Southern Virginia Knights

SVU began its athletic program in the fall of 1997, one year after it became a four-year liberal arts college. In 1998, the Knights joined both the NAIA and the USCAA. The 2012–13 school year was SVU's first year as a provisional NCAA Division III member; it joined the Capital Athletic Conference, now known as the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference, on July 1, 2013, and became eligible for conference championships in 2014–15.{{cite press release|url=http://www.cacsports.com/general_releases/gen1112/CAC_adds_PSH |title=Capital Athletic Conference Adds Penn State-Harrisburg; The Lions Join CNU & SVU As New Full Members in 2013–14 |publisher=Capital Athletic Conference |date=July 26, 2012 |access-date=August 11, 2012}} After four successful provisional years, the Knights became a full NCAA Division III member on September 1, 2016. On December 11, 2019, Southern Virginia announced it would join the USA South Athletic Conference, effective beginning in the 2021–22 academic year.{{cite press release|url=https://www.usasouth.net/general/2019-20/releases/20191206o7zom0|title=Southern Virginia University Set to Join USA South|publisher=USA South Athletic Conference|date=December 11, 2019|access-date=December 11, 2019}} Southern Virginia University officially joined USA South on July 1, 2021.{{cite press release|url=https://www.usasouth.net/general/2021-22/releases/20210628gy069y|publisher=USA South Athletic Conference|date=July 1, 2021|access-date=December 6, 2021|title=USA South Welcomes Southern Virginia }}

The school's athletics programs historically competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and also competed in national tournaments of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA). Southern Virginia began its athletic program in the fall of 1997, one year after it became a four-year liberal arts college with an LDS environment. In 1998, the Knights joined the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. The 2012–13 school year was SVU's first year as a provisional NCAA Division III member; it joined the Capital Athletic Conference (now known as the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference) on July 1, 2013, and became eligible for conference championships in 2014–15.{{cite press release|url=http://www.cacsports.com/general_releases/gen1112/CAC_adds_PSH |title=Capital Athletic Conference Adds Penn State-Harrisburg; The Lions Join CNU & SVU As New Full Members in 2013–14 |publisher=Capital Athletic Conference |date=July 26, 2012 |access-date=August 11, 2012}}

Since the C2C never offered football under either of its names, Southern Virginia joined the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football effective July 2014. After four successful provisional years, the Knights became a full NCAA Division III member on September 1, 2016. On August 9, 2017 Southern Virginia University officially changed its school colors from green and white back to its original colors of crimson and white. Two months later, on October 16, 2017, Southern Virginia University announced its football program would switch to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference starting in the 2019–20 season. On February 20, 2018, the men's volleyball team became the first Southern Virginia program to be nationally ranked, ranking in at number eight in the AVCA and NCAA D-III poll.{{cite press release|url=https://www.avca.org/polls/diii-men/2-20-2018.html |title=AVCA DIVISION III MEN'S WEEK #5 COACHES POLL: FEBRUARY 20, 2018 |publisher=American Volleyball Coaches Association |date=February 20, 2018 |access-date=February 23, 2018}}

On July 12, 2018, Southern Virginia announced women's field hockey as a varsity sport becoming the 23rd varsity sport offered at the school.{{cite press release|url=http://athletics.svu.edu/sports/fh/2018-19/releases/20180712hp88il|title=Southern Virginia Adds Field Hockey For 2018-19 Season|publisher=Southern Virginia Athletics |date=July 12, 2018 |access-date=July 12, 2018}} On April 4, 2019 Southern Virginia added men's rugby as a varsity sport to be offered.{{cite press release|url=http://athletics.svu.edu/general/2018-19/releases/20190404hnfpa5|title=Lamb Announces Smyth as School's First Rugby Head Coach|publisher=Southern Virginia Athletics |date=April 4, 2019|access-date=April 4, 2019}} One week after announcing the addition of men's rugby, on April 11, 2019, Southern Virginia announced the addition of men's and women's swimming and diving.{{cite press release|url=http://athletics.svu.edu/general/2018-19/releases/20190411jshb0i|title=Southern Virginia University to Add Men's and Women's Swim Teams|publisher=Southern Virginia Athletics|date=April 11, 2019|access-date=April 12, 2019}}

