I think its a case of you will have limited race opportunities and attention compared to their stronger runners. There are certainly a lot of trade offs on either end.

North Central, Haverford, and Williams I know for sure are all open teams with no cuts or try-outs based on speed. I'm less familiar with North Central, but I'm positive that at Haverford and Williams the slower kids get plenty of racing opportunities and attention from the coaches as long as they are committed to the program.

North Central recently split the team in to Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Freshmen squads, but with Al Carius at the helm, I'm sure everyone is getting what they need.

Interesting thread. I ran 4:45 ish in hs and I figured I was lucky to be on my hs team. Never occurred to me that a college would give me the time of day.

Just chiming in on Division 3 schools and walking on.

You've run a 10:20 2-mile in high school. There are very, very few division 3 schools that wouldn't welcome you with open arms. Most of them are either located in urban areas and are limited in how big their teams can get (think UAA schools) or are huge public schools that can only take the 40 or so fastest guys (think WIAC).

Just for some perspective, your 10:20 projects to a 28:00 8k. That doesn't make you a varsity runner at most schools (but it would at some), but it puts you in the top 50-75 at ECACs, top 100 at MIACs, top 50 in the Midwest Conference, etc. Those are some of the major division 3 meets that allow more than 7 runners for each team, and there are a lot of others like them.

No, you are probably not going to run 28:00 right out of the gate. But every year there are runners with high school credentials like your own who become division 3 All-Americans. If you're serious about it, you'll find a home at most D3 programs.

We have a solid D2 program. We had a guy who barely broke 5:00 and 10:50 in HS when he had first walked-on the team. Four years later he was the fifth man on a top 10 nationally ranked team and ran 31:30 for 10k on grass.

So to answer your question- yes. Find a good school with a coach who believes in long-term development and then commit yourself to the process patiently.

North Central doesn't require anything time based, but they won't keep you in the team if it isn't evident that you like to work hard. They have lots of fast kids, but also some slower kids who still run 70-80 miles a week and improve a lot.

If you work hard, any d3 school would be happy to have you.

smokiedabear wrote:

You are getting A LOT of bad info in this thread.

Just send an email to the coach of whatever program you are interested in.

That right there is all you need to know.

Are you a great runner? No.

Can you easily find a program that would welcome you and your talents? Yes. Definitely.

You can definitely run division 2 and get a little bit of money. Chances are the team that you would be able to join would be awful. Either way good luck!

You could always just run club. That way you set your own practice schedule, can still go out and party, and can have a more relaxed form of participation.

That's AMAZING!!! I was a 10:50 2 miler in HS and only ran an 27:30 8k for a horrifically bad NAIA program. As far as walking on at D2/D3 schools, my junior year when I ran 11:12, my hs coach told my dad I would be able to make most D3 teams right then.