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Best Track and Field Colleges

By Next College Student Athlete, 12/02/19, 3:15PM PST

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Are you a college-bound student-athlete pursuing a collegiate track and field career but aren’t sure where to start your college search?

Are you a college-bound student-athlete pursuing a collegiate track and field career but aren’t sure where to start your college search? Finding the right college fit takes time and requires a great deal of research. The rankings below are designed to help you learn more about your college options and identify colleges that meet your athletic, academic, social and financial needs.

NCSA Power Rankings are based on proprietary analysis of NCSA Favorites data obtained from the college search activity of more than 2 million student-athletes on the NCSA recruiting network, U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges, IPEDS graduation rates and IPEDS average cost after aid.

Best Men’s Track and Field Colleges

When comparing all 950+ four-year colleges that offer men’s college track and field programs, it’s no surprise that the 2019 rankings are dominated by powerhouse schools with strong name recognition. While the majority of the top 100 colleges for men’s track and field are NCAA Division 1 colleges, 19 NCAA Division 3 colleges and one NCAA Division 2 college made the list.

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2. Stanford University

3. University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)

4. Princeton University

5. University of Florida

Top 100 Colleges for Men’s Track and Field Student-Athletes

Best NCAA Division 1 Men’s Track and Field Colleges

From small college campuses to large universities, there are more than 250 NCAA Division 1 men’s track and field colleges across the US. Programs that are fully funded by the school are allowed to offer up to 12.6 scholarships per team. While most student-athletes are familiar with the programs that made the top 5 list below, the full 2019 rankings include a mix of colleges.

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2. Stanford University

3. University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)

4. Princeton University

5. University of Florida

Top 50 NCAA Division 1 Men’s Track and Field Colleges

Best NCAA Division 2 Men’s Track and Field Colleges

With more than 200 men’s college track and field programs, there is no shortage of opportunities to compete at the NCAA Division 2 level. Just like NCAA Divisions 1 programs, fully funded Division 2 track and field programs are able to offer up to 12.6 scholarships per team. NCAA Division 2 may not receive the same attention as Division 1schools, but these programs are often filled with comparable talent that chose to go Division 2 for a better fit overall.

1. University of California – San Diego

2. Hillsdale College

3. California State Polytechnic University – Pomona

4. Western Washington University

5. Colorado School of Mines

Best NCAA Division 3 Men’s Track and Field Colleges

Student-athletes have the most opportunities to compete for a collegiate men’s track and field program at the NCAA Division 3 level, with more than 300 sponsored programs. While these programs are not able to offer athletic scholarships, student-athletes can receive a competitive merit-based scholarship package and several other forms of financial aid to cover the cost of college.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

2. California Institute of Technology

3. Amherst College

4. Johns Hopkins University

5. University of Chicago

Best NAIA Men’s Track and Field Colleges

NAIA schools don’t have the same name recognition that NCAA schools enjoy, but these programs offer the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level and earn a scholarship. Of the 150 NAIA colleges that offer men’s track and field programs, fully funded programs can offer up to 12 scholarships per team.

1. Loyola University New Orleans

2. Bethel University – Indiana

3. The College of Idaho

4. University of Michigan – Dearborn

5. Asbury University

Best Women’s Track and Field Colleges

Women’s college track and field is offered at about 1,000 four-year institutions across the country. While the 2019 list of top 100 colleges for women’s track and field is dominated by NCAA Division 1 colleges, you’ll also find 23 NCAA Division 3 colleges and one NCAA Division 2 college.

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2. Stanford University

3. University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)

4. Harvard University

5. Princeton University

Top 100 Colleges for Women’s Track and Field Student-Athletes

Best NCAA Division 1 Women’s Track and Field Colleges

Women’s college track and field programs can be found at more than 300 NCAA Division 1 schools. Fully funded Division 1 programs are allotted the largest scholarship limit at 18 scholarships per team. While the list of top 5 Division I colleges with women’s track and field programs is made up of Power 5 schools, the full 2019 rankings include a mix of colleges.

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2. Stanford University

3. University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)

4. Harvard University

5. Princeton University

Top 50 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Track and Field Colleges

Best NCAA Division 2 Women’s Track and Field Colleges

There are about 200 NCAA Division 2 colleges with women’s track and field programs. Division 2 track and field programs are able to offer up to 12.6 scholarships per team, if the program is fully funded. NCAA Division 2 may not receive the same level of recognition as Division 1 schools, but many of these programs offer an equally competitive playing field.

1. University of California – San Diego

2. Truman University

3. Western Washington University

4. Grand Valley State University

5. Hillsdale College

Best NCAA Division 3 Women’s Track and Field Colleges

NCAA Division 3 offers ample opportunities to compete in women’s track and field at the collegiate level, with more than 300 programs. College coaches leading these programs are not able to award recruits with an athletic scholarship, but Division 3 schools offer competitive academic scholarship package, along with several other forms of financial aid to cover the cost of college.

1. Williams College

2. Amherst College

3. Johns Hopkins University

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

5. Emory University

Best NAIA Women’s Track and Field Colleges

The NAIA sponsors more than 150 women’s track and field programs. When a program is fully funded, the coach is able to offer up to 12 scholarships. Competing for an NAIA program doesn’t come with the same attention that NCAA athletes enjoy, but these programs offer student-athletes an opportunity to pursue a collegiate athletic career and earn a scholarship.

1. Soka University of America

2. Loyola University New Orleans

3. Aquinas College – Michigan

4. University of Michigan – Dearborn

5. John Brown University

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