Armstrong Atlantic State University - Athletics

Athletics

Armstrong Atlantic State University athletic teams are known as the Pirates. Armstrong competes at the NCAA Division II level as a charter member of the Peach Belt Conference (PBC). Armstrong fields 11 intercollegiate sports, five men's and six women's:

Athletics at Armstrong began at the start of the school's history in the 1930s with its teams known as the Geechees. The school won state championships as a junior college in 1938 in men's basketball and men's tennis. Athletics were suspended during World War II, following the war the college added new athletic programs an in 1948 men's basketball won a second state championship. Armstrong joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in 1967 and became known as the Pirates after college became a four-year institution. The college joined the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 1973 and became a member of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) with in-state rivals Valdosta State, Columbus College and Augusta College. In 1983, Armstrong State College upgraded athletics to NCAA Division I and became a charter member of the Big South Conference in 1985. Soon after, in 1987, the Pirates returned to Division II to become a charter member of the Peach Belt Conference in 1990. Armstrong holds 33 PBC champions, in addition the university has appeared in 82 NCAA Championships, winning eight titles. In addition, Armstrong has produced 174 All-Americans. The Armstrong men's and women's tennis teams have captured five NCAA Division II national championships over the last three seasons.