Upcoming Event: Men's Cross Country at Keiser Invitational on September 5, 2025 at 7:30 a.m.
7:30 a.m.
Men's Cross Country
at Keiser Invitational
Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Athletics History & Timelines
Division/Conference Affiliation History
| Years | Conference Affiliation | Division |
|---|---|---|
| 1979-80 to 1982-83 | Independent | NAIA District 25 |
| 1983-84 to 1992-93 | Independent   | NCAA Division II |
| 1993-94 to 2005-06 | Trans America Athletic Conference (now ASUN Conference) | NCAA Division I |
| 2006-07 to 2012-13 | Sun Belt Conference | NCAA Division I |
| 2013-14 to 2022-23 | Conference USA | NCAA Division I |
| 2023-24 to present | American Conference | NCAA Division I |
Sport Program History
| Men's Sports | |
| Baseball | 1980-81 to present |
| Basketball | 1988-89 to present |
| Cross Country | 1980-81 to 1988-89; 1991-92 to present |
| Football | 2001-02 to present |
| Golf | 1979-80 to present |
| Soccer | 1980-81 to present |
| Swimming & Diving | 1991-92 to present |
| Tennis | 1979-80 to present |
| Fencing | 1980-81 to 1986-87 |
| Women's Sports | |
| Basketball | 1984-85 to present |
| Beach Volleyball | 2011-12 to present |
| Cross Country | 1980-81 to 1988-89; 1991-92 to present |
| Golf | 1979-80 to 1986-87; 1991-92 to present |
| Soccer | 1991-92 to present |
| Softball | 1980-81 to 1983-84; 1994-95 to present |
| Swimming & Diving | 1984-85 to present |
| Tennis | 1979-80 to present |
| Track & Field | 2000-01 to present |
| Volleyball | 1987-88 to present |
| Fencing | 1980-81 to 1987-88 |
Athletics Timeline & Key Moments
| 1970s | |
| 1979-80 | Joined the NAIA District 25 First collegiate sports programs men's and women's golf and men's and women's tennis |
| 1980s | |
| 1980-81 | Added: baseball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's fencing, men's soccer, softball |
| February 23, 1981 | Inaugural baseball game (at St. Thomas; win 12-8) |
| March 1, 1981 | First home baseball (vs. Florida Memorial; win 17-5) |
| May 12, 1982 | Baseball makes program's first postseason appearance (NAIA District 25 Tournament) |
| Fall 1983 | Joined NCAA Division II |
| Spring 1983 | FAU Arena completed |
| 1983-84 | Added: women's basketball and women's swimming Dropped: softball |
| November 24, 1984 | Inaugural women's basketball game (at South Florida; loss 61-55) |
| December 6, 1984 | First event at FAU Arena (women's basketball vs. Bethune-Cookman; win 56-51) |
| May 15, 1985 | Baseball makes program's first NCAA Division II postseason appearance |
| 1986-87 | Dropped: women's golf and men's fencing |
| 1987-88 | Added: women's volleyball Dropped: women's fencing |
| October 14, 1988 | Inaugural volleyball game vs. UNC Greensboro |
| 1988-89Â Â Â Â | Added: men's basketball Dropped: men's and women's cross country |
| November 18, 1988 | Inaugural men's basketball game (home vs. Palm Beach Atlantic; win 111-62) |
| 1990s | |
| February 2, 1991 | First game played at FAU Baseball Stadium (vs. St. Leo) |
| 1991-92 | First of two lighted soccer fields completed Added: men's and women's cross country, women's golf, women's soccer, men's swimming |
| May 21, 1993 | Baseball earns program's second NCAA Division II Regional berth |
| 1993-94 | Moved from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I Joined Trans American Athletic Conference (TAAC) |
| 1994-95 | Added: softball |
| January 31, 1995 | First softball game after program was restarted (vs. Goldey-Beacom; win 5-2) |
| 1997 | Second of two lighted soccer fields completed FAU Aquatic Center and Fieldhouse opened |
| April 26, 1997 | Softball wins program's first ASUN Conference Tournament title (vs. Jacksonville State, 4-3) -- first of 11 consecutive conference titles for softball |
| May 8, 1997 | Softball makes first NCAA Tournament appearance |
| 1998 | FAU begins process to start a football program; hires Howard Schnellenberger |
| January 26, 1998 | First game played at FAU Softball Stadium (vs. Goldey-Beacom) |
| Spring 1998 | Hosted TAAC Softball Championship |
