Speaking for myself, and probably many other significant others dating athletes, high school might be fun with popularity, but college is a completely different story. There isn't really a complete off season for college athletes, maybe just a month or two like twice a year, and so you find yourself not having much time with your significant other.
If you love them, it is definitely worth every missed minute of conversation, but dating a college athlete definitely is not meant for everyone.
The downfalls are that practice is literally everyday so they rarely have free time. They're also up at the crack of dawn for workouts and are going to bed around the same time your grandparents do, which is, if you're like me, the complete opposite schedule as your own. During the season, if you can't make your way to them, you won't see them, so you better be prepared to travel.
College athletes also get a shortened break because they have camps, practices, film sessions, or training to do. Fall sport athletes lose some of their summer, and winter athletes lose some of their winter break, which isn't long to begin with. It's definitely a lot of lost time to the team and sport if your an athlete.
But with those scenarios, you gain a lot too. You gained a strengthened relationship because getting through college together says a lot on its own, but the added time apart with sports has proven you to be even stronger. You also gain new friends because going out with the team their friends quickly become yours as well. The friendships you gain are great, and the rewards definitely outweigh the downfalls of being with an athlete, but it definitely is not for everyone.