Track & Field

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Quite a number of famous athletes such as Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, Ashton Eaton and Justin Gatlin went through the American college system. Most of the American athletes go to college to continue training at a high level. Today, more and more athletes from all over the world are heading to the USA to benefit from the expertise of some of the best coaches in the world. The level of competition is extremely high and only those who have a national level can pursue the American dream with an athletic scholarship.

Track & Field training

You will be expected to practice at least 5 days a week, 2-3 hours a day. Practices may consist of training as well as additional strength and conditioning.

What does the season look like?

The Track and Field season begins with indoor competitions in the spring semester. Then it switches to outdoor competitions. You will participate in 15-20 competitions. The best athletes will qualify for the NCAA National Championships held in June. As a long distance runner, you will start practice and competition earlier since the cross-country season starts in the fall.

How many universities?

Number of universities with women track & field teams: 1250

Number of universities with men track & field teams: 1150

What is the scholarship situation?

Men:

NCAA I : 12.6
NCAA II : 12.6
NAIA : 12.6
Junior College : 20

Women:

NCAA I : 12.6
NCAA II : 12.6
NAIA : 12.6
Junior College : 20

Each university offering college sports must apply for an affiliation to a college sports division, the major ones being the ones below:

NCAA
NAIA
Junior College (NJCAA)

The National College Athletics Association (NCAA) is the most well-known sports organization in the USA. The NCAA is the governing body for around 1200 schools. It consists of three divisions (Division I, II, and III).
Divisions I and II are the only ones which offer athletic scholarships whereas Division III can only offer academic scholarships.
NCAA Division I schools are mostly large public universities whereas NCAA Division II schools are mostly small private universities.
The NCAA D1 is very competitive and has stricter eligibility requirements. The NCAA D2 schools are somewhat more flexible.

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes (NAIA) is the governing body for around 250 schools. It is mostly comprised of smaller private universities. The athletic and academic standards aren’t as high as with the NCAA.

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is made up of 2-year community colleges. In the United States, community colleges are usually small, and have few academic requirements for acceptance.
The NJCAA is a good option for students who didn’t get accepted to the NCAA or NAIA because of academics. The NJCAA is also a good way for foreign players to get noticed by NCAA coaches.