A young runner I know is looking at colleges and one of his top choices offers men's cross country, but not track and field (midwest area; they do have a full indoor/outdoor women's program). One of his goals is to compete at a national championship meet. Is this even realistic if he were to attend a school that ONLY has cross country? Are there any serious, competitive programs in D1, D2, D3, or NAIA that are set up this way? Any that have recently sent a team to a national meet??
Speaking for D1. No XC only team has ever sent a team to nationals. Current Temple men may be the closest shot. Only a small handful of individuals from XC only schools have ever made it either. Highly unlikely he or his team could pull it off but doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have a good experience if he loves the school.
Great Lakes Region wrote:
A young runner I know is looking at colleges and one of his top choices offers men's cross country, but not track and field (midwest area; they do have a full indoor/outdoor women's program). One of his goals is to compete at a national championship meet. Is this even realistic if he were to attend a school that ONLY has cross country? Are there any serious, competitive programs in D1, D2, D3, or NAIA that are set up this way? Any that have recently sent a team to a national meet??
Northwestern University has a women's XC team in D1.
No (official) track team. No sprinters or field athletes at all
No men's track or xc
The women do run a few indoor & outdoor meets. In fact, sent a runner to NCAA West Prelims last spring. I'm not sure how that works when they don't have an official team, but apparently it was allowed.
I run at a D3 school that is considered XC only. We get to run in a few track meets each spring but it's not a season and definitely hurts recruiting. I didn't choose my school because of running, but overall I've had a good experience. Sure we aren't great, but we all work hard and place respectably in our conference during XC.
Despite this, I would tell him to strongly consider looking at schools that have both sports, unless he doesn't want to run track for some reason. If I had decided on a school based on running first, I would have never chosen an XC only school. It will be hard to develop to a national caliber level only racing for 1/3 of the year.
To anybody who does not have plans of being a national level runner, believe me there are some XC only programs out there where you will enjoy your experience.
Hope this helps, good luck to him
D2 has had a couple of teams that only have xc and have sent teams to nationals
I’m guessing you’re talking about Wayne St? The program there is good, i myself have looked into the school too.
When I was at the University of West Florida (NCAA D2) we went to nationals twice (2011, 2012) and since I lift, they have not been back. We did not have a track team
The University if Dayton is the only XC only program to ever win a conference championship and they have won the A-10 the past 3 years. Not nationals caliber, but arguably the most successful XC only program.