| November 21, 1998 | Volleyball wins program's first ASUN Championship (vs. Georgia State, 3-0) |
| December 4, 1998 | Volleyball appears in program's first NCAA Tournament (vs. Pacific; loss 3-0) |
| 1999 | Fifth soccer field completed |
| April 16, 1999 | Baseball wins 34th consecutive game to tie longest streak in NCAA history (at Jacksonville, 13-8); streak ended next day |
| May 28, 1999 | Baseball makes program's first NCAA Division I Regional appearance |
| November 20, 1999 | Volleyball wins programs second straight ASUN Championship (vs. UCF, 3-2) |
| December 2, 1999 | Volleyball appears in second straight NCAA Tournament (vs. Stanford; loss 3-0) |
| 2000s | |
| Spring 2000 | Hosted TAAC Softball Championship |
| May 26, 2000 | Baseball makes second consecutive appearance in NCAA Regionals |
| 2000-01 | Tom Oxley Athletic Center opened Two practice football fields completed Baseball "B" field completed Hosted TAAC Women's Soccer Championship Hosted TAAC Softball Tournament Added: women's track and field |
| 2001-02 | TAAC changed named to Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) Added: football |
| September 1, 2001 | Inaugural football game (vs. Slippery Rock at Pro Player Stadium in Miami; loss 40-7) |
| March 2, 2002 | Men's basketball wins program's first ASUN Championship (vs. Georgia State, 76-75) |
| March 14, 2002 | Men's basketball makes program's first NCAA Tournament appearance (vs. Alabama; loss, 86-78) |
| June 2, 2002 | Baseball beats Alabama, 6-5, to win NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional, earns program's first Super Regional berth |
| November 29, 2003 | Football beats Bethune-Cookman, 32-24, in school's first Division I-AA Playoff game |
| 2003-04 | FAU announced move to Sun Belt Conference Hosted the ASUN Women's Soccer Championship |
| 2004-05 | Officially joined Sun Belt Conference (football and swimming) Hosted ASUN Softball Championship |
| November 5, 2005 | Women's soccer wins program's first ASUN Championship (vs. Campbell, 2-0) |
| November 11, 2005 | Women's soccer appears in program's first NCAA Tournament (vs. Florida State; loss 3-0) |
| November 19, 2005 | Volleyball wins Sun Belt Championship (vs. Belmont, 3-1); Earns NCAA Tournament berth |
| 2005-06 | Hosted ASUN Softball Championship |
| March 11, 2006 | Women's basketball wins ASUN Championships, secures first NCAA Division I Tournament berth |
| 2006-07 | Remaining teams join Sun Belt Conference; men's soccer joins Atlantic Soccer Conference |
| October 27, 2006 | Seven inducted into inaugural FAU Athletics Hall of Fame class |
| January 11, 2007 | FAU Track and Field Complex opened |
| October 26, 2007 | Five former Owls named to the FAU Athletics Hall of Fame |
| December 1, 2007 | Football wins at Troy to earn share of Sun Belt title, clinch school's first bowl berth |
| December 21, 2007 | Program's first football bowl game (vs. Memphis in New Orleans Bowl; win 44-27) |
| November 8, 2008 | Four inducted into third Hall of Fame class |
| November 18, 2007 | Men's soccer wins program's first Atlantic Soccer Conference title (vs. Longwood, in PK shootout) |
| December 26, 2008 | Football played in Motor City Bowl (vs. Central Michigan; win 24-21) |
| Fall 2009 | Hosted Sun Belt Women's Soccer Championship |
| October 30, 2009 | Five named to fourth Hall of Fame class |
| 2010s | |
| June 18, 2010 | Ribbon cutting ceremony and dedication of the Wally Sanger Owl Club Center |
| October 15, 2011 | First football game played in at FAU Stadium vs. WKUÂ (loss 20-0) |
| Spring 2012 | Added: beach volleyball Hosted Sun Belt Softball Championship |
| November 29, 2012 | FAU accepts invitation to Conference USA |
| 2013-14 | Teams officially begin play in Conference USA Beach volleyball recognized as an NCAA sport |
| October 11, 2013 | ESPN announces creation of Boca Raton Bowl |
| Spring 2014 | Hosted Conference USA Softball Championship |
| March 8, 2014 | Inaugural beach volleyball match (vs. Georgia State in St. Augustine, Fla.; loss 5-0) |
