The impact of the House settlement on Division III swim/dive, and did we just witness the greatest senior class in the modern history of the men's national championship?
I once had a conversation with the coach of one of these highly selective D3 schools with a 4% or less acceptance rate a few years ago. I was told that of the 40 swimmers the coach “supported” to admissions the previous year, 38 were accepted. This is like the way certain schools like the Ivys get a certain number of “admissions spots” to give to talented athletes who meet their minimum admissions requirements, which is usually around their 25th percentile admissions qualifications like SATs or ACTs. These students most of the time, in my experience, apply early decision as part of the system. Also, the type of financial packages given to athletes vary especially with internationals. I’m sure there will be D3 programs that will be able to get these D1 swimmers and divers in and get them financial packages that will make it possible for them to go to the better D3 schools.
Great analysis as usual! Cost and tough acceptance rates might prevent a House settlement induced influx of a lot of former D1 swimmers into the very top D3 programs, so maybe it won’t just be the “rich getting richer” so to speak…..Maybe the next powerhouse in D3 swimming will be a program with a slightly lower price tag, and a reasonable acceptance rate? Calvin? Hope?
Interesting that the Denison seniors last year, as Juniors, score 121 points and as Sophomores they scored 49 points. Solid upward trajectory for the class.
I had the chance to speak to some coaches at D3 NCAAs. In one conversation, a prominent D3 coach at one of the top scoring schools told me he had recently been contacted by 18 D1 swimmers, ahead of the opening of the transfer portal, to inquire if he had any openings on his roster. Of course, this particular coach couldn’t respond as they need to be in the portal to do so. And, he said he wasn’t interested in any of them but you can be sure that if he’s getting these kinds of contacts, most of the others at the sharp end also are. It isn’t a stretch to think of some schools who would jump at taking in some of these would-be transfers.
I also talked to a college teammate of mine coaching in the NAIA. I mentioned my conversation at D3 NCAAs and he said he had received similar inquiries and his school is small. I suspect that there will be a decent number of transfers into D3 and NAIA by those cut from rosters or those anticipating a program going away.
I had heard a prominent (dare I say “legendary”) D1 coach saying in an interview that he expects there to be less than 50 D1 swim programs in the near future. If that happens, swimmers will look to other Divisions as safe havens where they can swim.
I once had a conversation with the coach of one of these highly selective D3 schools with a 4% or less acceptance rate a few years ago. I was told that of the 40 swimmers the coach “supported” to admissions the previous year, 38 were accepted. This is like the way certain schools like the Ivys get a certain number of “admissions spots” to give to talented athletes who meet their minimum admissions requirements, which is usually around their 25th percentile admissions qualifications like SATs or ACTs. These students most of the time, in my experience, apply early decision as part of the system. Also, the type of financial packages given to athletes vary especially with internationals. I’m sure there will be D3 programs that will be able to get these D1 swimmers and divers in and get them financial packages that will make it possible for them to go to the better D3 schools.
Great analysis as usual! Cost and tough acceptance rates might prevent a House settlement induced influx of a lot of former D1 swimmers into the very top D3 programs, so maybe it won’t just be the “rich getting richer” so to speak…..Maybe the next powerhouse in D3 swimming will be a program with a slightly lower price tag, and a reasonable acceptance rate? Calvin? Hope?
That really could be. Both those teams already seem so close to complete breakthrough, pre-House. Maybe it puts them over the top.
Interesting that the Denison seniors last year, as Juniors, score 121 points and as Sophomores they scored 49 points. Solid upward trajectory for the class.
I had the chance to speak to some coaches at D3 NCAAs. In one conversation, a prominent D3 coach at one of the top scoring schools told me he had recently been contacted by 18 D1 swimmers, ahead of the opening of the transfer portal, to inquire if he had any openings on his roster. Of course, this particular coach couldn’t respond as they need to be in the portal to do so. And, he said he wasn’t interested in any of them but you can be sure that if he’s getting these kinds of contacts, most of the others at the sharp end also are. It isn’t a stretch to think of some schools who would jump at taking in some of these would-be transfers.
I also talked to a college teammate of mine coaching in the NAIA. I mentioned my conversation at D3 NCAAs and he said he had received similar inquiries and his school is small. I suspect that there will be a decent number of transfers into D3 and NAIA by those cut from rosters or those anticipating a program going away.
I had heard a prominent (dare I say “legendary”) D1 coach saying in an interview that he expects there to be less than 50 D1 swim programs in the near future. If that happens, swimmers will look to other Divisions as safe havens where they can swim.
Small correction, Justin Lum did compete at USC 21-22, making him a 5Y
as always appreciate the correction.
Yes no problem. It is on swim cloud but he didn’t swim at conference that year
appreciate the glaze 🙏
earned