Many illustrious swimmers such as Ryan Lochte and Katie Ledecky have passed through the American university system. Nowadays, more and more swimmers are choosing university swimming to prepare for the various national and international championships, with the Olympic Games in their sights for some.
The team generally trains early in the morning before university classes. Then a second training session is scheduled in the afternoon. The universities have Olympic-sized swimming pools in which training takes place.
What does the season look like?
The swimming season starts in September, culminating in the conference championships and the national championships in March.
How many universities?
Over 650 universities offer swimming for girls, and over 500 for boys.
What is the scholarship situation?
Garçons :
- NCAA I : 9.9
- NCAA II : 8.1
- NAIA : 8
- Junior College : 15
Filles :
- NCAA I : 14
- NCAA II : 8.1
- NAIA : 8
- Junior College : 15
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.
Newly Added Athletes
Contacts
Sportif Consulting
Le bourg – 46320 LIVERNON
Lionel CREMERS 
Tel : +33 (0)5.65.40.41.53
Caroline CLAUS
Tel : +33 (0)5.65.40.41.53
