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Rankings›Where the most students are athletes
Athletic departments

Where the most students are athletes

Varsity athletes as a share of the undergraduate body — the small Division III colleges where a third of campus is on a team.

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All divisionsDivision IDivision IIDivision III
81.3%
#1 · Wheeling University
Division II · Mountain East Conference · Wheeling, WV
12.2%
Median
of 297 schools, Division II
6.7×
Top vs median
how far the leader sits above the middle
61.0%
10th place
the cut for a top-ten list

Top 15

  1. 1Wheeling UniversityDivision II · Mountain East Conference · Wheeling, WV81.3%
  2. 2Erskine CollegeDivision II · Conference Carolinas · Due West, SC80.8%
  3. 3Emmanuel University (Georgia)Division II · Conference Carolinas · Franklin Springs, GA79.3%
  4. 4Chowan UniversityDivision II · Conference Carolinas · Murfreesboro, NC71.5%
  5. 5William Jewell CollegeDivision II · Great Lakes Valley Conference · Liberty, MO66.4%
  6. 6Quincy UniversityDivision II · Great Lakes Valley Conference · Quincy, IL65.8%
  7. 7McKendree UniversityDivision II · Great Lakes Valley Conference · Lebanon, IL65.7%
  8. 8Lake Erie CollegeDivision II · Great Midwest Athletic Conference · Painesville, OH65.5%
  9. 9Belmont Abbey CollegeDivision II · Conference Carolinas · Belmont, NC61.8%
  10. 10Barton CollegeDivision II · Conference Carolinas · Wilson, NC61.0%
  11. 11University of JamestownDivision II · Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference · Jamestown, ND60.8%
  12. 12Mars Hill UniversityDivision II · South Atlantic Conference · Mars Hill, NC60.5%
  13. 13Davis & Elkins CollegeDivision II · Mountain East Conference · Elkins, WV59.2%
  14. 14Newberry CollegeDivision II · South Atlantic Conference · Newberry, SC57.3%
  15. 15Catawba CollegeDivision II · South Atlantic Conference · Salisbury, NC56.5%

Every school, Division II

0.3%81.3%
#1 · Wheeling Universityevery school

The spread across 297 schools; the median is 12.2%.

How it is measured

Schools with at least 500 undergraduates; athlete counts over fall undergraduates.

