Q & A for Prospective Swimmers
What can Randolph-Macon College and its swimming program offer me?
In the simplest terms, we offer a high quality liberal arts education, a positive team experience, and the opportunity to excel as an individual student-athlete both within the ODAC Conference and at the national level.
What are the advantages of swimming for a Division III swimming program like Randolph-Macon?
The key differences that you find at a DIII swimming program (as compared to DI) have to do with the institutional philosophy and mission. At Randolph-Macon, you will be a student who also swims, not a swimmer who also happens to be a student. Academics always come first, and our focus is on developing you as a whole person. Intercollegiate athletics will play a role in that development. Moreover, our program is centered around the belief that athletics should enrich the liberal arts education, cultivate respect for hard work and fair competition, and promote a passion for testing and challenging ones limits. Our swimmers are committed to the team and are serious about our goals, yet they also can enjoy a life outside of the pool. Our swimmers are encouraged to take advantage of campus and social activities, leadership opportunities, and internship experiences as these endeavors are vital parts of a well-rounded education and are essential for personal growth.
Where is Randolph-Macon located and what is the campus like?
We are located in historic Ashland, Virginia, about 90 miles south of Washington, D.C, 15 miles north of Richmond, 60 miles east of the Blue Ridge mountains, and 100 miles west of Virginia Beach. The campus is located on 115 wooded acres and has 60 major buildings, including a sports and recreation center which was completed in 1998. The town of Ashland is less than one mile from the I-95 corridor and includes a business district, shopping, restaurants, and a train station with Amtrak service (that literally borders campus). The Virginia Center Commons mall is less than a ten minute drive on route 1.
What kind of academic programs are offered at Randolph-Macon?
With an extensive liberal arts and sciences core curriculum and 29 majors, Randolph-Macon's academic program exposes students to broad perspectives and specific concepts. Internships, independent study, an honors program, and interdisciplinary majors ensure that each student's education is individualized and varied. A Phi Beta Kappa college, Randolph-Macon is ranked as a Baccalaureate I college by the Carnegie Foundation and is rated among the elite liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report's annual college guide. To see the college profile with a list of majors and minors, click here.
What is the enrollment and demographic makeup of the student body?
We have just under 1200 undergraduate students (47% men, 53% women) from across the United States and abroad. The vast majority of students are from Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and North Carolina. Minority students comprise about 15% of the student body.
What's the history of the school?
Founded in 1830, Randolph-Macon is the nation's oldest Methodist-affiliated college. Originally founded in Boydton, Virginia, the school relocated to Ashland in 1868 following the Civil War and the associated destruction of the infrastructure in the Boydton area. Formerly an all-male school, R-MC became coeducational in 1971. The Brock Center was completed in 1998, and with that came the formation of R-MC’s first women’s swimming team in the 99-00 season!
How selective is admissions?
The College accepts about 60% of applicants each year. The average GPA incoming students is 3.3, and about half of all incoming students are in the top 25% of their high school class. The middle 50% combined SAT score is 1000-1170, with a mean of 1084.
How much does it cost?
Current tuition and fees can be found here, click here.
Are scholarships available?
Yes, all accepted students are considered for academic scholarships and eligible for both need-based and non-need based aid. 99% of students receive some form of financial aid. Over 50% receive need based financial aid, with the average award totaling over $20,000. In addition, the vast majority of our students qualify for merit based grants and/or scholarships, for which the average award is greater than $10,000. Compare that with the average Division I women’s swimming scholarship of $9,500, and R-MC is quite a bargain!
For more information on grants and scholarships at R-MC, click here.
Where do R-MC students typically live?
The vast majority of students live on campus (although off campus apartment housing is available as well), and most freshmen students are housed together in the newly renovated freshman village.
What makes R-MC unique for a student?
Without a doubt, we pride ourselves on the care and attention that is given to each student. This is true for the President of the College, the faculty, the staff, and our coaches. You will not fall between the cracks here at R-MC.
What is your swimming program like?
Our program is in a great position as we look to the future. Already one of the premiere Division III swimming programs in Virginia and the ODAC, our swimmers are poised to take the program to new heights in the years ahead. Randolph-Macon has finished in the top 2 at the ODAC Championships in each of the past 6 seasons, and our team won the 2007 ODAC crown. Along the way, our team has had one undefeated season, our swimmers have picked up ODAC Swimmer and Rookie of the Year awards, and we have produced multiple All-Americans. While the immediate success of our program (we’re just 9 years old!) certainly sets us apart, it is not the only thing that drives our swimmers. Our swimmers train and compete because they enjoy the sport and the camaraderie associated with being a part of an intercollegiate team. Success is a byproduct of that enjoyment.
What are your program's long-term goals?
Our goals this season are to earn Academic All-American status as a team (3.0 team GPA or better), to compete for the ODAC conference title, and to send swimmers to the NCAA Championships. As long term goals, we would like to send multiple relays to NCAA’s and crack the top 25 nationally.
What qualities are you looking for in a potential swimmer?
