Real signee marks · 2025-26 signing class · Boys

What colleges recruit a 4:20 1600m?

A boys 4:20 1600m is at or ahead of the median signee at 208 of the 265 college programs where we hold a verified 1600m median: 33 in D1, 63 in D2, 89 in D3 and 23 in NAIA.

n = 2,304 boys 1600m marks, 2025-26 signing class, trackbeast.com. Built from what signed athletes ran in high school, read for the 2026-27 cycle. No program median is printed off fewer than four signees.

Where a 4:20 sits at each level

LevelMedian signeeA 4:20 is…
D14:18.34Behind the median, ahead of the back quarter
D24:31.40In the top quarter of the class
D34:36.87In the top quarter of the class
NAIA4:42.63In the top quarter of the class
  • At D1, 4:20 sits in the slower half of the class but ahead of the back quarter (4:26.13). The median signee ran 4:18.34, 1.7 seconds faster.
  • D2: 4:20 is inside the top quarter of the class. The top-quarter line was 4:24.19 and the median D2 signee ran 4:31.40, 11 seconds slower.
  • 4:20 clears the D3 top-quarter line (4:27.74) and sits 17 seconds ahead of the median signee (4:36.87).
  • At NAIA, 4:20 is a top-quarter mark: three of every four of the 276 signees ran slower than 4:32.88. The median was 4:42.63.

Programs whose typical 1600m signee ran about 4:20

62 programs have a median boys 1600m signee within 5 seconds of 4:20. The closest at each level:

  • UTSAD14:20.00median
  • BucknellD14:19.83median
  • Incarnate WordD14:19.76median
  • Chico StateD24:20.16median
  • TampaD24:20.95median
  • Adams StateD24:19.00median
  • RPID34:20.71median
  • MITD34:18.75median
  • TuftsD34:21.43median
  • Marian INNAIA4:20.90median

One step up

Programs whose typical 1600m signee was a little faster than 4:20: the next rung.

How to use this

These medians show who signs athletes around your mark. They are not minimums, and they are not offers. A coach looks at your grade, your progression and the roster before the time. Treat the list as where to send your first emails.

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Other boys 1600m marks

← Colleges for a 4:15 1600mColleges for a 4:25 1600m →All boys 1600m marks →

1600m standards by level

NCAA Division I 1600m standards →NCAA Division II 1600m standards →NCAA Division III 1600m standards →NAIA 1600m standards →By conference →By state →

What programs signed in 2025-26, not what they require. From public meet results and official rosters; no roster spot or scholarship is implied, and the picture shifts every year.

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