Reflections of Our Success

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UWF Builds Champions for life and Brings Home National Championship

In addition to student organizations, recreation opportunities, Greek life and living-learning environments, another critical component of the student-life experience exists— athletics.

“To come here and achieve this kind of feat is an amazing feeling.” Taye Larry, Left Fielder

Athletics not only provides the opportunity to instill a great sense of Argo-pride among our campus community, it enables us to capture the hearts of the local community and gains attention both regionally and nationally. The University of West Florida has 13 varsity teams that compete in the Gulf South Conference and NCAA Division II. A key focus of division II athletics is that students are scholar-athletes putting their classroom academics ahead of the playing field. At UWF, student athletes consistently achieve an overall average higher GPA than that of the student body. Over the last several years, the UWF athletics program has created many defining moments, including winning our first baseball national

championship in 2011. Our Argos continued breaking records through the 2011 Major League Baseball draft, with a record five draftees, and three signing as free agents, for a total of eight team members moving on to play Major League ball. The introduction of football is yet another step in meeting our goal of creating the type of traditional campus atmosphere enjoyed by older, longstanding higher education institutions. UWF President Judy Bense’s 2011 announcement of plans for a UWF football program came after an 18-month-long process that included recommendations from the UWF athletics visioning team and the UWF football feasibility committee. After the committees’ positive recommendation, the UWF Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Committee also endorsed the plan. UWF is now planning for implementation of the football program in years ahead.

Athletics UWF’s intercollegiate athletic teams have won six national championships, 64 Gulf South Conference championships, five Commissioner’s Trophies, four GSC Men’s All-Sports Trophies and 10 GSC Women’s All-Sport Trophies.

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