Jacksonville University - Athletics

Athletics

The JU sports teams participate in NCAA Division I in the Atlantic Sun Conference, except for football, in which its team competes in the Division I FCS Pioneer Football League, and rowing, which competes exclusively in NCAA Division I competitions across the country.

Terry Alexander, the most successful coach in Jacksonville's baseball history with 631 wins, enters his 31st year at Jacksonville and his 20th year as the program’s head coach. He led his team to nine NCAA Regional appearances, won six conference championships (1995, 1999, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009) and has completed five 40-win seasons. He has also coached 10 All-America honorees, 50 all-conference selections and helped 44 players get drafted by Major League Baseball organizations.

Jacksonville has a college basketball program, which years ago produced professional basketball stars such as Artis Gilmore, Otis Smith, Pembrook Burroughs III and Rex Morgan. In 1970, Jacksonville University became the second smallest school (behind St. Bonaventure) ever to make it to the NCAA Final Four, and then to the National Championship game. They were led by head coach Joe Williams. After defeating the St. Bonaventure team in the tournament semi-finals, they lost to the UCLA Bruins in the National Championship game. In that tournament, UCLA was the only team to hold Jacksonville under 100 points. The following season, Jacksonville became the first college basketball team to average 100+ points per game - at a time when there was no three-point shot and no shot clock in college basketball. In 2009 Jacksonville won the regular season Atlantic Sun Conference title in men's basketball, but fell to East Tennessee State in the conference tournament title game. The Dolphins were invited to the National Invitation Tournament, the school's first post-season tournament since 1986, but they lost in the first round to the University of Florida Gators.

JU Football won their first PFL title in 2008.

JU is also noted for its rowing program after taking the overall FIRA Cup (States) in 2007. Recently JU has expanded its rowing program with the addition of the Negaard Rowing Center. The JU rowing program has happily celebrated over 50 years of success around the world and has competed from the shores of the Nile River to the icy water's of England's Henley Royal Regatta.

In 2008, the school announced that they will add a men's and women's lacrosse program during the 2009-2010 academic year.