| September 14, 2014 | FAU Stadium playing surface named Howard Schnellenberger Field |
| December 5-7, 2014 | NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championships played at FAU Stadium |
| December 23, 2014 | Hosted the inaugural Boca Raton Bowl at FAU Stadium |
| March 11, 2015 | First home beach volleyball match on campus (vs. FIU; loss 5-0) |
| Sept. 29-Oct. 3, 2015 | Miami Heat hold training camp at FAU Arena |
| November 19, 2016 | FAU Tennis Complex ribbon-cutting ceremony |
| January 19, 2017 | First men's tennis match at FAU Tennis Complex (vs. St. John's; win 4-0) |
| January 20, 2017 | Groundbreaking ceremony for Schmidt Family Complex for Academic & Athletic Excellence |
| January 22, 2017 | First women's tennis match at FAU Tennis Complex (vs San Jose State; loss 4-3) |
| November 2017 | Hosted Conference USA Women's Soccer Championship |
| December 2, 2017 | FAU won Conference USA Football Championship at FAU Stadium (vs. North Texas, 41-17) |
| December 11, 2017 | Devin Singletary named football program's first AP All-American; led FBS in scoring and touchdowns |
| December 19, 2017 | Football played in Boca Bowl (vs. Akron; win 50-3) |
| March 3, 2018 | Brian White named Vice President and Director of Athletics |
| March 22, 2018 | Dusty May hired as Head Men's Basketball Coach |
| June 4, 2019 | FAU Arena playing court renamed "Abessinio Court" with gift from Abessinio Foundation |
| July 1, 2019 | FAU Athletics Hall of Fame inducted eight new members |
| November 1, 2019 | Women's Soccer won Conference USA regular season title |
| December 2019 | Harrison Bryant won John Mackey Award and named unanimous All-American |
| December 7, 2019 | Football won Conference USA Championship (vs. UAB, 49-6) |
| December 21, 2019 | Football played in Boca Bowl (vs. SMU; win 52-28) |
| 2020s | |
| 2020 | Upgrades at FAU Arena completed to include new videoboard and ribbon boards |
| December 23, 2020 | Football played in Montgomery Bowl (vs. Memphis; loss 25-10) |
| March 16, 2020 | Athletic competitions canceled indefinitely due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| March 18, 2022 | Head Softball Coach Joan Joyce becomes just the 27th active coach to win 1,000 career games |
| April 30, 2022 | Beach Volleyball received program's first NCAA Tournament berth |
| May 11, 2022 | Letizia Bagnoli became first FAU women's golfer to place at Division I National Championship |
| June 10, 2022 | Move announced to American Athletic Conference for 2023-24 |
| November 16, 2022 | FAUÂ Arena renamed Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena after $7.5 million gift |
| December 12, 2022 | Hagerty Family donates $5 million to create Hagerty Family Athletics Village |
| March 11, 2023 | Men's Basketball wins CUSA Championship (vs. UAB, 78-56)Â |
| March 17, 2023 | Men's Basketball beats Memphis, 66-65, for program's first NCAA Tournament win |
| March 25, 2023 | Historic men's basketball reaches Final Four with 79-76 win over Kansas State |
| April 29, 2023 | Beach volleyball wins C-USA Championship, earns second consecutive NCAA berth |
| July 1, 2023 | Florida Atlantic officially joins American Conference |
| July 10, 2023 | Nolan Schanuel becomes highest drafted FAU player in any sport, going 11th overall to the Angels inthe MLB Draft |
| December 23, 2023 | Men's Basketball beats No. 4 Arizona, 96-95, in epic double OT thriller in Las Vegas |
| March 22, 2024 | Men's Basketball makes second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance (vs. Northwestern; loss 77-65 in OT) |
| May 4, 2024 | Softball claims FAU's first American Conference title in any sport with 2024 regular season title |
| May 17, 2024 | Softball makes program's 13th NCAA Regional appearance, first since 2016 |
| December 17, 2024 | Football stadium naming partnership announced with Flagler Credit Union |
| April 12, 2025 | Women's tennis completes the regular season as the only undefeated Division I team |
| April 26, 2025 | Beach volleyball wins C-USA Championship, earns program's third NCAA Tournament berth |