While the NESCAC is considered by some to be the most competitive Division III conference in the country, athletics do not necessarily top the list of many Wesleyan students’ priorities. This year, the University boasts some of the highest ranked teams in its history, but you certainly will not find a decline in the rankings of the science program or the film department.
Only a handful of Cardinal Athletes can accurately refer to themselves as All-American, or even All-New England. Olin Library always appears more populated than the Freeman Athletic Center.
Although athletics take a backseat to academics, Wesleyan still manages to attract some highly touted high school recruits. These athletes choose a smaller environment, more conducive to academic achievements than feats of strength. They attend “Diversity University” rather than the big-name Division I school. They accept smaller crowds instead of herds of screaming fans, stadium facilities and courtside cheerleaders with their short skirts and pom-poms just inches away from the sweaty athletes.
So what is it about Wesleyan that draws these recruits to join the Cardinal legion?
The answer is simple. Most students at Wesleyan, athletes or non-athletes, made the decision to attend a highly regarded liberal arts institution. That is, they came here for a reason, not a season.
“My parents always pushed both athletics and academics. So even though some of the schools that recruited me were big sports schools, they weren’t at the same level as Wesleyan from an educational perspective,” said senior baseball pitcher Tom Bloss.
Bloss, a three-year letterman and captain of the 2005 baseball team, was a seriously recruited athlete during his high school pitching days. The University of Richmond in Virginia, all eight Ivy League Universities and several NESCAC colleges showed interest in him. After making several official visits and lots of phone calls to coaches, Bloss narrowed it down to three schools: University of Richmond, Yale University and Wesleyan.
“When I came on my recruiting trip to Wesleyan I had a really good time with the captain [of the baseball team] at the time, and I really liked how the program looked,” Bloss said. “There were a lot of factors that went into my decision to finally come to Wesleyan. I knew I’d get playing time right away, I really respected the program — Wesleyan has a great baseball tradition – and it’s a great school. It just felt like the right decision to make.”
Jared Ashe ’06, recruited for both his basketball and soccer abilities, was faced with a similar decision. Several bigger-name sports schools showed interest in Ashe, such as the College of the Holy Cross, Northwestern University, New York University, the University of Chicago and three Ivies. But again Wes beat out the competition due to reputation for a more balanced lifestyle.
“I wanted a great education and a place where I would be able to play both soccer and basketball, and have a good balance between the two,” Ashe said. “I did not want to go to a [Division I] school where there was a ton of pressure and a major commitment. I realized that both programs here at Wes were up-and-coming, and I think that both programs have a chance to play at a very high level in the next few years.”
New Mexico native Hooter Glidden ’07 expressed similar sentiments regarding his decision to attend Wesleyan and participate in the men’s soccer program. Some smaller Division I schools, as well as the University of New Mexico, showed interest in Glidden’s soccer talent.
“I wanted to go to a school that had really good academics and good soccer, so most of the schools I considered were Ivies and NESCACs,” Glidden said. “Wes is an awesome academic school and I could play right away [and] not have to wait a season or two like at a bigger school. Plus it’s a really good level.”
When such sought-after recruits make the decision to attend and participate in athletics at Wesleyan rather than a bigger, more athletically competitive school, they make a certain sacrifice of athletic ideals for academic opportunity. And most Wesleyan athletes are willing to give up the packed stadium and new uniforms for a unique and thorough education.
Despite Bloss’s overall feeling that Wesleyan was the right decision, he experiences twinges of longing for fans.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s tough at times. From an athletic perspective, it would be nice to have more of a following. When I visited Richmond there were thousands of fans watching the baseball game, and every athlete knows it’s great to play in front of that kind of crowd. We don’t get that kind of following at Wesleyan,” Bloss said, referring to the scattering of students on Foss Hill during a baseball game on a spring afternoon.
Such a group of observers is often comprised of sunbathers, banjo-players, boogie club members and a dedicated few who are actually aware that the baseball game is occurring.
“When it comes down to it though,” Bloss said, “The deciding factor was that I didn’t want baseball to be my life. Athletics affect schooling in a lot of ways — with away trips and night games and long practices it’s hard sometimes — but you don’t want to let a sport take over your life or sacrifice your education.”
Leave a Reply