On December 11, 2019, Southern Virginia announced it would join the USA South Athletic Conference, effective beginning in the 2021–22 academic year.{{cite press release|url=https://www.usasouth.net/general/2019-20/releases/20191206o7zom0|title=Southern Virginia University Set to Join USA South|publisher=USA South Athletic Conference|date=December 11, 2019|access-date=December 11, 2019}} Southern Virginia University officially joined the USA South Athletic Conference on July 1, 2021.{{cite press release|url=https://www.usasouth.net/general/2021-22/releases/20210628gy069y|publisher=USA South Athletic Conference|date=July 1, 2021|access-date=December 6, 2021|title=USA South Welcomes Southern Virginia }} The newest sport added to Southern Virginia University was announced on August 16, 2022 with the addition of women’s wrestling.{{cite press release|url=https://knightathletics.com/news/2022/8/16/general-southern-virginia-university-to-add-womens-wrestling-for-winter-2023-preparatory-practices-to-begin-this-winter-2022.aspx|publisher=Southern Virginia Knights|date=August 16, 2022|access-date=August 18, 2022|title=Southern Virginia University to Add Women's Wrestling for Winter 2023; Preparatory Practices to Begin this Winter 2022 }}

A member of the USA South Athletic Conference, Southern Virginia University sponsors teams in fourteen men's, fourteen women's, and three co-ed varsity sports.

{{Main|Southern Virginia Knights men's basketball}}

• NCAA Division III women’s basketball tournament appearances: 2022, 2024, 2025

The Southern Virginia women’s basketball team won the 2021–22 USA South Athletic Conference tournament championship.{{cite press release|url=https://www.usasouth.net/sports/wbkb/2021-22/releases/20220211mgh83r|title=Southern Virginia Captures USA South Women's Basketball Crown|publisher=USA SOUTH ATHLETIC CONFERENCE|date=March 4, 2022|access-date=March 4, 2022}} In their first ever appearance in the NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament the Knights advanced to the Round of 32, where they fell to the Transylvania Pioneers 55–77.

In 2021, the Southern Virginia men's cross country team won the USA South Athletic Conference Championship, beating runner up Berea College. Southern Virginia placed five runners in the top twenty individually. This was Southern Virginia's first ever conference championship as a member of the USA South Athletic Conference. Runner Dylan May won the individual conference championship for men and was named Runner of the Year, Rookie Runner of the Year, and First Team All-Conference. Head coach Kyle Chandler was named coach of the year. {{cite press release|url=http://athletics.svu.edu/sports/mxc/2021-22/releases/20211101e9t13s|title=Men's Cross Country Wins USA South Conference Championships; May and Chandler Earn Major Awards|publisher=Southern Virginia Athletics|date=November 2, 2021|access-date=November 2, 2021}}

Once again in 2022, the Southern Virginia men's cross country team won the USA South Athletic Conference Championship and runner Dylan May won the individual conference championship with runner Quin Meyer also earning a First Team All-Conference spot. Kyle Chandler was once again named coach of the year. {{cite press release|url=https://knightathletics.com/news/2022/10/30/mens-cross-country-southern-virginia-secures-second-consecutive-conference-championship-may-and-chandler-earn-major-awards.aspx|title=Southern Virginia Secures Second Consecutive Conference Championship; May and Chandler Earn Major Awards|publisher=Southern Virginia Athletics|date=October 30, 2022|access-date=April 30, 2023}}

In 2021, the Southern Virginia women's cross country team also won the USA South Athletic Conference Championship.

{{Main|Southern Virginia Knights football}}

In the 2020–21 season, the men's tennis team won their first ever conference championship as a member of the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference.{{cite press release|url=http://athletics.svu.edu/general/2020-21/releases/20210508pqatxl|title=Men's Tennis Earns Program's First-Ever Conference Championship|publisher=Southern Virginia Athletics|date=May 8, 2021|access-date=November 2, 2021}} The men's tennis team then went on to advance to the NCAA Final 8 before being eliminated.{{cite press release|url=http://athletics.svu.edu/general/2020-21/releases/20210529ciu989|title=Dias Advances to NCAA Final 8, Blonquist and Dias Make Final 8 in Doubles|publisher=Southern Virginia Athletics|date=May 29, 2021|access-date=November 2, 2021}}

The Southern Virginia University men's and women's track team both won the USA South Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships on April 21, 2022.

