After shuttering the teams back in 2018, Notre Dame College is bringing back men’s and women’s track and field and cross country teams.
The track and cross country programs are returning to Notre Dame College, and the school is now actively recruiting for both women’s and men’s track and field teams. The teams will begin their outdoor and indoor seasons during the 2023-24 school year. Transfer students are encouraged to try out for the teams especially.
Notre Dame College is also in the process of selecting coaches for the teams. The teams will participate in long distance racing between individuals and teams on natural terrain outside, and sprinting, jumping, throwing, and distance running competitions both inside and outside.
Because track and field events take place both outdoors and indoors, a total of six new sports will be added to the athletic department at Notre Dame. The school’s athletic family has now grown to 26 athletic programs with the addition of track and field and Acrobatics and Tumbling, which is an emerging NCAA women’s sport that began in the spring season of this year. Notre Dame last fielded teams for the men’s and women’s track and field and cross country back in 2018.
In an article posted on Notre Dame College’s website, the college’s vice president for intercollegiate athletics, Scott Swain, was quoted on the return of the teams, saying, “We are pleased to bring these sports back to Notre Dame College. Track and field and cross country provide numerous participation opportunities for many student-athletes. We know there is great potential for growth with these sports.”
The cross country and track and field teams are sponsored by the Mountain East Conference. The student athletes will have the chance to earn all conference honors and compete in the conference championships.
The track and field and cross country teams were added to the Notre Dame athletic community back in 2002 and competed for the next 16 consecutive years.
For almost twenty years, the running, jumping, and throwing programs earned several all conference honors, national championship finalists, and All-America awards. Mike Mannozzi was the first Notre Dame College track and field student athlete to receive a national championship when he won the indoor 3,000 Meter Collegiate Race Walk back in 2010. There are currently more than 600 student athletes at Notre Dame College.
The Notre Dame Department of Athletics aligns itself with the NCAA Division II philosophy of live in the balance, which emphasizes a focus on a program of learning and development for the student athletes.
Notre Dame College’s athletics are an important part of a unified student and academic life experience. The college sees its sports programs as intrinsically linked to its mission to educate students for global, professional, and personal responsibility.
The school looks to give its student athletes the opportunity to grow through academic opportunities for achievement, the development of positive societal attitudes in service to the community, and high level athletics competition. This stance is in line with the NCAA Division II value system, as well.
Notre Dame College works with its student athletes to help them become not only superior athletes, but also responsible campus citizens and competent students. The school looks to create athletes who are able to compete and strive to excel at the top levels of Division II competition, responsible campus citizens who work with faculty and staff to understand their responsibility as role models to other students, the general college community, and each other, and competent students who take their academic path seriously and work to finish their degree programs.
The school sees its responsibility to help its student athletes meet these expectations by employing high quality coaching and athletics administration as well as academic and student life support and quality facilities.
Falcon sports teams often serve in the community by conducting grand experiences and fundraisers for youth enduring terminal illnesses and more.
Notre Dame College offers more than 30 majors and accepts applications all around the year while also offering transfer credits. Almost all of the school’s students receive financial aid, and the campus population is very diverse. Almost 100 students on campus come from around the world, representing more than 20 different countries.
More information about Notre Dame College can be found at the school’s website.