Adrian College has a long history of outstanding athletics for fielding winning teams in many different sports. Even as our academic programs have gained nationwide visibility and stature, the athletic programs have continued their success.
The Department of Athletics is committed to the pursuit of academic and athletic excellence. Our primary goal is to provide the opportunity for students to experience the personal challenge and enjoyment of high-level competition along with their academic endeavors. The 25 men’s and 28 women’s NCAA and non-NCAA teams enjoy nearly 60 percent participation from the student body.
We also take great pride in the number of Adrian College student-athletes who have been named Academic All-American throughout the years.
NCAA Division III
Adrian College is a member of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association — a NCAA Division III conference. This conference brings a group of institutions that share common commitment to academic quality and to the conduct of athletics to support their educational purposes.
While the MIAA is the conference for a majority of the varsity sports, Adrian College also is affiliated with the following conferences: Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (Men’s and Women’s NCAA Hockey), US Figure Skating (Figure Skating and Synchronized Skating), Midwest Volleyball Association (Men’s Volleyball), MARC Conference (Men’s and Women’s Rowing).
Men - NCAA Sports
Men’s NCAA Sports
Teams for men are available in these 14 sports:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Ice Hockey
- Indoor Track and Field
- Lacrosse
- Outdoor Track and Field
- Rowing
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Over the last three years, multiple men’s athletics teams have had success at Adrian College. In 2022, the NCAA men’s hockey team brought home the school’s first ever NCAA National Championship. In 2021, the baseball team made a run to the Division III College World Series for the first time since 2008. The men’s basketball team reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history in 2020 after winning the MIAA Tournament. Men’s wrestling hosted two NCAA Regionals on campus and sent three individuals to Nationals as they sent two in 2020 and one in 2022. Track and Field was led by Derek Plitt who managed to win multiple All-American honors in indoor and outdoor track including a second-place finish in the 60m and the 200m at the 2022 Indoor Track and Field National Championships.
Women - NCAA Sports
Teams for women are available in these 16 sports:
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Acrobatics and Tumbling
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Basketball
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Cross Country
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Golf
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Ice Hockey
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Indoor Track and Field
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Lacrosse
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Outdoor Track and Field
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Rowing
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Rugby
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Soccer
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Softball
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Tennis
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Wrestling
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Volleyball
Women’s NCAA hockey continues its yearly success winning the NCHA conference title in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Women’s soccer made its way to the NCAA Tournament in 2019 after winning the MIAA.
Women’s wrestling has shown success as they’ve ranked in the top-10 in the country the past three seasons led by Zoe Nowicki who won her second national championship in 2022. In 2022, Cailey Beaudoin represented the track and field team at the outdoor national championship in the high jump where she finished 9th. Acrobatics and tumbling finished second in the Division III National Invitational and won six individual events.
Non-NCAA Sports
In addition to varsity sports, Adrian College offers 18 programs that compete at a national level and yet are not affiliated with the NCAA. Any student carrying at least 12 credit hours may try out for any of these activities, provided they are academically eligible as certified by the Registrar.
- ACHA Division I Men’s Hockey
- ACHA Division II Men’s Hockey
- ACHA Division III Men’s Hockey
- ACHA Division I Women’s Hockey
- ACHA Division II Women’s Hockey
- NCBA Baseball Division I
- NCBA Baseball Division III
- Bass Fishing
- Men’s Bowling
- Men’s Rugby
- Women’s Bowling
- Sideline and Competitive Cheer
- Cornhole
- Dance
- ESports
- Equestrian – Hunt & Western
- Figure Skating
- Softball
- Synchronized Skating Senior/Collegiate/Open
- Women’s Volleyball
Adrian College has multiple teams at the non-NCAA level that have shown success over the last few years. NCBA baseball won a national championship in 2018 during the program’s first season. In 2021, the ACHA Men’s Division 1 team brought home a national championship as well finishing the year with a 22-1 record. The bass fishing team also won a national championship with the duo of Griffin Fernandes and Hayden Scott. In the team’s first season, men’s rugby was the national runner-up at the National College Rugby Division 2 level. ACHA Women’s Division 1 hockey has won multiple conference championships to qualify for nationals. Synchronized skating has represented Team USA multiple times and has traveled all over the world to compete.
Intramural Sports
If you are simply interested in staying active and enjoying team sports, Adrian College offers a variety of intramural sports which are designed to include everyone on campus. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to participate.
