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This study examined the effects of athletic participation in intercollegiate athletics on leadership development using a multi-institutional, longitudinal sample of students at four year colleges and universities. Using Astin's Input, Environment, Outcomes model (1991), I examined whether athletic participation influenced leadership development using the Socially Responsible Leadership Scale (SRLS) and its eight independent subscales while controlling for students' background characteristics and institutional characteristics. Using pre-test and post-test data from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education (WNS), the findings suggest that participation in certain types of athletics can inhibit leadership growth. This study contributes to the literature by breaking utilizing a longitudinal model, study athletes compared to non-athletes and breaking down athletes into categories based upon team and individual sports as well as by the level of contact in their respective sports. Finally, this study has implications for higher education policy, including practical applications for those involved in undergraduate education including coaches, administrators, faculty, staff, and students.