By the numbers: UW-Madison has most student athletes in Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin-Madison ranked No. 1 for student athletic participation in the state, according to a Watchdog analysis of college sports participation.

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education collects athletics data annually from all institutions with intercollegiate athletics programs that receive funding through federal financial aid programs. Data for 2016 – the latest year available – includes more than 2,000 schools nationwide.

The number of University of Wisconsin-Madison students taking part in athletic programs was 775 – 391 men and 384 women – representing the largest contingent of student athletes in Wisconsin.

In all, there are 12,275 students – 7,238 men and 5,037 women – playing on athletic teams at 37 colleges and universities in the state.

---

Colleges with the most student athletes

Rank	School	Division	Total Undergraduates	Male Student Athletes	Female Student Athletes	Total Number of Student Athletes
1	University of Wisconsin-Madison	NCAA Division I-FBS	28,201	391	384	775
2	Carthage College	NCAA Division III with football	2,644	502	256	758
3	University of Wisconsin-Whitewater	NCAA Division III with football	10,046	328	266	594
4	University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire	NCAA Division III with football	9,350	287	265	552
5	University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point	NCAA Division III with football	7,679	352	195	547
6	University of Wisconsin Colleges	Other	5,707	350	188	538
7	University of Wisconsin- La Crosse	NCAA Division III with football	9,142	289	232	521
8	Carroll University	NCAA Division III with football	2,715	303	187	490
9	University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh	NCAA Division III with football	8,264	274	182	456
10	University of Wisconsin-Platteville	NCAA Division III with football	6,950	289	134	423
11	University of Wisconsin-Stout	NCAA Division III with football	6,804	232	180	412
12	Concordia University-Wisconsin	NCAA Division III with football	2,691	274	105	379
13	Milwaukee School of Engineering	NCAA Division III without football	2,525	279	93	372
14	Saint Norbert College	NCAA Division III with football	2,048	232	122	354
15	Marquette University	NCAA Division I without football	7,919	168	171	339
16	Lakeland University	NCAA Division III with football	808	230	108	338
17	Viterbo University	NAIA Division II	1,482	157	172	329
18	Beloit College	NCAA Division III with football	1,310	205	123	328
19	University of Wisconsin-River Falls	NCAA Division III with football	4,780	182	141	323
20	University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	NCAA Division I without football	17,373	152	162	314
21	Wisconsin Lutheran College	NCAA Division III with football	915	199	111	310
22	Ripon College	NCAA Division III with football	776	179	128	307
23	University of Wisconsin-Superior	NCCAA Division II	1,806	173	133	306
24	Marian University	NCAA Division III without football	1,184	174	127	301
25	Lawrence University	NCAA Division III with football	1,492	177	111	288
26	University of Wisconsin-Parkside	NCAA Division II without football	3,247	154	114	268
27	University of Wisconsin-Green Bay	NCAA Division I without football	4,042	104	131	235
28	Northland College	NCAA Division III without football	557	125	101	226
29	Maranatha Baptist University	NCAA Division III with football	669	121	79	200
30	Edgewood College	NCAA Division III without football	1,446	102	97	199
31	Cardinal Stritch University	NAIA Division II	1,201	74	80	154
32	Madison Area Technical College	NJCAA Division III	4,120	64	58	122
33	Milwaukee Area Technical College	NJCAA Division III	4,523	59	52	111
34	Western Technical College	NJCAA Division III	2,357	26	21	47
35	Silver Lake College of the Holy Family	NAIA Division II	214	12	20	32
36	Fox Valley Technical College	Other	2,215	10	8	18
37	Southwest Wisconsin Technical College	NJCAA Division III	770	9		9