- Co-ed volleyball
- Co-ed softball
- Co-ed soccer
- Co-ed 5-on-5 basketball
- Co-ed flag football
- Men’s flag football
Activities may be added or deleted according to interest.
Athletic Facilities
Adrian College has some of the finest athletic facilities in NCAA Division III. A majority of the facilities have been either newly constructed or renovated within the last fifteen years. The crown jewel is Docking Stadium which houses the football, lacrosse and soccer teams. The stadium has 2,000 chair-back seats on the home sideline and the finest Pro Grass playing surface.
The baseball team plays at Nicolay Field on the northwest corner of campus. Nicolay Field was built in 2008 and has 400 chair-back seats above the dugouts on either baseline for optimal viewing. The softball field was also renovated in 2008 to add a new press box, dugouts and permanent chair-back seating for 150.
The outdoor track complex hosted their first meet in 2009 to rave reviews from around Division III circles. The Craft Tennis Complex features 12 outdoor courts right along US-223 and Docking Stadium.
Arrington Ice Arena was completed in 2007 and houses all ice sports at Adrian College. The arena has 450 chair-back seats and has seen crowds over 1,000 with standing-room along the glass. The arena has offices for coaches, an athletic training room and several locker rooms.
The basketball and volleyball teams play their home games at the Merillat Sport and Fitness Center Gymnasium. It was built in 1990 and also provides an auxiliary gym for indoor activities. The Merillat Sport and Fitness Center also has administrative and coaches’ offices as well as athletic training facilities, a weight room and wellness center for all students, faculty and staff.
Policy on College Athletics
Adrian College’s first concern is for the strength and integrity of the academic program. Beyond that, Adrian College believes that there is a place for many extracurricular activities, including sound athletic programs. All facets of the college’s co-curriculum, however, must be kept in proper balance and evaluated in terms of educational objectives. In athletics this means, among other considerations, wide participation by all students, both men and women, in many different sports and activities, both intercollegiate and intramural, and an appropriate emphasis on and provision for recreational sports and less formally organized play.
Our formula for competition will consist of including on our teams only student-athletes who combine an interest in academic scholarship with a keen desire and a proven ability for intercollegiate athletic competition with similar students at comparable institutions. Adrian College shall provide students with excellent coaches and adequate facilities on the basis of equality and without discrimination of any kind, including discrimination by individual sports, race, or gender.
Eligibility in intercollegiate athletic competition is governed by the rules and regulations established by the NCAA and Adrian College. Student-athletes must be registered for 12 credit hours each semester to participate. If a student-athlete withdraws from a course or takes any action that results in being enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours, the student athlete will be immediately ineligible.
The academic requirements described below are set forth by Adrian College for academic eligibility, and for satisfactory progress.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Adrian College Athletic Insurance Policy
Coverage
Adrian College provides secondary athletic accident coverage for all student-athletes participating in NCAA intercollegiate athletics. An accident is defined as an unexpected, sudden, and definable event, which is the direct cause of bodily injury independent of any illness, prior injury, or congenital disposition. Coverage is NOT provided for medical expenses resulting from illness, disease, or conditions unrelated to accidental bodily injury. Pre-existing conditions, out-of-season injuries, injuries that occur in-season that are not directly related to competition or supervised practice (intramural, conditioning class, etc.) or routine medical care (illness, dental or eye care, etc.) are not covered.
For other policy exclusions, please contact the athletic training room at 517-264-3969.
Procedures
If a student-athlete is accidentally injured during competition or supervised practice and generates medical expenses associated with the accident, all claims must first be filed with the student's or parents' personal (primary) insurance company.
If a balance remains after the personal insurance company has paid its maximum, that balance can be submitted to the school's insurance company.
If the expense is covered, the school's insurance company will pay the balance of the eligible medical expenses up to the maximum of the policy.
If the primary family coverage is through an HMO or PPO, the proper procedures required by that plan must be followed in order for the school's insurance to satisfactorily complete its portion of the claim. This is especially important if the plan requires pre-authorization to have the student-athlete treated out of the plan's network or service area.
Submitting Claims to Adrian College
To pay the balance of the bill, the student-athlete must submit the bill to the Athletic Trainer along with a copy of the EOB (explanation of benefits) from their insurance company showing that the personal insurance has already paid its maximum.
Please submit bills to:
Athletic Trainer
110 S. Madison St.
Adrian, MI 49221.
For any questions, please call 517-264-3969.