Gustavus Adolphus College ranks 36th among colleges and universities across the United States as a “Best College for Sports Lovers,” according to a recent list compiled by MONEY Magazine and Sports Illustrated. Among the top 100 schools across all three divisions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, Gustavus ranks fifth in Division III and is the only member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference on the list.
“We are honored to be recognized as one of the best colleges for sports lovers in the nation,” Athletic Director Tom Brown said. “We pride ourselves on the fact that students are receiving a top-notch education, while having the opportunity to experience highly competitive athletic events. Our student-athletes strive to be the best in the classroom and in the field of play, which is evident with this ranking, and our fans foster a positive and energetic atmosphere to support our Gusties.”
The ranking takes into account institutions that made MONEY’s annual Best Colleges rankings, which scores schools on affordability, academic excellence, and career outcomes. The bulk of the criteria comes from 15 sports-specific data points, broken down into two categories – athlete opportunities and fan experience.
Gustavus supports 12 women’s and 11 men’s intercollegiate programs with a 27-percent student participation. The College has finished in the top 25 of the Directors’ Cup national competition for overall athletics program excellence among more than 400 Division III schools a total of 15 times in the 20-year history of the competition. There is also 75-percent participation in more than 30 intramural activities and nine club sports.
Check out the full list of the 100 Best Colleges for Sports Lovers online. To learn more about athletic opportunities on campus, visit the Gustavus Athletics homepage.