Related

Most athletesMost teamsWomen head coachesCoaching depth

The full list · top 100

#SchoolAthletes as a share of undergraduatesAthletesUndergradsSetting
1Wheeling University
Division II · Mountain East Conference · Wheeling, WV
81.3%478588City
2Erskine College
Division II · Conference Carolinas · Due West, SC
80.8%690854Rural
3Emmanuel University (Georgia)
Division II · Conference Carolinas · Franklin Springs, GA
79.3%683861Rural
4Chowan University
Division II · Conference Carolinas · Murfreesboro, NC
71.5%456638Rural
5William Jewell College
Division II · Great Lakes Valley Conference · Liberty, MO
66.4%576868Suburb
6Quincy University
Division II · Great Lakes Valley Conference · Quincy, IL
65.8%7431,130Town
7McKendree University
Division II · Great Lakes Valley Conference · Lebanon, IL
65.7%1,0551,605Suburb
8Lake Erie College
Division II · Great Midwest Athletic Conference · Painesville, OH
65.5%487744Suburb
9Belmont Abbey College
Division II · Conference Carolinas · Belmont, NC
61.8%9571,549Suburb
10Barton College
Division II · Conference Carolinas · Wilson, NC
61.0%7091,163Town
11University of Jamestown
Division II · Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference · Jamestown, ND
60.8%586964Town
12Mars Hill University
Division II · South Atlantic Conference · Mars Hill, NC
60.5%6061,002Rural
13Davis & Elkins College
Division II · Mountain East Conference · Elkins, WV
59.2%404683Town
14Newberry College
Division II · South Atlantic Conference · Newberry, SC
57.3%8381,462Town
15Catawba College
Division II · South Atlantic Conference · Salisbury, NC
56.5%6521,153Suburb
16Ferrum College
Division II · Conference Carolinas · Ferrum, VA
56.2%420747Rural
17West Virginia Wesleyan College
Division II · Mountain East Conference · Buckhannon, WV
55.2%518938Town
18Franklin Pierce University
Division II · Northeast 10 Conference · Rindge, NH
55.1%5831,058Rural
19Tusculum University
Division II · South Atlantic Conference · Greeneville, TN
54.7%5591,022Town
20Emory & Henry University
Division II · South Atlantic Conference · Emory, VA
50.3%5571,107Rural
21Lenoir-Rhyne University
Division II · South Atlantic Conference · Hickory, NC
47.7%7051,477City
22Allen University
Division II · Southern Intercol. Ath. Conf. · Columbia, SC
46.9%298635City
23Lees-McRae College
Division II · Conference Carolinas · Banner Elk, NC
46.9%384818Rural
24Walsh University
Division II · Great Midwest Athletic Conference · North Canton, OH
46.9%6671,423Suburb
25American International College
Division II · Northeast 10 Conference · Springfield, MA
45.4%6041,331City
26Ohio Dominican University
Division II · Great Midwest Athletic Conference · Columbus, OH
44.7%400894City
27Converse University
Division II · Conference Carolinas · Spartanburg, SC
43.4%370852City
28Kentucky Wesleyan College
Division II · Great Midwest Athletic Conference · Owensboro, KY
43.4%362834City
29Malone University
Division II · Great Midwest Athletic Conference · Canton, OH
43.3%427987City
30Assumption University
Division II · Northeast 10 Conference · Worcester, MA
43.1%7281,688City
31Adams State University
Division II · Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference · Alamosa, CO
42.6%6711,576Town
32King University
Division II · Conference Carolinas · Bristol, TN
40.1%4311,076City
33Southern Nazarene University
Division II · Great American Conference · Bethany, OK
39.9%5851,465Suburb
34Menlo College
Division II · California Collegiate Athletic Association · Atherton, CA
39.6%329831Suburb
35Salem University (West Virginia)
Division II · Independent · Salem, WV
39.0%271695Rural
36Saint Michael's College
Division II · Northeast 10 Conference · Colchester, VT
38.9%4581,178Suburb
37Concord University
Division II · Mountain East Conference · Athens, WV
38.7%5691,472Rural
38Goldey-Beacom College
Division II · Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference · Wilmington, DE
38.3%269702Suburb
39University of Sioux Falls
Division II · Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference · Sioux Falls, SD
37.9%4841,276City
40Concordia University Irvine
Division II · Pacific West Conference · Irvine, CA
37.4%5481,465City
41Roberts Wesleyan University
Division II · East Coast Conference · Rochester, NY
37.4%4081,092Suburb
42Tiffin University
Division II · Great Midwest Athletic Conference · Tiffin, OH
37.4%9992,669Town
43Coker University
Division II · South Atlantic Conference · Hartsville, SC
37.2%4411,187Town
44Dominican University New York
Division II · Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference · Orangeburg, NY
36.6%3991,089Suburb
45Seton Hill University
Division II · Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference · Greensburg, PA
36.0%5751,597Suburb
46Shaw University
Division II · Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association · Raleigh, NC
35.3%298843City
47Southern Wesleyan University
Division II · Conference Carolinas · Central, SC
34.6%307887Suburb
48Chestnut Hill College
Division II · Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference · Philadelphia, PA
34.5%335972City
49Spring Hill College
Division II · Southern Intercol. Ath. Conf. · Mobile, AL
34.4%293851City
50Shorter University
Division II · Conference Carolinas · Rome, GA
33.5%4431,322City
51Ouachita Baptist University
Division II · Great American Conference · Arkadelphia, AR
33.3%5771,734Town
52Wingate University
