Is the Coast Guard Academy sports division competitive?

I'm interested in playing sports at the Coast Guard Academy and want to know how competitive their sports division is. What level of skill should I have? How do I stack up against other athletes?

The United States Coast Guard Academy is part of the NCAA Division III, specifically the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC). Division III is generally less competitive than Divisions I and II, as the schools at this level do not offer athletic scholarships and place a higher emphasis on the academic experience of student-athletes. This however doesn't imply that competition in Division III is not challenging; it's only less rigorous when compared to Division I and II colleges.

If you're considering participating in sports at the Coast Guard Academy, it would be useful to have been part of a varsity team in high school or to have competed at a similar level. While the skill level to participate would depend on the sport, a general proficiency in your sport would be expected.

As an example, if you're a swimmer, you'd likely need a 100m freestyle time under 1:00.00 for women and under 0:51.00 for men to be on par with other athletes on the team.

Remember that being a student-athlete at the Coast Guard Academy, like any military academy, can be more demanding than at civilian schools due to the additional responsibilities and commitments that military students have. Balancing your coursework and sport, alongside your additional duties such as trainings or deployments, can be challenging, but can also be incredibly rewarding and a unique college experience.

You can also connect with the coaches of the sport you're interested in for more specific information about what they look for in athletes and the level of competition you can expect.