What the Numbers Say about Community Colleges and Athletics

Evidence clearly points to the presence of intercollegiate athletics at the early junior colleges established prior to World War I. Moving into more current times, the authors find among prominent reasons for institutional involvement with athletics giving students a "true college experience," expanding access, recruiting a more diverse student body, and addressing the "missing male phenomenon". This article uses national data to give an introductory overview regarding the depth and breadth of the involvement of America's community colleges in intercollegiate athletics. It provides the numbers and statistics related to the five most popular men's and women's community college sports teams, athletically related scholarship aid, expenses, and other pertinent topics associated with athletics at the community college. (Contains 4 tables.)