This sport is divided into indoor track and field, whose events take place in the winter with national championships in March, and outdoor track and field, which awards national title in June. At the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, eight field, 12 track and one multi-event competition events (decathlon) are held.

Points scored through all NCAA track and field events count toward team totals at competitions throughout the season, at conferences, and at national championships. However, more focus is generally given to college track events vs. college field events. Of the field events, shot put, pole vault and long jump are the most popular.

More than 600,000 young men compete annually in track and field events at the high school level annually. Less than 29,000—or fewer than 5%– go on to compete at the NCAA DI, DII or DIII level. About 11,400 (1.9%)) athletes compete at the DI level, 7,200 (1.2%) at the DII level and 10,200 (1.7%) at DIII. Nine percent of DI and 5 percent of DII men’s track and field recruits are international student athletes. Nearly 4,000 athletes go on to compete at the NAIA level.

These numbers should demonstrate that the high school athlete who wants to continue competing in track and field at the college level is about to enter a very competitive arena. Earning a spot on a collegiate track and field roster—and being awarded athletic scholarship money—will take time, discipline, and persistence—but it’s not impossible.

It doesn’t hurt if you have some of the best times in the country, but there are other attributes that add to your appeal to a coach or scout. For example, how do you respond to adversity? Can you keep your head when you are behind the field? How do you manage stress or pressure? Don’t forget– recruiters are looking at the whole picture.
Getting recruited also takes name recognition. In almost all instances, you need to let coaches know that you are interested in getting into their track and field programs.

• Take every opportunity possible to learn from top track and field coaches in your area so that you can improve your times and distances. Volunteer at your local Boys and Girls club, or mentor a younger student athlete. in the future and, in some cases, working with college coaches who you may be competing
• Participate in track and field camps and showcases. This is a good way to catch the eye of the coaching staff at the college, university, or other organization that is sponsoring the event. Track and field staff from nearby schools often lend a hand at these camps and showcases; they’ll be watching, too. Overall, these events are a great way to build connections, improve your physical performance and mental toughness, and get an idea of to what kinds of coaches and programs you respond best. Many of these session will also create a video for you that will prove invaluable as you put yourself in front of coaches whose programs interest you.
• If you don’t have one already, create a good quality video that shows you competing in each of your events that highlights your form, and—if you’re a distance runner—your strategy.

In short, you may have talent, you may have self-discipline, but unless you get your name out there in a consistent, respectful way, you may fly right under your preferred program’s radar. Show those coaches how much you want to compete in for them in their track and field program. That type of inner drive gets attention and distinguish yourself as one of the fewer than 5% of high school athletes who goes on to a DI, DII or DIII collegiate track and field program.

The NCAA has always had a strict set of rules dictating when, where, and how college coaches and scouts can contact potential recruits. Note that the COVID-19 pandemic has altered NCAA recruiting and eligibility for the foreseeable future, but typically recruiting rules are as follows:

• For DI and DII coaches: Almost all contact is off-limits until June 15 after a recruit’s sophomore year in high school.
• DIII and NAIA coaches: These coaches can reach out to student athletes who show interest in their schools at any time.

As of June 1, 2021, all college sports have returned to normal recruiting calendars and procedures.  Coaches from all divisions are able to meet with recruits in-person.  This may be subject to each individual college or university’s individual policies regarding off-campus travel or visitors on campus.

For Eligibility Center Covid-19 Response FAQ’s visit: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/COVID19_Fall2022_Public.pdf.

To learn more about how COVID-19 is affecting NCAA recruiting, visit: https://www.ncsasports.org/coronavirus-sports/ncaa-recruiting-suspended

Just because in-person visits by coaches and scouts aren’t possible right now doesn’t mean that recruiting has to stop. Again, it’s up to you to think of creative ways to get yourself in front of the coaching and scouting staff at the colleges and universities on your short list. Here are a few things you can try:

• Create a highlight video. Even though coaches currently can’t evaluate you in person at events, deliver the next best thing: create a highlight video and embed it on your student athlete profile. If a picture’s worth a thousand words, a video is worth a million. Put together the best one you can.
• Reach out via email. An introductory email is a great way to start the recruiting conversation with the coach of a program you’re interested in. Be informed about the school in general, and how the coaching staff approaches your sport. Embed the link to your highlight video, and end the email letting the coach know you’ll be following up in the coming week or so.
• Pick up the phone. Keep the conversation going with a phone call to the coach several weeks later. Asking if they’ve had an opportunity to review your email and view your video is a good opening. Know what else you want to say on the phone call and practice in advance.

Remember: The NCAA has proposed and approved “eligibility relief” to student athletes who missed out on the opportunity to compete in the spring of 2020, but the actual decision to offer this additional year of eligibility is at the discretion of individual schools. Therefore, the best advice is always to keep in touch with your contacts at the schools you’re interested in to determine what—if any—changes COVID-19 has created in their sports programs related to eligibility and recruiting.

