DIII Freshman interested in transfer to DI

Depends on where you are looking to go. Some top tier schools would let you train but you wouldn't necessarily be on the roster. Others would love to have you and possibly give you a little $. Keep training and email the coaches that you are interested in running for.

Ruined wrote:

Im currently a Freshman runner on the xc and Indoor track program at a DIII school but Ive been looking at some better academic programs that would take me to a larger school ..I love my running and want to continue running for a team but Im looking for some advice currently a 15:25 5k runner on the track ..ran a 25:30 on a 8k cross country course..Thinking about transferring to a DI school ...Do you think a DI school would be interested in a runner with these times..

Why are you at a bad academic D3 school? Answer that question first, you aren't a good enough runner for that part of the equation to matter.

Only potential pro runners should let running dictate school choice over factors like academics and money.

Will Mitchell is that you?

I say go for it, put yourself out there. That is, if you're okay with being a small fish in a big pond. If your ego is in check, you will have no problem transitioning from being a D III stud to a D I regular.

Yeah that's why I said in the very start that as long as he's happy running unattached or running mostly local races, most D1 programs should let him at least train with the team.

Of course this depends on how many other kids like him the coach already has "training with the team" since he doesn't want to run foul of NCAA rules, and whether or not this kid will be a hindrance to the workouts the varsity kids are doing. That's why the best option is to talk to the coach and see what the reaction is.

Also agree that assuming the D3 program wasn't complete garbage, there will be limited room for improvement for this guy. I know the tendency is to think that training with faster athletes and having the massive D1 support structure (coaches, facilities, ice baths, massages, etc.) will help him get faster, but I think it'll actually be a detriment. He will his training runs faster than he has ever before in his life, the workouts will be harder and longer and the pace may be overwhelming for someone who was in a laid back D3 program. He may find himself injured and spit out the back in a short few months and then would no longer be welcome back to even continue training with the team.

My 15:25 was run in training flats on a road race..I havent had the chance to run a 5k on the track as of yet...My 25:30 was run on a moderate 5k not a particuarly fast course but a legit 8k..The reason I was at my school was because I was given a healthy Merit scholarship..and my family didnt have the funds to send me to school.. I received other scholarship offers but I landed on this one since it covered more than 50% of my expenses..I was a fairly recognizable HS runner and had interest from other schools (some smaller D1s but mostly DIII schools such as St.Olafs etc..)but as I get into the programs Im seeing how lacking the academics truely are.at my current school.

I go to Georgetown, and you would probably not be able to walk on with those times.

Ruined wrote:

Im currently a Freshman runner on the xc and Indoor track program at a DIII school but Ive been looking at some better academic programs that would take me to a larger school ..I love my running and want to continue running for a team but Im looking for some advice currently a 15:25 5k runner on the track ..ran a 25:30 on a 8k cross country course..Thinking about transferring to a DI school ...Do you think a DI school would be interested in a runner with these times..

Can you hit split times like a freakin' machine? Its not uncommon for DI lady studs with few training partners to run with the slower D1 guys not on varsity. Sounds like your 15:25 (if current) might make you a good training partner with top ladies running 15:30-15:45, and of course for slower ladies as well. However, the coach (and the ladies) would have to like you - you must be a good guy and be able to hit requested split times like a machine.

So seriously, a top DI coach might not give you any money but still find you to be valuable to the team in ways you might not expect. Keep your options open.

True about pacing! I know a guy (I must keep confidential) that got hurt his soph year, and during his junior year he paced our top 2 girls, and sometimes the second group of girls that couldn't hang with the top two. He loved it. They loved him! The guys ribbed him a lot, but I think we were secretly jealous.

Response to LOL - we we had a similar situation (minus the injury). One of our 'JV' guys ran like he had freaking metronome stuck in his head. It seemed he would never miss a 400 split outside of a second. So coach loved to put him with our top girls who seemed to turn every interval workout into a race. He agreed, and did that for about 2-3 years. Come to think of it, I think he got far more out of his college running experience than the rest of us!

former D1 guy: we probably agree more than we disagree. I know ECU would let him walk on xc and most likely he would run varsity xc. Track coaches, as you know love giving full-rides to very good 400/800 men whom can race many events. I asked his 400/800 PB because I wanted to see if he's a James Robinson-type 800 metre runner. A 1:43 type-guy who most likely didn't run sub-32 10k xc.

Six degrees of separation. You mentioned a MIAC school. My dad is in the athletics all of fame for track at one of those MIAC schools.

If he was a 1:43 guy he wouldn't be at a D3 school. He would be NCAA champion and running in Diamond League and vying for an Olympic spot.

Not every Div 1 school is Oregon. You would be amazed at how many Div. 1 schools have poor XC or Distance Programs. Plenty of Div. 1 schools that would love to have a 25:30 legit Runner.

There are hundreds of D1 programs, so there's no sense in saying that a 15:25 wouldn't come close to making a top 10 program when the guy was just wondering whether, having run 25:30 8k xc, he could run D1. For instance, here is a program with a guy who led his team with a 24:21 8k xc this year as a senior, over a minute faster than last year as a junior (he ran 8:35 3k/14:51), when he led his team by a long way. This year, second guy was apparently 25:21 (the article is surely off by a minute on his time), and the other guys are slower than that. So, last year at this D1 program, 25:24 or so was the best of anyone and the other guys were over 26. So, yes, there is definite room for this guy in D1. I could have chosen any one of dozens and dozens of other programs as an example. No knock at all on the depth in D1, which regionals and champs results show to go into the many hundreds for sub 32 10k xc guys.

http://www.gousfbulls.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7700&ATCLID=210463589

Here's a much more high profile example, Ohio State!

Their 6th and 7th guys at regionals, where the team finished 10th, ran 33:31 and 34:00 for 10k xc. A sub 32 guy would have scored well into the top five for them. Their 3rd place guy ran 32:12. I think it's fair to say that this guy could run on plenty of D1 programs.

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/m-xc/recaps/111315aaa.html

Here's a much more high profile example, Ohio State!

Their 6th and 7th guys at regionals, where the team finished 10th, ran 33:31 and 34:00 for 10k xc. A sub 32 guy would have scored well into the top five for them. Their 3rd place guy ran 32:12. I think it's fair to say that this guy could run on plenty of D1 programs.

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/m-xc/recaps/111315aaa.html

To be fair, those Ohio State boys ran some fast 8k's this year, low to mid 24s, but they are also typically low 15 to 15:20s for 5k (sure to be dropped quite a bit this year, I'd think).

http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/m-xc/recaps/101715aaa.html

hoyasaxa2993 wrote:

I go to Georgetown, and you would probably not be able to walk on with those times.

Ruined wrote:

Im currently a Freshman runner on the xc and Indoor track program at a DIII school but Ive been looking at some better academic programs that would take me to a larger school ..I love my running and want to continue running for a team but Im looking for some advice currently a 15:25 5k runner on the track ..ran a 25:30 on a 8k cross country course..Thinking about transferring to a DI school ...Do you think a DI school would be interested in a runner with these times..

If you go to Georgetown, I cannot doubt you. Too bad though, because if he could improve a little and hold his 8k pace for a 10k, he would have been within 9 sec of your 6th man at XC Nats.