So Many Sports, So Little Time
As most students and parents know, UNF does not have a football team. So the usual hubbub and spirit surrounding football season doesn’t really occur at UNF. However, what UNF may lack in the fall and football season, it more than makes up for during the spring semester with several different sports being played. Swoop!
HaveUHeard that UNF hosts both men’s and women’s teams? Actually, UNF has more women’s sports teams than men’s. Some of the popular spring sports include baseball, basketball, softball, tennis, track and field, swimming and beach volleyball. For the whole list of teams and calendars, this site has all of the info. And, we list many of the games in our calendar.
Also, new this year is the UNF Athletics Department along with UNF Campus Life and Student Government have partnered to create a new opportunity for UNF students to engage with athletics and other events on campus. The new Osprey Nation Student Rewards app contains a listing of every home UNF athletic event, allowing students to check-in through the app, select the corresponding event and accumulate points to redeem rewards such as coupons, UNF swag, and exclusive experiences. Utilizing this app will make it even easier to find out what sporting events are happening on campus.
Did you know that UNF’s baseball team plays in Harmon Stadium? The team plays from February until May and this past season had a record of 28 wins and 28 losses.
Or how about a little beach volleyball? Women’s beach volleyball is played right on Jax Beach and the season runs during the spring months of February until May. The team is comprised of approximately 20 girls from all across Florida. The tallest girl on the team is over 6 feet tall!
The majority of sports that are played at UNF are in the arena. Cross Country, Golf, Beach Volleyball, Softball, Swimming/Diving, and Tennis are not ticketed by the UNF Athletic Department. Admission to these events is free of charge.
A major sporting event that is held each year is The River City Rumble. The River City Rumble is a season-long series between Jacksonville’s two Division I institutions – Jacksonville University and UNF.
JU and UNF both field teams in 14 sports. Each time the Dolphins and Ospreys face each other, the game will count toward the River City Rumble standings. The two teams annually square off against each other 22 times. The school with the most wins will receive the “Old Wooden Barrel” at the end of the year. Any tie in the standings keeps the trophy at the previous year’s winner. Fun fact, this year UNF won the Wooden Barrel!!
A few fun facts regarding teams at UNF – The UNF Athletics Department moved to the NCAA Division I ranks in fall 2005, but prior to the move, the Ospreys’ athletics teams had a storied history of success. Three NAIA and one Division II national championship have given the UNF athletics program has a history of success. UNF won the Sunshine State Conference’s men’s and women’s All-Sports Trophies in 1993, its first year in Division II. After four years in the Sunshine State Conference, UNF moved into the Peach Belt Conference in 1997, becoming the 12th member school.
There are still plenty of sporting events in the fall, however UNF’s hosts a tremendous amount of amazing teams that play in the spring.
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