Attending a small, liberal arts, Division 3 school offers so much more than just the blustery, Northeast weather and small class sizes. Trinity offers countless opportunities to get involved on campus, specifically in athletic programs.

Incoming students have the opportunity to be recruited and commit to any of our 30 sports teams (15 mens and 15 womens), and current students can also try out for a sport once it is in season. If they make the team, they are called ‘walk-ons’. Trinity’s teams compete in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). Trinity teams have earned 26 national titles in eight different sports, including 24 titles in the last 23 years. The most commonly ‘walked-on’ sports are rowing and cross country, although all teams are required to hold walk-on tryouts. 

On the recreational side, there are club sports, whose seasons span anywhere from two months to a whole year. Competitive club sports compete in leagues such as the NIRSA (soccer), NERFU (men’s rugby), and IHSA (equestrian). Any student can start a club sports team, working with Recreation Director Kevin Johnson and Recreation Assistant Beth King to plan and schedule practices, hire coaches (if there is enough student interest), and operate under a budget. However, the Recreation Office caps the number of competitive club teams at 10, and at this time are not accepting applications for new teams.

Club leaders and the Recreation Office deem each club sport ‘competitive’ or ‘non-competitive’ – i.e. whether the team will compete in a league against teams from other schools. This is the main difference between club sports and intramural sports: club sports compete against teams from other schools, and intramural sports compete against other teams at Trinity. 

Intramural sports at Trinity are played in leagues consisting of 4-5 weeks of regular season before postseason play. The Intramural Sports Program, run by the Recreation Office, also hosts one or two tournaments each year. There are 3 intramural sports offered each every semester: this fall there is flag football, dodgeball, and soccer, and in the spring there will be softball, 5v5 basketball, and volleyball. There is no prior experience required for intramural or club sports, and all Trinity students are eligible to play. 

 

Information on different recreation events is emailed to students via Kevin Johnson, and is also listed on ‘Trinity Today’. Registration links and contacts for captains and/or coaches can be found there, and on the Recreation website. Most club and recreation sports teams have a GroupMe where captains communicate practice and game times to the rest of their team. 

There is a niche for every student at Trinity – academically, socially, and athletically. No matter what skills you possess (or don’t), Trinity athletics and recreation are a safe haven for fun competition and a little bit of a workout as well. Here’s to many more seasons of fun spirited competition!