Welcome to Bowdoin Athletics

Congratulations and welcome to Bowdoin! I hope you, and those close to you, are excited for the start of your experience at Bowdoin. As a fellow Polar Bear (class of 1998), I am envious of the journey which you are about to undertake on campus and wish you well with all that awaits you at Bowdoin. As you prepare to enroll, I encourage you to follow Bowdoin athletics on Instagram (@goubears) and online at GoUBears.com.

From past experience, I understand that many of you are looking forward to playing sports at Bowdoin. We offer a number of opportunities at the Varsity, Club, and Intramural level and this website is intended to help you explore your athletic options at Bowdoin. If you have additional questions, please don't hesitate to email me at tryan@bowdoin.edu. Go U Bears!

Sincerely,

Tim Ryan '98
Ashmead White Director of Athletics

Required Steps:
Health Portal Forms

First year students who wish to participate in a varsity sport (including Men's Rugby, which is a club sport) are required to submit a Bowdoin specific physical form (information provided by the Health Center in May) and immunization records from their home medical provider by July 17, 2026. This deadline applies to all athletes regardless of the season in which you are participating (i.e. fall, winter, spring). The Bowdoin specific physical form and immunization records can be uploaded on the Bowdoin Student Health Portal within "My Documents". NCAA rules currently require that the submitted physical occurred after March 1, 2026. Physical forms other than the Bowdoin specific form are likely to result in a delay of your medical clearance process. Additionally, all student-athletes must complete Health Center Health History forms and Athlete Pre- Participation forms within the Student Health Portal. All forms will be available on June 15^th in the Portal.

If you have been injured in the last year, we require a written release from the doctor that treated the injury stating "Athlete is cleared for all athletic activity without restriction". Please submit all Student Health Portal forms by July 17, 2026.

Please check your Bowdoin email for an invitation to download the Teamworks app (the athletic department's communication platform) to access further details. If you have questions regarding our Athletic Training forms, please contact Head Athletic Trainer Dan Davies (ddavies@bowdoin.edu).

NCAA ID

Starting this year, the NCAA is requiring all varsity student-athletes to register with the NCAA eligibility center and obtain an NCAA ID number. This process takes approximately 15 minutes. Please keep your NCAA ID number handy as you will be asked to provide it to the Athletics Department for eligibility purposes.

Try Out Information

If you haven't done so already, please email the coach of the team on which you would like to play. You can find a listing of email addresses by visiting our Athletic Department Staff Directory. While every student deserves the opportunity to try out for any program, the difficulty in making a team varies greatly. Due to the length of our seasons, the try out period for those sports which make cuts is brief (typically three to four days). If you hope to play on a fall team, it is essential that you arrive on campus in shape and ready to compete. If you are a fall sport athlete and have already been in communication with the coaching staff and they've had the opportunity to evaluate your athletic ability, you may be invited to start practice with returning athletes. For those hoping to be evaluated, the timing and process for all sports is listed below. Again, if you would like to try out for a team, you should contact the coach as soon as possible. Athletes will be cleared for play through a review of submitted physical exams, health history forms and athletic pre-participation forms. Athletic trainers will work directly with students regarding follow up items and injuries incurred within the last year. If necessary, our team physician will be available to assist with clearance related issues beginning on Monday August 24^th.

Fall Sports:

Men's and Women's Cross Country – Practices for first year students will begin on Sunday, August 30th. Students who are committed and competitive with runners on our teams are welcomed.
Field Hockey – Practices for first year students will begin on Sunday, August 30th. Try outs extend over the first three or four days of practice. Making this team is highly competitive.
Football – Practices for first year students will begin on Sunday, August 30th. Making this team is highly competitive and our conference (NESCAC) limits our roster size to 84 players.
Men's and Women's Golf – Practice begins on the first day of classes. Try outs extend over the first 3 or 4 days of practice. Students who are committed and competitive with golfers on our teams are welcomed.
Rowing (Club) – Practice begins on the first day classes and we usually do not make cuts. If you're committed, you can have a place on the team.
Men's and Women's Rugby – The women's team is a varsity program and the men's team is an intercollegiate club. Practices for men's rugby begin on the first day of classes and women's rugby first year students begin practice on Sunday, August 30th. We usually do not make cuts in either program. We encourage you to try this international sport for a week or two to see if it will be a positive addition to your Bowdoin experience. For both teams, many players have not played rugby before enrolling at Bowdoin.
Sailing – Practice begins on the first day of classes and we usually do not make cuts. Students who are committed and competitive with sailors on our team are welcomed.
Men's and Women's Soccer – First year students who have previously been evaluated will start practices on Sunday, August 30th. Both teams are highly competitive, but students have walked on in the past.
Men's and Women's Tennis – Practice begins on the first day of classes. Try outs extend over the first three to four days of practice. Both teams are highly competitive.
Volleyball - Practices for first year students will begin on Sunday, August 30th. Try outs extend over the first three or four days of practice. Making this team is highly competitive.

Winter and Spring Sports:

Track and Field – Our Track and Field programs are competitive and participation in the past has been based on commitment. Practices begin on October 22^nd for Track and most students choose to participate in voluntary training in the fall.
Nordic Skiing - Practices for first year students will begin on October 1st. Try outs extend over the first three or four days of practice. Proficiency with rollerskis is required to try out for this team. Making this team is highly competitive.
Swimming and Diving – Making the team is based on commitment and an ability to train at the level of other team members. Practices will begin on October 22^nd. Try outs extend over the first week of practice. Participation in voluntary training in the fall is recommended.
Squash, Ice Hockey and Basketball – These sports are highly competitive. Practices will begin on October 22^nd with tryouts occurring over the first few days of practice. Most students not playing a fall sport participate in the voluntary strength and conditioning program and play pick up in September and October. Coordinated pick up opportunities, open to all students, are listed on the department website.
Lacrosse, Baseball and Softball – These sports are highly competitive. Practices will begin on February 8th with tryouts occurring over the first three to four days of practice. Most students not playing a fall sport participate in the voluntary strength and conditioning program and play pick up during the fall semester.

Club and Intramural Sports

In addition to the sports listed above, Bowdoin sponsors a number of intercollegiate clubs through Student Activities. You can find a listing of last year's offerings in our directory of student organizations in CampusGroups. Information regarding our extensive intramural program at Bowdoin can be found by visiting our intramural sports website.