Next College Student Athlete™ (NCSA), one of the first athletic recruiting networks to introduce digital technology to the world of college recruiting, recently analyzed 950 four-year colleges with men’s track and field programs. The list* included colleges that offer track, field, and cross country programs, only track and field, and only cross country at the NCAA DI, DII, DIII levels as well as the NAIA level.

Division I

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2. Stanford University
3. UCLA, University of California at LosAngeles
4. Princeton University
5. University of Florida
6. University of Michigan
7. UVA, University of Virginia
8. University of California
9. Harvard University
10. Yale University

Division II

1. University of California, San Diego
2. Hillsdale College
3. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
4. Western Washington University
5. Colorado School of Mines
6. Grand Valley State University
7. Bentley University
8. California State University, Chico
9. Truman State University
10. Lewis University

Division III

1. MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2. California Institute of Technology
3. Amherst College
4. Johns Hopkins University
5. University of Chicago
6. University of California, Santa Cruz
7. Tufts University
8. Emory University
9. Carnegie Mellon
10. Pomona-Pitzer Colleges

NAIA

1. Loyola University, New Orleans
2. Bethel University, Indiana
3. The College of Idaho
4. University of Michigan, Dearborn
5. Asbury University
6. Indiana Wesleyan University
7. Concordia University, Nebraska
8. College of the Ozarks
9. Robert Morris University, Illinois
10. Taylor University

For a searchable list of the 950 men’s collegiate track and field programs evaluated by NCSA, visit https://www.ncsasports.org/best-colleges/best-naia-mens-track-and-field-colleges

*based on a proprietary analysis of NCSA Favorites data obtained from the college search activity of the more than 2 million student athletes on the organization’s network, general academic rankings by US News & World Report’s Best Colleges, IPEDS graduation rates, and IPEDS average “cost after aid.”

Coaches award women’s track and field scholarships to NCAA DI and DII college and universities, NAIA schools, and junior colleges. This section contains includes general information about how these scholarships are awarded, what coaches look for in a potential recruit, and standard times and marks used for evaluation and comparison at the collegiate level. We hope this information is helpful to you in building a short list of colleges and universities where you as a student athlete might potentially be recruited.

Let’s start by reviewing the terms and concepts you are likely to encounter as you research what it takes to participate in track and field at a college level, and what you need to do to earn a possible athletic scholarship.

NCAA DI and DII, NAIA, and junior colleges classify their sports programs either as “head count” or equivalency sports. Track and field—both women’s and men’s—is considered an equivalency sport.

What does that mean?

• Head count sports are the so-called revenue sports that include men’s DI basketball and DI-A football, and women’s DI basketball, tennis, volleyball and gymnastic. These scholarships are always full rides.
• Equivalency sports scholarships include DI men’s baseball, rifle, skiing, cross-country, track and field, soccer, fencing, swimming, golf, tennis, gymnastics, volleyball, ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse and wrestling. For DI women, equivalency sports include bowling, lacrosse, rowing, cross-country, track and field, skiing, fencing, soccer, field hockey, softball, golf, swimming, ice hockey and water polo, and all DII and NAIA sports. These types of scholarships are usually partial.

NCAA DIII programs can’t award athletic scholarships, but coaches can get the college’s Admission’s department’s assistance in creating financial aid packages made up of grants, need-based or merit-based aid, and/or academic scholarships.

Breaking News: Beginning August 1, 2020, any need-based or merit-based aid awarded to a student athlete in an eligible collegiate track and field program will not count against the mandated maximum athletic scholarship limit. Prior to this rule change, athletes had to meet certain criteria for their additional aid to not be counted against a team’s athletic scholarship limit.

There will still be a cap on the amount of athletic scholarships track and field teams can award, but student athletes can apply for as much need-based aid and merit-based aid as they can qualify for. This rule will allow track and field programs with funds available to extend more aid to athletes who need it.

Although there are more than 1,000 US colleges and universities that offer track and field programs for student-athletes, not all of them award athletic scholarships. See the chart below for a breakdown of the track and field scholarship limits for the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA levels:

Women’s INDOOR track and field scholarship limits by division level

Women’s OUTDOOR track and field scholarship limits by division level

*Scholarship limits per team indicates the maximum number of scholarships a program may award each year.

In most sports, including track and field, coaches set benchmarks, known as standards, which represent the baseline that potential recruits need to meet in order to obtain a scholarship. The more points that an athlete can earn at meets, the more likely they are to earn a scholarship.

Compare your personal bests against these standards to determine at which college or university’s you are likely to make the biggest impact. Use this information to create a target list of schools so you can focus your efforts to be recruited. Remember: although showing motivation, having room to go, and being flexible are pluses, coaches are looking for student athletes who can earn points right away.

