D3 champ for sure. Most americans dont even know the difference in division outside of football
D3 champ for sure. Most americans dont even know the difference in division outside of football
yesm wrote:
D3 champ for sure. Most americans dont even know the difference in division outside of football
This is the correct answer. You can leverage that national title the rest of your life. I have, its even been the kicker on getting a few jobs along the way. Helps differentiate you in a way people van understand.
D1 AA is the more impressive accomplishment, especially to the few of us who follow elite running.
But, I think D3 Champ would be more fun. Not just to win the race, but the journey, too.
Assuming that PR's are the same, I'd say D3 Champ without question. Do you know how much easier it is to approach a sponsor with "National Champion" on your resume rather than "All American." Today's world is all about marketing, so if you want to continue running after college set yourself up for that world.
Answer: D3 champ
I did it one year. I'd take that over one, two, or three D1 AA certificates if those were just barely nabbing the AA (what place is it these days, 35th?). That said, I'd rather have been great (really top-level D1 runner, and after) than good. But that's the easy choice. The harder one is what I think the OP was going after: Given roughly same level of performance, would you rather...
I don't recall getting much of a career boost, or bragging (much) about being D3 champ (I doubt saying you were D1 xc all american helps much either). But it was fun, we had a very good team, not like training with a bunch of scrubs "doing it for the social aspect." But the whole atmosphere (at my school, back then) was extremely different from the D1 atmosphere. In some ways, I think, it was better, but clearly we weren't treated like we athletes mattered much in the scheme of things. I happen to kinda think that's right, but I imagine the other scenario is fun.
And, yes, got to compete against D1 guys in XC and track in other races, and like other top level D3 guys, I held my own. So I knew where I stood.
I did get the chance to run D1 nationals, but I had to do the 2-day turnaround: win D3 8k on Saturday, fly home, fly out to D1 and race 10k. For me, at least, I had to run the race of my life (to that time, anyway) to win D3. So completely zonked for D1, ran crappy, placed about 60th, maybe 20sec outside AA. I am completely amazed at the guys who turned around and placed well 2 days later. Beside a few mentioned already, I think a guy (Schraeder) from UW-Stevens Pt did really well a few yeas after me. Just looked it up, 11th place. Impressive.
Noah Lyles on Pre 10,000s: "Why in the world are we hosting another countries Olympic qualifier?"
Let's be real Flo -Jo was as dirty as Ben Johnson in fact name me a clean sprinter from that time
2024 College Track & Field Open Coaching Positions Discussion
Bad News for Rojo: Erriyon Knighton Out Not Racing at Pre After Missing adidas Meet
I'm 34, and 4 people from my high school class have already died