The Case for Division 3 Athletics

By Graham Tuohy-Gaydos - Williams College, Class of 2025

I am often asked where I have signed for cross country, and I have begun to expect the confusion so many of my fellow athletes exhibit when I explain I chose to attend a Division III institution. I certainly can appreciate the allure of a big-time Div. I program. The amazing facilities, top-notch coaching, and financial scholarships are hard to pass up, and the name recognition, pomp and circumstance of signing days, and the aura of DI athletics only furthers the attraction.

From a personal perspective, I had to navigate the recruiting landscape like so many of my fellow seniors—with COVID-19 in mind. With three sub-15 minute performances and being named Milesplit’s National Athlete of the Week twice, I had interest and offers from a large number of Division I colleges and universities all across the country. From top notch academic institutions and the Academies to some of the top tier cross country programs with storied histories, I was in contact with a varied group of stellar institutions during my recruiting experience. Yet after visiting over 30 schools and talking with countless coaches, I chose a small liberal arts college that most people have never heard of, and one that doesn’t even compete in Division I athletics. My journey is certainly not the right choice for everyone, and each senior needs to choose the proper matriculation path for themselves. But I would humbly offer the following advice to any student considering continuing their athletic endeavors in college: While Division I programs offer many positives, don’t shy away from expanding your search to Division II, III, NAIA, or even junior/community colleges, as they might offer a better fit and ultimately an enhanced long term all-around experience.

To be clear, it’s important to clarify that I’m not looking to discredit those who have chosen DI or to try to justify my own decision. Rather, I seek to offer the lessons I have learned from my own experience in order to try to help others have as much comfort as possible in their own decisions and to not feel pressured into attending a DI institution over an option that may be a better fit for them. There is quite a bit of dissension surrounding the value of attending a Div. II or Div. III college or university, especially at the highest levels of our sport, and to that end, I have split this piece into five sections in order to better clarify the potential benefits of casting a wider net, and some important thoughts I personally considered while making my decision.

Competition

There is no doubt that Division I athletics is superior to DII or Div. III with regards to ability and speed. Some of the best distance runners from across the country toe the starting line at the DI National Championships. This is mirrored in the recruiting choices of the MS50 list and other top HS athletes. Yet with over 150 colleges competing in Div. I cross country, there are anywhere from 300-400 potential spots for HS seniors every year, and not every program is going to land a blue chip recruit. In fact, only about 30 colleges qualify for nationals each season, and most schools won’t even make it out of their league championships. Still, the lavish facilities, gear, and coaching at these programs oftentimes perpetuate the myth that all D I institutions are better than their Div. II or Div. III counterparts. Yes, it is true that DI runners are usually faster than their competitors in the other divisions, and there is no doubt that Division 1 lands the fastest runners, but it’s also true that Division 3 does have their fair share of top talent as well. Many rosters of the upper-tier DIII schools are littered with New Balance Nationals or Foot Locker participants. While the field may not be as deep, the top student-athletes in DII and DIII could conceivably place in the top 25-50 at the DI XC championships or qualify for track finals in a convincing fashion. In fact, the fastest 1500M DII and DIII times in history are only 3-4 seconds behind those in Division I. So, if good competition is your goal, and being with a program that strives for success every season is important, then you shouldn’t overlook options that may not appear as “elite” on the surface, but oftentimes can offer a competitive experience than some of their smaller DI counterparts.

A similar sentiment can be expressed for the facilities and coaching at Division II and Div. III institutions. I have often heard the slight that they are nothing more than glorified club teams. Yet anyone who thinks that DIII amenities don’t measure up only need to look at Colby College’s brand new $250 million athletic center to realize that large state schools don’t have a lock on indulgence. This isn’t a one-time occurrence either; other successful programs such as Middlebury College and St. Lawrence College have similarly impressive indoor tracks as well. It's also important to note that world-renowned coaches such as Jack Daniels made their careers in Div. III running, and figures such as Williams’s Pete Farwell, North Central’s Al Carius (now retired) and Haverford College’s Tom Donnelly are considered some of the best in the NCAA regardless of division. Athletes can unequivocally find strong competition, top notch facilities, and great coaching in any division they choose, and this is a strong reason not to overlook Div. II and DIII options either.