For the second year in a row, both the men's and women's track team won the 2023 USA South Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships. {{cite press release|url=https://knightathletics.com/news/2023/4/28/mens-track-field-knights-track-and-field-secures-second-consecutive-conference-championship.aspx|title=Knights Track and Field Secures Second Consecutive Conference Championship|publisher=Southern Virginia Athletics|date=April 28, 2023|access-date=May 8, 2023}}

• NCAA Division III men's volleyball tournament appearances: 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

On March 30, 2019 the Southern Virginia Men's Volleyball team clinched the CVC regular season championship for the 2018–19 season. This was Southern Virginia's first ever conference championship as an NCAA Division III member.{{cite press release|url=http://www.thecvc.org/sports/mvball/2018-19/releases/20190331mw71re|title=Knights Knock Off Kean For CVC Regular Season Title|publisher=Continental Volleyball Conference|date=March 31, 2019|access-date=March 31, 2019}}{{cite press release|url=http://athletics.svu.edu/sports/mvball/2018-19/releases/20190330x1jxx6|title=No.11 Knights Upset No. 3 Cougars in Five-Set Thriller|publisher=Southern Virginia Athletics |date=March 31, 2019|access-date=March 31, 2019}} On April 13, 2019, Southern Virginia's men's volleyball program captured the University's first conference tournament title and first NCAA DIII Tournament appearance after defeating Juniata College in five sets.{{cite press release|url=http://athletics.svu.edu/sports/mvball/2018-19/releases/20190413yjsfby|title=Men's Volleyball Earns Program's First CVC Championship Over Juniata 3-2|publisher=Southern Virginia Athletics|date=April 13, 2019|access-date=April 14, 2019}}

On April 23, 2021, the Southern Virginia men's volleyball team lost in the NCAA Division III Final Four to Benedictine in five sets. This marks the longest a Southern Virginia team has lasted in the school's Division III era.{{cite press release|url=http://athletics.svu.edu/general/2020-21/releases/20210423xuntsm|title=Knights' Historic Season Ends in National Semifinals with Nail-biting Loss to Benedictine|publisher=Southern Virginia Athletics|date=April 23, 2021|access-date=May 19, 2021}}

On April 15, 2022, the Southern Virginia men’s volleyball team lost in the first round of the NCAA Division III men's volleyball tournament to Stevens.

On April 22, 2023, the Southern Virginia men’s volleyball team lost in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III men's volleyball tournament to Vassar.

On April 28, 2025, the Knights swept Springfield at the Cregger Center in Salem, Virginia to win the 2025 NCAA Division III men's volleyball championship. It is the first NCAA championship in school history.https://knightathletics.com/news/2025/4/28/mens-volleyball-southern-virginia-university-wins-ncaa-division-lll-mens-volleyball-championship.aspx

On November 6, 2021 the Southern Virginia Women's Volleyball team won the USA South Athletic Conference tournament championship for the 2021–22 season. This was Southern Virginia's first ever women’s volleyball conference championship.{{cite press release|url=http://athletics.svu.edu/sports/wvball/2021-22/releases/20211106s8b8pu|title=Women's Volleyball Captures First Conference Championship In Program History|publisher=Southern Virginia Athletics|date=November 6, 2021|access-date=November 6, 2021}} In their first ever appearance in the NCAA Division III women's volleyball tournament, the Southern Virginia Women's Volleyball team lost 0–3 to Emory in the first round.

For the second year in a row the Southern Virginia Women's Volleyball team won the USA South Athletic Conference tournament championship for the 2022–23 season. They once again lost in the first round of the NCAA Division III women's volleyball tournament, this time too Carnegie Mellon.

In 2017–18 Nico Ramirez became the first NCAA National Qualifier in Southern Virginia's school history and made it to the second round of the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships.{{cite press release|url=http://athletics.svu.edu/sports/wrest/2017-18/releases/20180313mvle9r|title=Nico Ramirez Wins in First Round, Falls in Second at National Tournament|publisher=Southern Virginia Athletics |date=January 17, 2019 |access-date=January 17, 2019}} Starting in the 2022–23 season, the wrestling program began competing in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

;Notes:

{{notelist|group=conf}}

File:Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets Men's Lacrosse (52790162819).jpg player in 2023]]

File:CNU Christopher Newport University Va. Southern Virginia University NCAA Baseball college sports (16324515743).jpg

— (NCSAA) National Small College Athletic Association
— (USCAA) United States Collegiate Athletic Association

Source:[https://knightathletics.com/sports/2022/5/10/about-facilities-directions-home.aspx Facilities and directions]

;Notes

{{reflist|group=n}}

• List of Southern Virginia Knights head football coaches

{{reflist}}

==External links==

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• {{oweb}}

{{USA South Athletic Conference navbox}}

{{Old Dominion Athletic Conference}}