Alvernia University Athletics

Alvernia University competes at the Division III level of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). Alvernia is also a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) and competes on the Commonwealth side of the conference for Field Hockey, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Women’s Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Baseball, Men’s Golf, Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse, Softball, and Men’s and Women’s Tennis. Alvernia competes under the entirety of the MAC for Football, Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey, Men’s Wrestling, Men’s and Women’s Track and Field, and Women’s Golf. Beginning in the fall of 2025, Women’s Wrestling will also become a MAC sponsored sport.

Alvernia is also an affiliate member of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) for Women’s Bowling.

Since joining the MAC in 2008, the Golden Wolves have won 17 MAC Championships, which are listed below.
 

ALVERNIA MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
2009	Baseball		2015	Men's Basketball
2011	Men's Basketball		2015	Women's Tennis
2012	Men's Golf		2018	Women's Golf
2012	Softball		2019	Baseball
2012	Women's Golf		2023	Women's Ice Hockey
2013	Baseball		2024	Baseball
2013	Men's Basketball		2024	Women's Golf
2014	Men's Basketball		2024	Women's Ice Hockey
2015	Baseball

 
Alvernia has also made 37 NCAA Championship across team sports, and the Golden Wolves have also qualified 19 individual track and field athletes and 14 men’s wrestlers for individual NCAA Championship appearances. 

Alvernia Athletics and Recreation Mission Statement
The Mission of the Alvernia University Department of Athletics & Recreation is to provide Alvernia student athletes with an opportunity to compete in intercollegiate activities, as an integral part of their educational experience. The department will seek to attract a population of student-athletes who will succeed both academically and athletically.

The department will provide a personalized learning environment with equitable participation opportunities for student-athletes to develop their leadership potential. Win or lose, student-athletes are encouraged to provide a winning effort, exhibit sportsmanship, and demonstrate respect for teammates, opposition, coaches, officials, and fans. 

The department will comply with the standards set forth by Alvernia University, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), and the Middle Atlantic Conferences. The department will adhere to State and Federal regulations that directly impact intercollegiate athletics. Department staff will seek to steadily improve the quality of the athletic experience through professional development, conferences, and department meetings. 

The department will provide opportunities for student-athletes to compete successfully, embracing the NCAA Division III philosophy, and the mission of Alvernia University. The department will provide student-athletes the opportunity to acquire personal achievement, social responsibility, and moral integrity through athletic competition. 
 

• Operate in an environment consistent with the mission of the university.
• Observe and develop good sportsmanship.
• Provide the best athletic competition possible without sacrificing academic integrity and academic standards.
• Encourage participation by maximizing the number and variety of athletic opportunities in varsity, club, and intramural sports.
• Ensure the integration of student-athletes into the institutional life of the University.
• Support students in their efforts to reach high levels of performance by providing them with adequate facilities, competent coaching, and appropriate competitive opportunities with students from similar institutions.
• Implant the realization that the traits that are necessary for athletic success are also needed for success in life.
• Win within the framework of ethical practices and moral integrity. 

About the MAC
Located in Newtown, Pa., the Middle Atlantic Conference is an NCAA Division III conference comprising the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC), Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth (MAC Commonwealth), and Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom (MAC Freedom).

Its 16 member institutions, located across three states, are: Albright College (Reading, Pa.), Alvernia University (Reading, Pa.), Arcadia University (Glenside, Pa.), Delaware Valley University (Doylestown, Pa.), DeSales University (Center Valley, Pa.), Eastern University (St. Davids, Pa.), Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus (Madison, N.J.), Hood College (Frederick, Md.), King's College (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.), Lebanon Valley College (Annville, Pa.), Messiah University (Mechanicsburg, Pa.), Misericordia University (Dallas, Pa.), Stevens Institute of Technology (Hoboken, N.J.), Stevenson University (Owings Mills, Md.), Widener University (Chester, Pa.), and York College of Pennsylvania (York, Pa.).

The MAC currently sponsors 27 intercollegiate sports that compete in the NCAA Division III. More than 7,000 student-athletes participate in baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's and women's golf, men's and women's ice hockey, men's and women's indoor track & field, men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's outdoor track & field, softball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's volleyball and wrestling.

Complete information about the MAC can be found here

About NCAA Division III
Division III is home to more than 430 institutions and 200,000 student-athletes — the most in any division — who can earn the opportunity to compete in 28 national championships. The Division III philosophy ensures athletics are an integral part of a well-rounded college experience. The athletic experience allows student-athletes to focus on their academic programs and the ultimate goal of earning a degree. The four-year journey is designed to complement time spent in the classroom and pursuing other activities — some related to coursework, others extracurricular. While Division III doesn’t permit athletics scholarships, roughly 80% of Division III student-athletes receive some form of academic grants or need-based scholarships.
 
Division III student-athletes are fueled by passion. They strive to do their best on the field and in the classroom because they realize the value in athletics lies beyond a scoreboard. Student-athletes push themselves to achieve excellence and build upon their academic success with new challenges and life skills within an environment that fosters health and wellness.
 
Established in 1973, Division III provides an equitable and inclusive environment for student-athletes to take responsibility for their own paths, follow their passions and discover their potential through a comprehensive educational experience.

Complete information about NCAA DIII can be found here