Choosing a Division III college

By
Jennifer Powell
of All-Stater Sports

Choosing a Division III college

by Jennifer Powell

Holly Harris
senior, girls soccer
Macalester College

When choosing a college, don. t make your choice based on where you are going to play. Injuries happen, and you want to make sure that you will be happy in the atmosphere that you have chosen,. comments senior Holly Harris. Harris was a two-time All-League soccer player at South Torrance HS in California before going to Div. III Macalester College in Minnesota.

What reasons could possibly make someone leave sunny California to move half way across the country for the cold winters of Minnesota? . I knew I didn. t want a big school or one in California. I wanted a college where I could play two sports and one that had a good reputation. My grandfather attended Macalester, and I have family who live out here,. says Harris.

In the past three years, Harris got exactly what she wanted. She excels at track and field and soccer. A starting forward on the soccer team, Harris savors her team. s National Championship win last year. . It was exciting to be a part of the team that won Macalester. s first ever National Championship in any sport. I think that our sports have gotten a bad reputation because we have never won. Our sports teams are very strong. I am proud of the soccer team. We worked hard and it paid off,. states Harris.

Harris believes Div. III sports have advantages. . The concept is still the same in Division III. We want to win and the competition level is high, but school work is the top priority,. she says. . At a Division III school, it is easier to be a two-sport athlete. Academically, there are more choices in the classes you are allowed to take. It. s okay to have afternoon labs. coaches are aware that learning is a top priority..

Justin Sloan
senior, football
Mount Union College

Justin Sloan, a college senior, had Div. II and NAIA schools eyeing him when he played at Hillsdale HS in Ohio. Sloan decided to continue his football career at Mount Union College, a Div. III school in Alliance, Ohio. What made Mount Union attractive to the 6-2 elementary education major were its solid, nationally recognized football program, the chance for success, and the fact that the coaches were honest with him on his visit. . When I came here, the coaches told me I would not be a starter right away. They were straight-up with me on my playing chances,. says Sloan.

Mount Union turned out to be his chance for uncommon success. Sloan has taken part in Mount Union. s three consecutive Div. III National Champion-ships and its current 42-game winning streak. The school also has the most wins (108) and the best winning percentage (.943) in college football for the decade. Sloan says his greatest personal athletic accomplishment is . earning a starting position last season as a junior..

Sloan sees no major disadvantages to playing at a Div. III school; in fact, quite the opposite. . There is more personal attention, and it. s easier to focus on education. No one here is trying to keep a scholarship. Our team is just like a family to one another,. he says. Coincidentally, one of Sloan. s teammates is his roommate and hometown friend, Nate Crosby. Buddies since elementary school, they have pushed each other to work harder on the field.

Sloan cautions high school athletes who are exploring college options to . be patient. It can be exciting while going through the recruiting process, but when you go to the schools, be aware of what the coaches are telling you. Feel them out and also look at the atmosphere of the school...to make sure it is a place you can see yourself for four years..

Sue Tucker
senior, girls basketball
Washington University

Sue Tucker. s life is no different from any other dedicated student-athlete. s. basketball is her life. She plays and trains all year. A senior point guard, Tucker was looked at but not heavily recruited by Div. I and II schools. She opted to find a school that had a good balance of academics and athletics. That search led her to Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

. In order to prepare for graduate school and the work world, I needed a place where I could get a good education. I also wanted to play sports at a competitive level. Washington University has a great coaching staff, and the school itself has a good reputation academically,. says Tucker.

The girls basketball team finished undefeated last season and won their second consecutive National Championship. Tucker is no stranger to basketball success. She was an All-Conference, All-Metro, and Honorable Mention All-State player at Cedar Rapids Regis HS in Iowa. After all those high school awards, her greatest accomplishment in college basketball is more personal; it. s the steady improvement in her three-point shooting percentage.

Tucker, a psychology major, offers this advice to student-athletes looking at colleges: . The competitive level is found in all colleges regardless of the division. Look at your talent level and decide which level is right for you. Make sure to take into consideration the reputation of the school academically, and research the team to find a place where you will fit and be happy..

. College has had such a positive effect on me. I learned to work with a team to accomplish a common goal. It has enabled me to meet other teams and players and has just been an overall great experience,. says Tucker.