Track is the cheapest sport there is… You don’t need a “world class” facility to train athletes.
Anyhow, for the most part, athletes go to CC because they did not meet academic eligibility in some way shape or form to attend a D1 D2 school.
I was in this boat as my SAT score was 30 points shy of the D1 admissions standards.
I don’t know how it happens but some CC’s cater to Track and field and then become a pipe line to D1 Schools like Long Beach CC, Mt Sac, Essex CCC, Miami Dade CC and Barton CCC.
Sad to say but lots of guys that are fast go to CC because they have poor grades so what happens is the CC gets all the credit for “producing athletes” when the truth is the CC gets a highly concentrated amount of talent.
As far as I’m concerned Barton CCC not only had the natural talent but Lance knew how to develop athletes unlike other CC’s who just recruit 4 47.7 runners and take all the credit.