Academics

Many of the real strengths of Div. III institutions lie in academics rather than facilities or competition. Some of the top schools in the nation—such as the Ivy League as well as Stanford, Northwestern and Duke—are Division I, but many of the US News and World Report Top 25 colleges are usually private schools which tend to fall into the DIII camp. However, it’s not just about the “elite” moniker that is often applied to these schools. By definition, Div. III colleges are much smaller than their state university counterparts and therefore offer many advantages for the academic-focused student. For starters, smaller schools mean smaller class sizes, and courses are typically taught by professors and not teaching assistants. Furthermore, Division III colleges often offer many more academic major options, or more specific majors that a particular student might want. Another factor to consider is that many Div. III colleges don’t have graduate schools, which means that research opportunities are offered to undergraduates, allowing a greater amount of hands-on learning and actual work experience in your field of choice. One last factor to consider may not apply to every DI program, but at many of the schools I visited, it was brought up multiple times. As a Division I scholarship athlete, a student is expected to perform on the field. This doesn’t mean that school doesn’t come first, but many majors that require long lab courses are frowned upon because they may interfere with practice. Studying abroad is usually not encouraged either, as it draws students away for a whole year. While most larger Div. I programs have academic support services, the season is usually longer and more travel intensive than its DIII counterparts, which can also interfere with a student’s academic focus. In my general experience, Div. III coaches always led with “school comes first” and were usually more focused on my academic pursuits than my athletic goals. That's not to say they weren’t competitive; Rather, the DIII coaches I met with were more interested in helping me get to where I wanted both academically and in life, and put just as much emphasis on this as they did on my goals from a running perspective. If academics is your biggest goal, Division III institutions should be on your radar for places where one can seemingly find a balance between the two in comparison to certain Div. I colleges or universities.

Scholarships and Money

Apart from the allure of signing with a Div. I program, one of the most positive aspects of going the D1 route is the ability to earn an athletic scholarship. Most D1 programs offer their top recruits anywhere from 1⁄4 to full payment of their tuition if they choose to run for them. Others offer a combination of athletic and academic scholarships to significantly reduce the cost of attending the school. Of course some, like the Ivy League, don't offer any merit-based aid and everything is solely based on need. Whatever your situation, if you are a good runner, there is no doubt that choosing a Division I college or university can significantly lower the costs of college. However, there is a common misconception that Division III does not offer scholarships. While they cannot provide any assistance with regard to athletics, they can be quite liberal with their support via academic grants. In fact, the endowments at many of the smaller private DIII schools are quite large, and their ability to offer significant academic scholarships can oftentimes mean that the financial package at a Div. III institution can be far better than its DI counterparts, especially when compared to many of the smaller Division I programs. An important thing to note as well is that athletic scholarships are reliant on your performance and can be rescinded. Academic scholarships, by comparison, are typically much easier to maintain, especially if you excel in the classroom. While nobody expects to lose an athletic scholarship, injuries do happen, and the security of academic-based support should certainly be considered. While financial needs are oftentimes the most important aspect of choosing a school, that should also not eliminate many DIII programs from your list since they can potentially be the better option.

