College Boxing: The Full Guide
- February 20, 2023
- TFG Team
- Boxing
Boxing in college is an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only is it a chance to get away from academics for two or three hours every day, but the coaches are there to teach you, the fight team is there to push you and most importantly – your fans are there to cheer for you.
And that fight team and fan base can be among some of the best you’ll find in all of the collegiate sports. But part of the reason that boxing in college is so great, is that it’s not for everyone.
Boxing at the collegiate level is rigorous. Just like any other Division I sport, the intensity and speed of the practices are accelerated from what you’d find in a typical boxing gym. In addition to that, your study habits have to be even stronger in order to prepare for your academics.
Table of Contents
List of 15 Colleges With Boxing:
Arizona State University
Ball State University
Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Columbia College (Missouri)
Cornell College (Iowa)
Creighton University
Darton College (Georgia)
East Stroudsburg University
Eastern Illinois University
Elmhurst College (Illinois)
FAU, Florida Atlantic University
Gallaudet University (Washington D.C.)
Georgia Institute of Technology
Grinnell College (Iowa)
Harvard University
Do Any Colleges Have Boxing Teams?
No, I know of no colleges with boxing teams, but there are many colleges that have boxing clubs. Some colleges have boxing clubs that are sponsored by the college, but no intercollegiate Boxing.
College Boxing Clubs
A boxing club is usually formed by students with an interest in the sport, and with enough numbers to create a small boxing program. The club may be associated with the university or maybe independent. Since college boxing clubs and programs are usually small and/or unofficial, they do not compete against other universities or colleges.
However, many college boxing clubs do participate in amateur boxing competitions such as Golden Gloves and the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA).
There are a handful of universities that have boxing as a club sport. There are also a couple of colleges that have boxing as a varsity sport.
College Boxing Scholarships
college boxing scholarships are extremely rare. Although there are boxing scholarships that can be offered to students, they are incredibly few in number. The NCAA only allows one boxing scholarship per school.
This is to minimize the risk of injuries and ensure that each team will be evenly matched. The best schools are usually able to offer more scholarships, but the number is limited by the NCAA.
College Boxing Season
The college boxing season begins in September and runs until March. The length of the boxing season is the same as many of the other sports. The time period gives boxers plenty of time to train, but it also doesn’t over-extend their training.
College Boxing Regulations
It is important that college boxers follow all of the regulations put in place by their school, the NCAA, and USA Boxing. The regulations are put in place to protect the athletes, so they don’t become injured or overuse particular muscles.
All of the regulations are put in place to ensure that you’re not putting your health at risk.
How Many Rounds Are There in College Boxing?
There are four rounds in college boxing. These rounds are 90 seconds long with a one-minute break in between each round. This means that college boxing matches are typically six minutes long.
Collegiate Boxing Tournaments
In collegiate boxing, there are two different types of tournaments. The first is the Team Dual Tournament. This was previously the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) National Team Championship. The tournament started in 1953 by Dr. James Lynah of Madison Square Garden, who was the President at that time.
The tournament consisted of the top six teams in the country. If you were to win this tournament, it would be considered one of the biggest accomplishments in collegiate boxing.
The second type of tournament is the Individual Dual Tournament. This was previously the National Intercollegiate Boxing Association (NIBCA) National Championship. This tournament started in 1967 and is still going today.
This is a similar tournament to what you would find in professional boxing. The boxers in this tournament would fight three times a day, six days a week.
Do Any Colleges Have Boxing as a Sport?
There are a couple of colleges that have boxing as their main sport. The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is one of the few colleges that have boxing as their main sport.
“The Braves” are a Division II school within the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA). The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is a member of the Eastern Division, along with schools such as:
East Stroudsburg University (PA)
Elmhurst College (IL)
Robert Morris University (PA)
St. Joseph’s College (NY)
The University of Indianapolis (IN)
University of Michigan-Flint
Western Illinois University (IL)
Wichita State University (KS)
And more.
Why Doesn’t the NCAA Have Boxing?
The NCAA has not had boxing as one of its sports for multiple reasons. The main reason is the increased risk that comes with participating in boxing. The NCAA wants to ensure that all of its athletes are protected.
They don’t want someone to get injured or have an accident, which would cause the athlete to lose out on their scholarship and/or could cause them physical limitations.
The NCAA also has rules in place where any school that has a boxing team can’t compete against another school that has a boxing team. This means that the only time that these schools would be able to compete in during the NCAA Tournament.
This rule was put in place to make sure that they aren’t putting their athletes at risk. If the NCAA had boxing as a sport, these schools would be more inclined to participate in intercollegiate boxing matches.
Does UCLA Have a Boxing Team?
UCLA does not have a boxing team. However, the University of California-Los Angeles does have a program for boxing. This program is a club sport, which means that they are separate from the varsity sports at UCLA.
Is College Boxing Dangerous?
College boxing is not necessarily dangerous. Boxing can be dangerous, but you will find that there are precautions in place to make sure the athletes are protected during their matches.
All of the participants that are boxing should be wearing headgear, mouth guards, boxing gloves, and protective clothing. The referees will also be making sure that there are no questionable blows.
How Does One Get Involved in College Boxing?
The best way to start getting involved in college boxing is to contact your school’s athletic department. They will be able to provide you with all of the necessary information about joining a team or starting a team.
What Gear Do You Need For College Boxing?
There are many things that you will need in order to be able to join a team. The first is boxing gear. This includes the following:
Boxing shorts
Boxing shoes
Hand wraps
Wrist wraps
Jockstrap or a protective cup for males
Rashguard or a shirt for extra protection
Headgear
Mouthguards
Gloves
Protective cup for females
You will also want to lay out your gear with your coach before practice or a match. This will make sure that you aren’t taking shortcuts in the equipment that you’re using.