4 Reasons to Consider Division II Swimming

By Seren Jones, Swimming World College Intern
Division II is the most overlooked division in the NCAA. As high school athletes turn into college recruits, they are almost always fantasizing about representing the bigger and more prestigious Division I institutions, ranging from the world famous Ivy Leagues to the significant sports schools of the South East Conference. And let’s be real, saying that you’ve signed to a Division I institution is a definite high. But believe it or not, there are other options that provide equally memorable experiences. They’re just not aired on ESPN.

Traditionally, D-1 schools have always been the more popular option, but this is declining at a faster rate every year. The awareness of D-2 schools is constantly on the rise, with the division improving it’s standards and performances in the water on an annual basis.

Having been an international college recruit, the only school I wanted to commit to was a D-1 institution. As far as I was aware, the bigger the name, the bigger the school, the better the team. Easy. It was first division or no division. It wasn’t until I took up the offer to go on recruiting trips to D-2 schools did I realize that there are other options which may prove (and have proven) to be a better fit for me.

Photo Courtesy: Seren Jones

Photo Courtesy: Seren Jones

Here are four reasons why you should consider Division II swimming:

1. Scholarship
Although D-1 schools are renowned for having bigger financial budgets, depending on your times and performances, you will almost always receive athletic funding from D-2 universities. Many swimmers who attend top-tier D-2 schools have found that their universities offer them more scholarship than would top and middle-tier D-1 universities. Perhaps this is worth considering when you think about the inevitable debt you’re going to have to repay after your college years. Also doesn’t more scholarship imply that you’re wanted more? You won’t just be another IMer, sprinter or distance swimmer. You’ll be an asset. Think about it.

2. Personal Match
As a division two swimmer myself, I believe that the division is better suited for those who work hard and want to improve, but who are also realistic. What I mean by this is that you’re fast, but you’re not on your way to Rio 2016 anytime soon. And that’s okay! Just because you’re not on the national team doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t pursue swimming in college. And just because you choose Division II, doesn’t mean that your hopes of improving have sank to the depths of the diving pit. As long as you have your goals, they can still be achieved.

3. Meets
I know of Division I swimmers who attend the University of Florida, Towson University, and Florida Gulf Coast University, where the standards are so elite and the teams are so big, that they must fight for their spots to be on the travel teams and the conference teams. Take a minute to imagine that you’ve made it onto the team of the big D-1 school of your dreams. You’re not the fastest swimmer by far but you have some scholarship, although it’s not a lot. You train doubles everyday, start lifting weights, start university classes, and have no time to do anything else but eat and sleep. Then imagine that after all of the hard work you invested into your training, you don’t make the travel team or the conference team. This happens to many D-1 swimmers, some of whom fail to succeed in ever reaching such meets. In Division II however, you are guaranteed to make conference. You’ll put in the exact same amount of effort as the D-1 swimmers, but you’ll get to show off your hard work and talent at your conference championships. If you think it ends here you’re wrong. Qualifying for Division II NCAAs is not easy, but is a reachable goal. We’re not talking Olympic standard, but we’re talking 50 freestyle records of 22.54 for the women and 19.39 for the men. Not too shabby, right?

4. The Last Chance
If you’re undecided about pursuing swimming in college, let D-2 be your decider. The smaller teams won’t get you lost among the other bodies. This means you’ll be able to receive more attention from your coaches, giving you a better experience and a fresh perspective on the sport. As an incoming freshman, I had decided to give swimming one last chance. Although I was tired from suffering through a two and a half year plateau, I knew I wasn’t done yet. After declining the numerous temptations of permanently hanging up my goggles, I took a chance at my D-2 school of Long Island University, also known as LIU Post. I’ve never looked back. It’s only now I realize that had I taken a D-1 offer, I would have less scholarship, I probably wouldn’t be as big of an asset to the team, I would still be circle swimming with around four to six swimmers per lane, and I definitely wouldn’t be an All-American.

If your heart is set on going D-1, then there is no reason for you to not reach the expectations you set for yourself. Just know that D-2 does exist and it may be your perfect match.

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Morgan Duncan
Morgan Duncan
9 years ago

SEREN!!!! I was just on facebook and my friend from tampa posted this article, I was so surprised and happy when I clicked it and saw this was written by you!!!!!! You’re amazing. Blue team bullies forever

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