Division II · South Atlantic Conference · Wingate, NC
32.8%8082,464Suburb
53Jessup University
Division II · Pacific West Conference · Rocklin, CA
32.4%3421,056Suburb
54Drury University
Division II · Great Lakes Valley Conference · Springfield, MO
32.3%4421,368City
55Carson-Newman University
Division II · South Atlantic Conference · Jefferson City, TN
31.9%5321,669Suburb
56Northwestern Oklahoma State University
Division II · Great American Conference · Alva, OK
31.5%5431,724Town
57Thomas More University
Division II · Great Midwest Athletic Conference · Crestview Hills, KY
31.5%5751,823Suburb
58Saint Anselm College
Division II · Northeast 10 Conference · Manchester, NH
31.1%6392,052Suburb
59Livingstone College
Division II · Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association · Salisbury, NC
31.0%248799Suburb
60Ursuline College
Division II · Great Midwest Athletic Conference · Pepper Pike, OH
30.8%196637Suburb
61Augustana University (South Dakota)
Division II · Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference · Sioux Falls, SD
30.3%5661,871City
62Glenville State University
Division II · Mountain East Conference · Glenville, WV
29.9%4741,583Rural
63Lane College
Division II · Southern Intercol. Ath. Conf. · Jackson, TN
29.3%241822City
64Bluefield State University
Division II · Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association · Bluefield, WV
28.8%3601,249Town
65North Greenville University
Division II · Conference Carolinas · Tigerville, SC
28.7%5571,944Rural
66Oklahoma Baptist University
Division II · Great American Conference · Shawnee, OK
28.7%4051,409Town
67Westminster University (Utah)
Division II · Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference · Salt Lake City, UT
28.4%254895City
68University of Charleston (West Virginia)
Division II · Mountain East Conference · Charleston, WV
27.7%5782,087City
69Lincoln Memorial University
Division II · South Atlantic Conference · Harrogate, TN
27.6%4431,605Town
70Southwest Baptist University
Division II · Great Lakes Valley Conference · Bolivar, MO
27.0%4381,622Town
71Young Harris College
Division II · Conference Carolinas · Young Harris, GA
26.9%3771,403Rural
72Lubbock Christian University
Division II · Lone Star Conference · Lubbock, TX
26.7%3521,320City
73Northwood University
Division II · Great Midwest Athletic Conference · Midland, MI
26.1%5201,989City
74Henderson State University
Division II · Great American Conference · Arkadelphia, AR
26.0%3881,493Town
75Rockhurst University
Division II · Great Lakes Valley Conference · Kansas City, MO
24.6%5982,430City
76West Liberty University
Division II · Mountain East Conference · West Liberty, WV
24.6%4781,944Rural
77Virginia Union University
Division II · Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association · Richmond, VA
24.4%2851,170City
78Westmont College
Division II · Pacific West Conference · Santa Barbara, CA
24.4%3191,310Suburb
79D'Youville University
Division II · East Coast Conference · Buffalo, NY
24.3%3161,299City
80Georgian Court University
Division II · Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference · Lakewood, NJ
24.0%3541,478City
81Ashland University
Division II · Great Midwest Athletic Conference · Ashland, OH
23.8%7423,123Town
82Dominican University of California
Division II · Pacific West Conference · San Rafael, CA
23.3%2751,182City
83Johnson C. Smith University
Division II · Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association · Charlotte, NC
23.3%2461,058City
84LeMoyne-Owen College
Division II · Southern Intercol. Ath. Conf. · Memphis, TN
23.1%149646City
85Felician University
Division II · Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference · Lodi, NJ
22.7%4161,833Suburb
86Fresno Pacific University
Division II · California Collegiate Athletic Association · Fresno, CA
22.6%3661,616City
87Gannon University
Division II · Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference · Erie, PA
22.3%6512,920City
88Northwest Nazarene University
Division II · Great Northwest Athletic Conference · Nampa, ID
22.3%2581,156Suburb
89Miles College
Division II · Southern Intercol. Ath. Conf. · Fairfield, AL
22.2%2561,151Suburb
90Frostburg State University
Division II · Mountain East Conference · Frostburg, MD
21.9%7333,344Town
91Emporia State University
Division II · Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association · Emporia, KS
21.4%5162,412Town
92Sul Ross State University
Division II · Lone Star Conference · Alpine, TX
21.3%3071,441Town
93Christian Brothers University
Division II · Gulf South Conference · Memphis, TN
21.2%2551,204City
94Chadron State College
Division II · Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference · Chadron, NE
21.1%3761,785Town
95University of Montevallo
Division II · Gulf South Conference · Montevallo, AL
20.9%5312,545Town
96Vanguard University
Division II · Pacific West Conference · Costa Mesa, CA
20.9%4161,987City
97University of Bridgeport
Division II · Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference · Bridgeport, CT
20.8%3081,479City
98Caldwell University
Division II · Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference · Caldwell, NJ
20.6%2981,448Suburb
99Oklahoma Christian University
Division II · Lone Star Conference · Edmond, OK
20.3%4082,012City
100Trevecca Nazarene University
Division II · Gulf South Conference · Nashville, TN
20.0%3651,825City
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