Avila University - Athletics

Athletics

Avila athletic programs participate in the Heart of America Athletic Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Avila fields 12 varsity sports including Football, Baseball, Softball, Men's and Women's Soccer, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Men's and Women's Golf, and Women's Volleyball. Avila also has award-winning Cheer and Dance Teams.

Avila athletic teams were originally known as the Avalanche, but teams became known as the Eagles beginning in 1990. In 1994 Avila became a charter member of the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference. In 1999 Avila announced the addition of intercollegiate football to the athletic program, and Tim Johnson was hired as the program's first head coach. Avila joined the Heart of America Athletic Conference in 2000, and football began its first season of competition in Fall 2001.

In 2011, the athletic complex was expanded to provide facilities for football and soccer games to be played on campus. A new 194,000 square foot multi-purpose athletic field was constructed, featuring a Shaw Sportexe Legion synthetic turf system. The new field included a new press box, new bleachers, and a new Daktronics scoreboard. Prior to completion of the new athletic field, football games and soccer matches had to take place in rented facilities off campus. Avila's football team played its first on campus game on September 17, 2011 against Missouri Valley College.