Flexibility

As mentioned above, DI programs that offer you a scholarship can indirectly limit things like the major you choose, the classes you can take, or your ability to study abroad. As a cross country athlete, you will be competing in the fall, but there may be expectations that you will also join the indoor track team in the winter, and then be a member of outdoor track in the spring. This essentially means you will be a three-sport athlete and your time will be limited. It might be hard to join clubs or intramural activities, and it will be virtually impossible to participate in another varsity sport at the school. While this lack of flexibility may not impact many students, it was a big part in my decision. As a successful four-sport athlete in high school, I took part in a variety of activities in addition to cross country. I knew that I wanted to run in college, but I also didn’t want to lose the ability to participate in the other sports and competitions I loved. One of the best aspects of Division III athletics is that you don’t have to be 100% committed to your sport. You can participate in theatrical performances, be in a fraternity or sorority, or just have more time to explore your interests. That's not to say that being 100% laser focused on running is a bad thing. Still, less than 2% of all NCAA athletes go pro after college, so having the ability to expand your horizons and try new things might be a positive aspect of what you are looking for in a college and a DII or DIII institution.

Team Dynamics

One last thing to consider is the team dynamic, and this is true no matter which division you choose. I would 100% recommend visiting the campus, meeting the team, and even going on a run with them to learn more about how they interact both during practice and afterwards. If a visit isn’t possible (such as with our current situation due to COVID) then a video call with current team members can be an equally successful experience. Everyone looks for something different in their teammates, and there is no one “right” atmosphere for all. Some programs I visited conducted workouts as a group, while others were much more individually focused. Many had a strength component, while others added swimming and other cross-training techniques. To be clear, there are a few differences between Div. I and DIII programs that are notable. For starters, many Division III teams tend to be larger compared to their DI counterparts, who usually carry 15-20 runners a season. Div. III schools don’t have scholarships, so they can carry more people and are typically made up of 20-30 athletes by comparison. Some even allow “walk ons”, which can increase the group to 45+ in certain cases. This can be a positive or negative and isn’t uniform across all DIII institutions, but it certainly changes the team experience. Another aspect worth mentioning is the competitive nature of the group. Even though Div. I programs carry 15+ runners, only 7 will be allowed to travel for meets, which means that everyone on the team is competing for those spots. This is the case in all sports, but in running, there is a chance you might always be on the cusp of being relegated to the practice squad. Even as an upperclassman, there is always the chance of a sensational new recruit taking your spot. Some people thrive in this environment, while others might not enjoy the competition between their teammates. DIII teams have this dynamic to some extent, but as mentioned above, the talent at that level is not as deep, and the competitiveness is not as intense. Furthermore, there are oftentimes a greater amount of meets available for larger DIII teams, where slower members can compete and allow all runners on their roster to get a chance to race, even if not on the official travel team. This is not to say spots for nationals aren’t in short supply on many of the top-tier teams, but the group dynamic as a whole tends to be more supportive and inclusive at the Division III level.

One last topic to mention may be completely subjective, but is worth noting. Since Div. III doesn’t offer athletic scholarships, everyone on the team, from the superstar to the lowest walk on, is there solely because they want to be there. They can quit the team at any time with absolutely no financial consequence at all. While they might not have the talent of some of their DI counterparts, they have a love for the sport and a desire to be around other runners. That team dynamic is certainly not for everyone, but for me, it’s something I actively searched for throughout my recruiting process. Personally, knowing that others are there out of their love of the sport is truly comforting, and makes the team environment of many DIII institutions both unique as well as special in how each person values running and views it as an integral part of their life.

Conclusion

People choose a college for a variety of reasons. The location, a particular major, the quality of the running program, the craziness of their parties, or simply the one that gives them the most money. None of these reasons is any better than the other. Rather, it’s what you care about, what you desire in the place you will spend your next 2-5 years, that really matters. At the same time, don’t feed into myths about Division II or DIII institutions or discount what they might offer because they aren’t as well known or aren’t a Div. I team. Most importantly, don’t pick a school because it will impress your friends, media outlets, or your classmates: if it’s not right for you, such a choice will only lead to regret, and that’s the worst outcome.

In the end, always remember the “Broken Leg Rule”: If you showed up to classes on the first day and broke your leg, would you still be happy at that college? Would you like the classes, the professors, your fellow students? Would there be things for you to do outside of school that you would enjoy? If you have to think about those answers, then maybe that school isn’t the right choice for you.