Collegiate Swimming
This page is meant to be a resource for FCA swimmers who are interested in swimming in college. The steps below are a simplified breakdown of the collegiate swimming recruiting process.
Step 1: Set up a meeting with a coach at FCA.
In this meeting, the swimmer and coach will talk about what the swimmer is looking for in a college swimming program. At this meeting, they should discuss the following with their FCA coach:
- Do they aim to swim Division I, II, or III?
- What level of academics are they looking for?
- What major are they interested in?
A meeting with their coach at FCA will kickstart the college recruiting process and make sure the swimmer is taking the right steps to ensure they find the program that is the best fit for them.
Step 2: Create a SwimCloud account.
Swimmers should create a SwimCloud profile so that coaches can reach out to them. Follow the steps in this video to create your SwimCloud account: Swimcloud Registration Instructions
Step 3: Make a list of potential colleges.
Swimmers should make a list of potential colleges that they believe would be a good fit for them. When making this list, they should take into account:
- Level of academic rigor
- Level of athletics
- Cost of attendance
- Types of financial aid offered
- Location
- Number of students
Step 4: Reach out to college coaches.
After meeting with an FCA coach, swimmers will begin the process of emailing coaches at the schools they are interested in. This includes:
- Creating a separate email address only used for the recruiting process to ensure that no communication is overlooked.
- Introducing themselves. At this stage, we recommend creating an introductory email template that swimmers can send to many schools.
- Setting up phone calls with coaches to learn more about different programs.
Step 5: Keep up communication.
Swimmers should update the coaches on their list about how their season is shaping up after each competition. They should be sure to focus not only on their times, but also their positive intangible traits (ex: cheering on teammates, not giving up after a bad race). If a swimmer feels strongly about a program, they should keep up with how the team’s season is going. They can feel free to follow prospective teams on social media to easily stay up to date.
Step 6: Plan visits.
Follow this link for a brief overview of what official and unofficial visits entail in each Division.
Step 7: Commit to a school.
Once a swimmer commits to a school, they must continue to work hard in the pool and the classroom. Swimmers should also let the other schools they’ve been talking to know that they committed elsewhere. This should be done over the phone, not through email. After all their hard work, newly committed athletes should be very proud of themselves for undergoing the recruiting process.
Step 8: Keep us updated!
FCA is interested in hearing about their swimmers' future plans. Let us know when you commit to a school and we will give you a shoutout on social media. Coaches would be happy to attend your high school's Signing Day as well. Congratulations, athlete!
Hope Lane '23 (right) (Connecticut College)
Annika Naveen '22 (bottom right) (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Sonya Wilkerson '22 (Hobart and William Smith Colleges)