Southern–New Orleans Knights and Lady Knights

Southern–New Orleans Knights and Lady Knights
UniversitySouthern University at New Orleans
ConferenceGCAC
NAIADivision I
LocationNew Orleans, Louisiana
Varsity teams4
Basketball arenaHealth and Physical Education Building
NicknameKnights and Lady Knights
Websitewww.suno.edu/athletics

The Southern–New Orleans Knights and Lady Knights are the athletic teams that represent Southern University at New Orleans, located in New Orleans, Louisiana, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) since the 2022–23 academic year; which they were a member on a previous stint from 1986–87 to 2018–19 (their final season before the school suspended its athletics program and eventually re-instating it back).[1][2][3][4]

The university has garnered over 150 NAIA All-American honors in its athletic programs.

Return

On January 20, 2022, SUNO re-instated its athletic program and received an invitation to re-join back to the GCAC, along with Oakwood University (from the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA)) and Wiley College, effective beginning in July 2022.[1]

Sports sponsored

SUNO competes in four intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports included baseball and basketball; while women's sports included basketball and volleyball.

Men's sports Women's sports
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Volleyball

Baseball

The Southern–New Orleans Knights baseball team represents Southern University at New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, which is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Baseball was added to the athletics program for the first time in 2024.[5]

Basketball

Men's basketball

The Southern–New Orleans Knights men's basketball team represents Southern University at New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, which is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.[6][7] The team plays its home games at 1,200-seat Health and Physical Education Building also known as "The Castle".

SUNO's men basketball teams have appeared in six NAIA tournaments.

Women's basketball

The Southern–New Orleans Lady Knights women's basketball team represents Southern University at New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, which is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.[8][9] The team plays its home games at 1,200-seat Health and Physical Education Building also known as "The Castle".

The women's basketball team has appeared in one NAIA Tournament.

Women's volleyball

The Southern–New Orleans Lady Knights women's volleyball team represents Southern University at New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, which is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.[10] The team plays its home games at 1,200-seat Health and Physical Education Building also known as "The Castle".

Former varsity sports

Men's and women's track and field

The Southern–New Orleans Knights and Lady Knights track and field teams represented Southern University at New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The school's teams competed in outdoor track and field in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, which is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.[11][12]

The men's track & field team placed 2nd in nation at the NCAA Division III outdoor championships in 1974 and at the NAIA outdoor national outdoor championships in 1998.

Former head coach Dr. Artis Davenport was named NAIA Women's Indoor and Outdoor as well as Men's Outdoor Track & Field Coach of the Year in 1995. He earned the same honor in 1997 for Indoor Track & Field. The track and field team garnered 6 NAIA All-American honors at the NAIA 2008 Indoor Track & Field Championships.

Two Olympians have competed in SUNO's Track & Field Program. They include Savatheda Fynes (Bahamas) and Julius Achon (Uganda).

Championships

Southern–New Orleans holds five national championships between NCAA Division III and NAIA.

National Championships
NCAA Div. III NAIA
Sport Men's Outdoor
Track & Field		 Women's Outdoor/Indoor
Track & Field
Years 1975, 1976, 1977 1995, 1997
Conference Championships
Sport Women's Cross Country Men's Cross Country
Years 1986, 1988, 1989
1990		 1988, 1989
Sport Men's Basketball Women's Basketball
Years 1995a, 2000, 2003a
2002c, 2004c		 2000b
*^a tournament & conference champions ^b conference co-champions
^c tournament and conference co-champions

Facilities

The Health and Physical Education Building, nicknamed The Castle, is the 1,200-seat arena for the men's and women's basketball teams and volleyball team.[13] It opened in 1974.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "GCAC Extends Membership To Oakwood University, Wiley College, Southern University at New Orleans". January 20, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  2. ^ "GCAC Members". gcaconf.com. Retrieved 2018-03-03.
  3. ^ "Southern University at New Orleans". playnaia.com. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  4. ^ "Southern University-New Orleans". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  5. ^ "Southern University at New Orleans Names Olen Parker Its First Head Baseball Coach". blackcollegenines.com. Retrieved 2023-11-12.
  6. ^ "Men's Basketball". suno.edu. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  7. ^ "Southern–New Orleans Knights". espn.com. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  8. ^ "Southern–New Orleans Knights women's basketball". usbasket.com. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  9. ^ "Good to be King: SUNO icon Elston King steps aside after 34 years of coaching at his alma mater". theadvocate.com. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  10. ^ "Women's Volleyball". suno.edu. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
  11. ^ "Men's track and field". suno.edu. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
  12. ^ "Women's track and field". suno.edu. Retrieved 2018-05-09.
  13. ^ "Facilities". suno.edu. Retrieved 2018-05-19.