On July 1, Bellarmine celebrated the elevation of its athletics program to NCAA Division I, making it the only private D-I university in Kentucky and one of only a handful in the South.
All 22 of the Knights’ varsity sports programs will now compete in Division I, including 17 in the ASUN Conference.
Now that the thrill of the July 1 transition has passed, Knights fans may be wondering, just who are we up against in the ASUN? Are they any good? Should I set aside some cash to buy season tickets? Should I
plan my future vacations around the Bellarmine athletics calendar? What about my last will and testament, should I leave everything to Valor?
We’re a little biased, so we think the answer to a lot of these questions is yes. But, we’ll let you decide. We’ve compiled a quick look at our conference rivals, including where they finished in
the ASUN’s Bill Bibb Trophy all-sports standings the
last two years, plus their conference titles (regular-season or tournament). Remember that 2020 spring sports were canceled due to COVID-19, so they aren’t factored in.
Counting Bellarmine, the ASUN has nine private and public institutions in the Southeast. For all you beachcombers, four are in Florida. There are worse places to go see a game, for sure.
*indicates private university
Florida Gulf Coast University
Location: Fort Myers
Nickname: Eagles
Established: 1997
Undergraduate enrollment: 13,658
ASUN all-sports ranking: 2019-20 - No. 2, with league titles in women’s soccer, volleyball, women’s basketball, 2018-19 - No. 2; league titles in volleyball, women’s basketball.
Sports tidbits: The 2013 men’s basketball team earned the nickname “Dunk City” for its high-flying run through the NCAA Tournament, becoming the first No. 15 seed to make the Sweet 16. All-Star pitcher Chris Sale
is an alum.
That’s interesting: Since its founding, sustainability has been a goal, and 400 acres on the main campus have been set aside for environmental preservation.
While on your road trip: The campus features several scenic lakes, a 4-mile loop trail for hikers and arts venues.
Jacksonville University*
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,841
ASUN all-sports ranking: 2019-20 - No. 9. 2018-19 - No. 7; league title in women’s lacrosse.
Sports tidbits: Alumni include Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore, former NBA Slam Dunk champ Dee Brown and three-time major league All-Star Daniel Murphy. Gilmore is known to
many local fans for playing with the Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association, a former pro league that tried to compete with the NBA in the ‘70s. He led the Colonels to the ABA Championship in 1975, the last year
of the league.
That’s interesting: JU has the second-largest Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps program in the nation. Jacksonville is home to three major military installations and JU’s programs reflect that
population.
While on your road trip: Campus sits along the scenic St. Johns River, with downtown Jacksonville on the other side. It’s also just minutes from the Atlantic Ocean.
Kennesaw State University
Undergraduate enrollment: 32,274
ASUN all-sports ranking: 2019-20 - No. 5; league title in volleyball. 2018-19 - No. 5; league title in women’s golf.
Sports tidbits: KSU became a member of Division I in 2005. Before that, from 1994-2005, the school won five D-II team national titles, including the 2004 men’s basketball championship. In 2014, the baseball program advanced
to the NCAA Super Regional round before losing to the University of Louisville.
That’s interesting: Kennesaw State merged with nearby Southern Polytechnic State University in 2015 and has two primary campuses, one in Kennesaw and the other in Marietta.
Reason to visit: The two sprawling campuses are located just north of metro Atlanta and all the amenities the city has to offer.
Liberty University*
Undergraduate enrollment: 47,050
ASUN all-sports ranking: 2019-20 - No. 1; league titles in men’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track and field. 2018-19 - No. 1; league titles in men’s basketball, men’s and
women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, baseball, women’s tennis.
Sports tidbits: Before the 2020 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament was canceled, the Flames (30-4) were projected as No. 12 seeds in ESPN’s Bracketology. No. 12 Liberty upset No. 5 Mississippi State in the first
round of the 2019 tournament.
That’s interesting: Pastor Jerry Falwell Sr. founded the university as the Lynchburg Baptist College. It continues to represent conservative Christian values.
Reason to visit: Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in a region rich in history, culture and outdoor opportunities, including nearby access to the Appalachian Trail.
Lipscomb University*
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Undergraduate enrollment: 2,980
ASUN all-sports ranking: 2019-20 - No. 3; league titles in men’s and women’s cross country and women’s soccer. 2018-19 - No. 4, league titles in men’s basketball, men’s and
women’s soccer, women’s cross country and softball.
Sports tidbits: The Bisons’ men’s basketball team made its first NCAA Tournament in 2018. Lipscomb’s basketball series with crosstown rival Belmont University, which is located less than three miles away,
is called the Battle of the Boulevard, and they’ve met nearly 150 times. Lipscomb leads the overall series, but Belmont has won 14 of the past 16.
That’s interesting: Campus was formerly the estate of David Lipscomb, an educator and minister who founded the school. It is still affiliated with the Church of Christ and has a seminary.
Reason to visit: It’s just a breezy, 3.5-hour drive south of Louisville in Music City, which boasts countless tourism opportunities.
University of North Alabama
Undergraduate enrollment: 5,846
ASUN all-sports ranking: 2019-20 - No. 7. 2018-19 - No. 8.
Sports tidbit: Former UNA baseball player Josh Willingham is one of just 13 players in major league history to hit two grand slams in a single game; he did it for the Washington Nationals in 2009.
That’s interesting: It’s the state's oldest four-year public university and has three antebellum structures listed in the National Historic Register. The campus master plan was developed
by the Olmsted Brothers, the architectural firm that designed New York City's Central Park.
Reason to visit: UNA is located within a four-city area of Tuscumbia, Sheffield and Muscle Shoals, home to several famed recording studios which worked with the likes of Bob Dylan, the Rolling
Stones and The Allman Brothers. Music history buffs can check them out.
University of North Florida
Location: Jacksonville, Fla.
Undergraduate enrollment: 13,731
ASUN all-sports ranking: 2019-20 - No. 4; league title in men’s basketball. 2018-19 - No. 3; league titles in men’s cross country, men’s golf and women’s tennis.
Sports tidbit: UNF and crosstown ASUN rival Jacksonville compete in the River City Rumble. Whichever school collects the most head-to-head team victories each year takes home the Old Wooden Barrel trophy. UNF won the series
9-2 in 2019-20.
That’s interesting: UNF was born as a gift of 500 acres previously used for logging. The campus has grown to 1,400 acres of wildlife sanctuary, which includes the 300-acre Sawmill Slough Preserve.
Reason to visit: Near the many amenities of Jacksonville, the campus also boasts a rich array of outdoor art installations and arts venues.
Stetson University*
Undergraduate enrollment: 3,084
ASUN all-sports ranking: 2019-20 - No. 6, 2018-19 - No. 6, league title in beach volleyball (Bellarmine does not compete in this sport.)
Sports tidbit: The Hatters boast two alumni who are each two-time Cy Young Award-winning pitchers, Jacob de Grom of the New York Mets and Corey Kluber of the Texas Rangers and formerly the Cleveland
Indians.
That’s interesting: The athletic nickname, the Hatters, reflects the university's long-ago association with John B. Stetson, maker of the well-known Stetson hats.
Reason to visit: Nicknamed the Athens of Florida, the historic city of DeLand is in
Central Florida between Orlando and Daytona Beach.