Why is Vanderbilt so noncompetitive?

In a $hithole state, that’s why wrote:

Because no one wants to live in TN. That’s a $hithole state bro.

^Correct. I am surprised it took until page 3 to get the right answer.

I hear Cricket from Track Gazer:):):):). Funny how you were called out and you're the expert, LOL!

he was no expert but wanted to sound like one as he probably has a child that ran for or is running for Vandy.

And who is it that you know on the team?

no scholarships for men, no track for men = top runners don't go there. Vanderbilt should just go d3, but they have delusions of football glory and think people actually watch college baseball.

It’s ridiculous for Vanderbilt men to have any expectations whatsoever. But Vanderbilt women are fully funded and they obviously prioritize distance running. The vast majority of female distance re riots are excellent student so it should be a great fit. What do you think some great programs coaches could do at Vanderbilt? If the staff from Bradley for example were at Vanderbilt, they would kill it!

Thinking loudly here, for a male distance runner who is upper middle class (no need-based funding expected anywhere, thus no ivys and no D3s mostly) with top-notch grades and test-scores, who wants to major in a tough STEM discipline.

Why would you not want to go to Vandy?

1) They have no athletic scholarships. Yes, but they are one of the most generous schools with Merit scholarships. This even gives you flexibility of quitting at any point if you can't keep up with the student-athlete life, without losing your funding. So less risk.

2) They don't have a track team. So you can still train, and access all the facilities and perks for athletes, without the pressure to deliver results. You still get to run some races here and there, but with more flexibility to fit your testing/labs schedule. Your only busy trimester is fall.

3) The team is not that good, bottom of the SEC. Yes, and a decent recruit would be traveling and scoring from first season. No need to redshirt. You won't be traveling nor scoring for years in a top program. How many schools in the nation gives you hope to win titles to start with?

4) You won't get a lot of pressure to perform, so you won't improve that much over your college journey. Well, you have a point. But if the kid wants to STEM anyway, that holds for any school. It is just super hard to be reaching the top against foreign nationals in competition, while balancing a heavy STEM major. Most STEM majors in sports athletics are doing it to satisfy their love for the sport, not hoping to go pro.

Vanderbilt is also in a very nice weather city, with lots to do. So the location is actually a bonus. And you're still running in the SEC!

What am I missing here. Is this the perfect profile for a Vandy runner? Where else would such a profile (financial, grades, STEM major) prefer to run in college?

TBH it seems like for most people, Vanderbilt is not the right place, but for those who it is, it would be a perfect environment

Most of the top academic schools give a break on admissions requirements to top athletes.

I don't believe Vandy is giving many scholarships to t&f and xc, and I don't think they are offering much of a reduction on admittance scores.

This leaves them to build teams just from the Vandy general student population rather than recruited athletes.

This is similar for Cal, UCLA, Northwestern, Rice, Tulane, Bucknell, Colgate, Davidson etc. If they actively recruited and supported that with schollies and admittance help, they could all be great xc programs.

the women won SEC XC in 2011 IIRC but they didn't build on that and I have to assume Keith's illness was a factor in that. I remember they signed Caroline Pietrzyk out of Malibu and she had a terrific freshman season but not sure she ever ran at a high level for them after that initial season

Simone Charley was great at jumps under former assistant Clark Humphreys

and Ashley Kovacs seemed to have them solid at throws the past few years but looks like she left the program

but not a well-rounded program by any stretch of the imagination. They do not fully fund the swimming and diving program and I'd assume that's the case with women's T&F even though they get like $60 million a year from the SEC's TV contracts

They’re actually a powerhouse:

HaHa!