Women’s Track and Field Recruiting Standards— DI

Women’s Track and Field Recruiting Standards—DII

Women’s Track and Field Recruiting Standards- DIII

It doesn’t hurt if you have some of the best times in the country, but there are other attributes that add to your appeal to a coach or scout. For example, how do you respond to adversity? Can you keep your head when you are behind the field? How do you manage stress or pressure? Don’t forget– recruiters are looking at the whole picture.

Getting recruited also takes name recognition. In almost all instances, you need to let coaches know that you are interested in getting into their track and field programs.

• Take every opportunity possible to learn from top track and field coaches in your area so that you can improve your times and distances. Volunteer at your local Boys and Girls club, or mentor a younger student athlete. in the future and, in some cases, working with college coaches who you may be competing
• Participate in track and field camps and showcases. This is a good way to catch the eye of the coaching staff at the college, university, or other organization that is sponsoring the event. Track and field staff from nearby schools often lend a hand at these camps and showcases; they’ll be watching, too. Overall, these events are a great way to build connections, improve your physical performance and mental toughness, and get an idea of to what kinds of coaches and programs you respond best. Many of these session will also create a video for you that will prove invaluable as you put yourself in front of coaches whose programs interest you.
• If you don’t have one already, create a good quality video that shows you competing in each of your events that highlights your form, and—if you’re a distance runner—your strategy.

In short, you may have talent, you may have self-discipline, but unless you get your name out there in a consistent, respectful way, you may fly right under your preferred program’s radar. Show those coaches how much you want to compete in for them in their track and field program. That type of inner drive gets attention and distinguish yourself as one of the fewer than 5% of high school athletes who goes on to a D1, D2 or D3 collegiate track and field program.

Coaches tend to give athletic scholarships based on a recruit’s performance in individual or multiple events: Typically, they prioritize scholarships for recruits who can make an impact right away and put big scores on the board at meets. Consider targeting divisions and programs where your scores not only meet the standards but really stand out. You may be able to meet the standards of a DI school, but you may earn more scholarship money at the DII levels where you may be able to make a bigger impact. Make an effort to get to know the coaches who run the programs at your programs of choice so you can understand what their recruiting needs are. This will help you position yourself in the best way possible to fill a gap on the team roster.

• Jumperswith proven track records of good marks who can score points immediately will catch a coaches eye, but solid performers who show room for improvement and a motivation to participate in year-round training are also invaluable.
• Throwerswho are athletic and strong are valuable additions to any track and field team. Willingness to try specialty events like hammer and javelin that were not as popular at the high school level, is also a plus. Keep in mind that college weights are heavier than in high school, so coaches are always looking for strong discus or shot throwers.
• Sprinterswho show an ability to compete and score across multiple events are move to the top of the list of potential recruits. As long as the sprinter is fast, most coaches will work with them on technique and form.
• Middle distance runnerswho have outstanding speed, solid biomechanics, and a willingness to try different events such as cross country at the college level get noticed.

Distance runners are recruited based on how well their running style fits within the college’s training program.

As of June 1, 2021, all college sports have returned to normal recruiting calendars and procedures.  Coaches from all divisions are able to meet with recruits in-person.  This may be subject to each individual college or university’s individual policies regarding off-campus travel or visitors on campus.

For Eligibility Center Covid-19 Response FAQ’s visit: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/COVID19_Fall2022_Public.pdf.

To learn more about how COVID-19 is affecting NCAA recruiting, visit https://www.ncsasports.org/coronavirus-sports/ncaa-recruiting-suspended

Just because in-person visits by coaches and scouts aren’t possible right now doesn’t mean that recruiting has to stop. Again, it’s up to you to think of creative ways to get yourself in front of the coaching and scouting staff at the colleges and universities on your short list. Here are a few things you can try:

• Create a highlight video. Even though coaches currently can’t evaluate you in person at events, deliver the next best thing: create a highlight video and embed it on your student athlete profile. If a picture’s worth a thousand words, a video is worth a million. Put together the best one you can.
• Reach out via email. An introductory email is a great way to start the recruiting conversation with the coach of a program you’re interested in. Be informed about the school in general, and how the coaching staff approaches your sport. Embed the link to your highlight video, and end the email letting the coach know you’ll be following up in the coming week or so.
• Pick up the phone. Keep the conversation going with a phone call to the coach several weeks later. Asking if they’ve had an opportunity to review your email and view your video is a good opening. Know what else you want to say on the phone call and practice in advance.

Remember: The NCAA has proposed and approved “eligibility relief” to student athletes who missed out on the opportunity to compete in the spring of 2020, but the actual decision to offer this additional year of eligibility is at the discretion of individual schools. Therefore, the best advice is always to keep in touch with your contacts at the schools you’re interested in to determine what—if any—changes COVID-19 has created in their sports programs related to eligibility and recruiting.