Real signee marks · 2025-26 signing class · Girls
What colleges recruit a 5:20 1600m?
A girls 5:20 1600m is at or ahead of the median signee at 123 of the 206 college programs where we hold a verified 1600m median: 17 in D1, 35 in D2, 55 in D3 and 16 in NAIA.
n = 2,024 girls 1600m marks, 2025-26 signing class, trackbeast.com. Every mark belongs to an athlete who signed with a college program. We print a program median only off four or more signees.
Where a 5:20 sits at each level
| Level | Top quarter | Median signee | Back quarter | A 5:20 is… | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | 4:57.84 | 5:06.45 | 5:19.54 | Behind the back quarter | 773 |
| D2 | 5:16.93 | 5:28.81 | 5:42.98 | Ahead of the median signee | 449 |
| D3 | 5:22.43 | 5:36.11 | 5:50.77 | In the top quarter of the class | 591 |
| NAIA | 5:24.19 | 5:40.07 | 5:55.66 | In the top quarter of the class | 211 |
- 5:20 trails the D1 back-quarter line (5:19.54) by 0.46 seconds and the median signee (5:06.45) by 14 seconds.
- D2: 5:20 is 8.8 seconds ahead of the median signee (5:28.81) and 3.1 seconds short of the top quarter (5:16.93).
- At D3, 5:20 is a top-quarter mark: three of every four of the 591 signees ran slower than 5:22.43. The median was 5:36.11.
- 5:20 clears the NAIA top-quarter line (5:24.19) and sits 20 seconds ahead of the median signee (5:40.07).
Programs whose typical 1600m signee ran about 5:20
40 programs have a median girls 1600m signee within 5 seconds of 5:20. The closest at each level:
- Northern IllinoisD1MAC · IL4 signees5:19.93median
- IUPUID1Horizon · IN5 signees5:20.46median
- UNC WilmingtonD1CAA · NC4 signees5:20.48median
- VanguardD2PacWest · CA8 signees5:20.13median
- Concordia University IrvineD2PacWest · CA6 signees5:19.74median
- WalshD2G-MAC · OH6 signees5:21.93median
- Washington LeeD3ODAC · VA8 signees5:19.90median
- BowdoinD3NESCAC · ME6 signees5:21.05median
- Claremont Mudd ScrippsD3SCIAC · CA6 signees5:21.24median
- DordtNAIAGPAC · IA7 signees5:22.48median
- Embry-Riddle ArizonaNAIAGSAC · AZ4 signees5:23.64median
- TaylorNAIACrossroads · IN4 signees5:15.88median
One step up
Programs whose typical 1600m signee was a little faster than 5:20: the next rung.
- Northern IowaD1MVC · IA4 signees5:14.90median
- BrandeisD3UAA · MA4 signees5:14.66median
- OmahaD1Summit · NE5 signees5:14.64median
- Cal St StanislausD2CCAA · CA6 signees5:14.59median
- Wis La CrosseD3WIAC · WI6 signees5:14.43median
- CedarvilleD2G-MAC · OH7 signees5:13.71median
How to use this
A median is the middle of a signing class, not a cutoff: half of every class ran slower and still signed. Coaches also weigh your grade, your trajectory, your range and what the roster needs that year. Use this list to decide who to write first, not as an offer.
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Other girls 1600m marks
1600m standards by level
A record of what 2025-26 signees ran in high school, drawn from public meet results and official rosters. Not a published standard, not a guarantee, and it changes each cycle.
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