2022 High School Combines
Learn more about and participate in a virtual combine
Why is USA Triathlon hosting a Virtual Combine?
The purpose of the combine is to grow, inspire, and support the triathlon community at the NCAA level. The combine helps introduce high school swimmers and runners to the sport in a low-pressure environment. Additionally, it allows high school athletes to showcase their talents for NCAA and Collegiate Club triathlon coaches and serves as a recruiting tool for these coaches.
Who can participate in the Virtual Combine?
Any high school athlete between the ages of 14-18 can participate. The athlete must be officially enrolled as a freshman as of Jan. 1, 2021 and any senior must still be enrolled by Dec. 31, 2021.
How does the Virtual Combine work?
The virtual combine gives you the flexibility to try out multisport on your own time, at your own pace, and in your own space. You can complete the Virtual Combine inside on a treadmill or outside on a track; no matter where you complete the combine, we recommend doing so while following local social distancing guidelines and keeping the physical distance of six feet from any other coach, athlete, or parent.
To complete the combine, athletes will need to submit times for the following distances:
Run = 1600 meters
Swim = 100 meters
The two legs can be done all at once or broken into one leg per day. That’s the beauty of virtual racing! Athletes will submit their times electronically via our platform. On this platform, athletes can also submit additional information to help facilitate the recruitment process, such as academic background, top choices for collegiate programs, competitive background, etc.
Throughout the year, we will have a “Hot-50 List” on USA Triathlon's website displaying the top male and female athletes with the fastest combined swim and run times from the virtual combine. Athletes will be listed by name and year in school. Your coach must verify your time to be considered official and to be included on the Hot-50 List.
Why participate in USA Triathlon's Virtual Combine?
By introducing single-sport high school athletes to the sport of triathlon, our goal is not to pull them away from their current sport, but to provide them with additional options as they begin to consider competing at the collegiate level. If you are a high school runner or swimmer who has their sights on competing at the collegiate level and are open to trying your hand at triathlon, consider participating in USA Triathlon’s Virtual Combine. Many athletes competing in triathlon at the DII and DIII level are multi-sport athletes, competing in both triathlon and cross country or swimming at their college of choice.
Why participate if I am a high school male?
Although the combines were established with females in mind because of NCAA emerging sport status, we are encouraging males to submit their times for swim and run alongside the women. Coaches of Male NCAA Club teams will also have access to the virtual combine results and be able to identify potential athletes.
When does the Virtual Combine take place?
The Virtual Combine can be completed any time during 2021. Keep in mind, the sooner athletes complete the combine, the better chance our coaches will ID them.
Combine Background
In the winter of 2018, collegiate coaches started talking about their need for help with the recruitment process. To help with this, USA Triathlon started working with Certified USA Triathlon coaches to create combines in various areas of the U.S. These initial combines were established for females from 12-18 years of age as a first step into tapping into some of the rich individual sport talent. Each athlete that attended a combine was provided the opportunity to complete times for a 1600-meter run on a track and a 100-meter swim in a pool. Additionally, each combine lead would speak to the virtues of the NCAA triathlon program and educate parents, coaches, and athletes about the opportunity to become a collegiate triathlete. All combine data was then recorded in a Recruit Profiles database for review by hundreds of NCAA coaches.
Triathlon as an Emerging NCAA Sport for Women
There are currently 36 Varsity triathlon programs at the NCAA level, with this number increasing each season; NCAA triathlon is the fifth fastest growing college women’s sport since January 2017. To become a full-fledged NCAA Championship sport, triathlon must have at least 40 Varsity programs in the NCAA by 2021. At that time, the NCAA will control the championship programming for the sport and lead other needs of triathlon as this level. The link to the current NCAA Triathlon programs can be found here.
Questions? Reach out to Tim Yount, Chief Sport Development Officer, USA Triathlon