We are committed to building a program that values effort, hard work, and team work. In addition, we are looking for swimmers who are willing to take ownership for their own success, in and out of the pool. Pool time accounts for a small percentage of the number of hours in the day, and there are many intangibles (proper nutrition, getting enough sleep, staying on top of school work, maintaining healthy interpersonal relationships, etc.) that can have a big impact on athletic performance, be it positive or negative (but hopefully positive). We are looking for swimmers who want to commit to doing all the little things right in their pursuit of excellence!
What kind of swimming background do your recruits have?
Most of the swimmers that we are actively recruiting are training year-round with a USA Swimming or YMCA club. Many of our recruits are qualifiers and/or finalists at their high school state meets, and our top recruits usually have several USA Sectionals or YMCA Nationals cuts. Our top-level recruits are also solid performers in the classroom (1200 SAT or higher, 3.5 GPA or higher) who have the desire to improve and make an impact at the national level. To see how your times compare with the NCAA Division III cuts, click here.
How does a swimmer become All-American?
The College Swimming Coaches Association of America awards the "All-American" honor to any swimmer who finishes in the top 8 at the NCAA Championship in an individual event or a relay, and the Honorable Mention All-American designation is given to a swimmer finishing 9th-16th. To see results from the most recent NCAA Division III Championships, click here.
Have you produced any All-Americans at R-MC?
Yes. Tiffany Pearsall earned All-American status in 2004 for the 100 and 200 freestyles, while Erin Ewalt earned an Honorable Mention All-American selection in 2006 for the 200 backstroke.
How serious is the swimming commitment?
Our swimmers practice six days per week throughout the course of the season, which runs from late September through February (March for NCAA qualifiers). In addition to a two-hour swimming workout each day (Monday through Saturday), our athletes have three strength training workouts each week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). Most dual meets are held on Saturday afternoons, and as such most swimmers never miss a class during the regular season. During winter recess, the team takes a weeklong training trip to south Florida during which training volume hits its peak for the season.
What is your overall training plan and how does it change over the course of the season?
Our planning for the season, for a week, and for a given day is very detailed and varies from year to year to fit the needs and goals of our individual swimmers and the team. Generally speaking, we divide the season into several phases: The first phase begins in September and the focus is on technique (we spend a minimum of 2 hours on technique and drills each week) and building fitness and endurance. Training volume and intensity increase gradually to prepare for additional work and stress, and we concentrate on increasing stroke length. During the second phase ( beginning in late October), we split into training groups on a daily basis (sprinters, middle distance, and distance) to prepare you for competition in your specific events. Volume continues to increase and peaks during our training trip, and practices are written to be more detailed, intensive, and specific to individual paces and race strategy. As we transition into the final phase of the season (late January), technique emphasis shifts to establishing a faster stroke rate. The focus during the final weeks of the season is on recovery and adaptation (our taper), with more energy placed upon race strategy, mental preparation, nutrition, and team spirit and cohesion.
What resources are available to your swimmers and coaching staff to ensure that swimmers will improve and succeed?
The coaches and the swimmers are both responsible for finding effective and realistic ways for the team to be successful. The coaching staff works hard to provide swimmers with a program that is carefully planned, scientific, and innovative, but ultimately each individual swimmer is encouraged to take full responsibility for her success. For several seasons now, we have collaborated with exercise physiologist Sergei Beliaev, Ph.D., who developed an online tool that helps us individualize our training regimen so that each swimmer follows the correct training parameters (i.e. heart rate, interval, pace, total volume) to help them best achieve their goals. Our swimmers also receive detailed nutritional guidance during the season, and we have access to athletic trainers and strength training specialists on staff.
What facilities are available to your swimmers?
Our swimmers practice and compete in the Brock Sports and Recreation Center, which was completed in 1998 and houses a modern 6 lane, 25 yard pool with a spacious deck and seating for 300 spectators, windows for natural illumination, stainless steel gutters, a state-of-the-art Colorado timing system and scoreboard, and easy-to-read digital pace clocks. The Brock Center also includes a fitness center with free weights and machines, racquetball courts, a field house for volleyball and basketball, an elevated running track, and a climbing wall.
What resources are available to swimmers to ensure academic success?
The best resource we have at Randolph-Macon is the commitment and dedication of our faculty, who make teaching students their top priority. Our professors make an effort to meet individually with students who are in need of help or guidance. In addition, the Higgins Academic Center is available to all students and has a full-time staff that is dedicated to addressing the needs of students with disabilities, students with unique learning styles, or students who might require special accommodations or attention. Instruction is available at the HAC in the form of peer mentoring, peer tutoring, and supplemental instruction. As a team, we provide weekly study halls for all swimmers, as well as a mentoring program in which upperclassmen on the team partner with a freshman teammate to share the abundant wisdom they have accumulated in their time here.
How do I learn more about the swimming program and begin correspondence?
A. Fill out the online recruiting questionnaire. All information is confidential, and please hit "submit" when completed.
B. Contact Head Coach Ben Delia at benjamindelia@rmc.edu or at 804-752-3104