Kenyon College is a liberal arts school with a close-knit community and under 2,000 students on 1,200 acres in Gambier, Ohio. The college is writing-centric and strongly creatively driven. The average class size is small, just 15 students, and the focus on writing is prevalent across all departments, not just in the humanities.
As a 100% residential college, meaning all students live on campus, Kenyon fosters the community that the college is so treasured for. On the academic side, students have access to 50 majors, minors, or concentrations, and while the school is humanities-centric 30% of student major in the natural sciences. Students go on to start conversations, with graduates like John Green, Allison Janney, and Tommy Vietor, calling Kenyon alma mater.
At first glance, Kenyon is not known for their athletics, but, in reality, Kenyon is a major player. They “lead all NCAA Division III institutions with 61 national championship trophies.” They also rank second in the country, they say, for the number of NCAA Postgraduate Scholars. The first Kenyon team, a baseball team, was formed in 1859. Today, 30% of Kenyon students participate in athletics in some way. The facilities are amazing, the teams are awesome, and the focus stays on education and community — with athletics as a perk of the experience, not a defining characteristic.
So perhaps it isn’t that Kenyon isn’t an athletic school, but rather that their academics and culture are so strong that even powerful athletics don’t take center stage. Whatever the reason for most high schoolers not knowing about Kenyon’s on-field successes, not having a massive athletic reputation means that athletes have an opportunity if Kenyon feels right, and they have the skills Kenyon coaches are looking for. As a result, many amazing athletes find their home at Kenyon, as do many talented athletes who may have not had access to the perks of recruitment at a larger college.
Kenyon is also accessible for high-performing students with a passion for writing and a strong list of extracurriculars. The acceptance rate is around 30%, making Kenyon a foundation school for students shooting for a Williams and a target for students also considering a Vassar.
In this post, we’ll break down what prospective student-athletes need to know about playing their sport at Kenyon and how to make your skills an asset in the college admissions process.
If you are an athlete who wants to balance academics with playing time in college, send us an email. We help students find — and get into — their perfect fit.
What is Kenyon looking for in Student Athletes?
As far as what Kenyon is looking for in student athletes, it is basically the same thing they look for in anyone…plus sports. They want passionate students, active community members, and motivated athletes. Most of all, they are looking for students who want a fully immersive and diverse college education full of a variety of experiences, like study abroad, that student athletes may not be able to access at larger and more athletically-focused colleges and universities.
Recruited Athletes
Kenyon competes in NCAA Division III in the North Coast Athletic Conference. As part of DIII, Kenyon does not offer athletic scholarships to students. This means that recruitment doesn’t come with financial perks, but it does come with admissions perks, as coaches can support your application through admissions, advocating on your behalf. And there are academic and other merit-based scholarships, ranging from $10k-$25k annually, that are open to student athletes.
If this sounds attractive, you should know that Kenyon has collected 130 conference championships since the conference was formed in 1984 and 62 national championship trophies, the highest number of any NCAA Division III school. They field 11 men’s sports and 11 women’s sports, with women’s golf coming in the 2025-26 season, covering all the usual collegiate bases. Potential recruits should start by filling out the sport-specific recruitment questionnaire that Kenyon makes available. This will give the coaches important information, opening up the conversation. Remember, though, that while you can reach out at any time, they have strict rules for when they can begin communicating with you (in your junior year, for most sports). So, if you don’t hear back immediately, it may be because their hands are tied. Once the conversation is going, you need to be communicative, respectful, professional, and responsive. Treat recruitment like applying for a job. They need to want you for more than your stats — you need to want you for you.
Walk-Ons
“Walking on” is the term used for joining a collegiate varsity sports team without being recruited. You may have reached out to coaches, and they pointed you towards the walk-on option, or you may have not decided that you want to play in college until after recruitment quotas were filled. Either way, as a potential walk-on you’ll still want to start by filling out the questionnaire for your sport. Then, prepare to arrive on campus ready to play — and ready to earn a spot on the team. Sometimes this means a try-out or a test-period as they assess what needs they have and if you can fill them.
Club Sports
If you want a lower time commitment and more playing time, club sports may be a perfect option for you at Kenyon. As a club athlete, you don’t get the admissions perks of varsity college athletics, but you do get to have a ton of fun on student-led teams that are often highly-competitive, competing on both a regional and national level. This includes club equivalent of varsity sports, like soccer, and then also sports and other activities you can only play in the club setting, like archery, cheerleading, and rugby. There is even a ballet company!
In the club program, you benefit from the athletic resources and infrastructure at Kenyon, with more flexibility. Intramural sports are even less of a commitment, and best for students who want to have bursts of fun in a low-stress setting.
Because the culture (and fundraising) at Kenyon isn’t driven by athletics, there is a healthy balance between academics and sports for the student athletes on campus. Instead of your sport driving your college experience, it is able to be a component of a holistic experience that educates and empowers.
If you’re considering playing a sport at a DIII school, reach out. We help strong student-athletes find their perfect fit.