The Lindenwood University Athletics Department has grown significantly over the past two decades, going from just a few sports to having one of the largest Athletics Departments in the nation. From 1999-2011, Lindenwood had one of the top all-around Athletics Departments in the NAIA. In 2010, the University announced that it was applying for NCAA Division II membership and its application was accepted later that summer. After two candidacy and one provisional year, Lindenwood became a full NCAA Division II member during the 2013-14 school year.
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Lindenwood has 22 sports competing at the NCAA level. All 21 NAIA championship sports made the transition to the NCAA. These include baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, football, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, women's volleyball, and men's wrestling. Six other sports were also added as NCAA sports. These are field hockey, gymnastics, women's ice hockey, men's and women's lacrosse, men’s volleyball, beach volleyball, men’s ice hockey and women’s wrestling. All 22 of these sports compete at the NCAA Division I level. For more information on all of the sports that were discontinued following the 2023-24 season, please click
here
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On July 1st, 2022, Lindenwood officially became members of the NCAA Division I Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). The OVC sponsors 18 sports, which Lindenwood offers 16 of those sports. The OVC is made up of ten schools: Eastern Illinois, Little Rock, Morehead State, Southeast Missouri State, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Southern Indiana, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, UT Martin, and Western Illinois. Lindenwood also joined the Atlantic Sun (ASUN) for women’s lacrosse.
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On July 1st, 2019, Lindenwood moved conferences to the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). The GLVC sponsors 22 sports and Lindenwood will compete in all of them. At that time, the GLVC was made up of 15 schools: Drury, Illinois-Springfield, Maryville, McKendree, Missouri S&T, Missouri-St. Louis, Quincy, Rockhurst, Southern Indiana, Southwest Baptist, Truman, and William Jewell.
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From 2012-2019, Lindenwood competed in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), one of the top conferences in NCAA Division II. Other schools in the 14-team league are: University of Central Missouri, University of Central Oklahoma, Emporia State University (Kan.), Fort Hays State University (Kan.), Lincoln University (Mo.), Missouri Southern State University, Missouri Western State University, University of Nebraska-Kearney, Northeastern State University (Okla.), Northwest Missouri State University, Pittsburg State University (Kan.), Southwest Baptist University (Mo.), and Washburn University (Kan.).
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Men's volleyball is a member of the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA), women’s rugby is a member of the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) and women's hockey is a member of Atlantic Hockey America (AHA). Men’s hockey and women’s wrestling are competing as independent members.
Athletics Department Mission Statement
It is the mission of intercollegiate sports at Lindenwood University to advance learning, enliven campus life, develop leadership skills, and foster the personal growth of the student athlete through offering a high quality athletics program. Athletic department personnel strive to provide model programs that develop meaningful standards of scholarship, athletic performance, leadership, community service, and sportsmanship. Through sports Lindenwood seeks to contribute to a sense of collegiate identity and positive perception in the community. The Athletics Department shall strive for excellence in the competitive environment in accord with the philosophy, rules, and regulations of the NCAA and other sports governing bodies in which Lindenwood has membership.
Student Life Sports
Lindenwood also offers a variety of sports outside of the NCAA, most of which are among the top programs in their respective national and conference organizations. Since 2002, Lindenwood Student Life Sports programs have won over 90 top level team national championships. For information on Lindenwood's Student Life Sports, access their website under the Student Life Sports Quick Link on the main page of LindenwoodLions.com.
National Championship Titles
2021 NCAA D2
Women's Lacrosse
National Champions
Lindenwood has won five national championships since moving to the NCAA level:
Women's Lacrosse - 2021
Gymnastics - 2015, 2016, 2019, 2024 (Gymnastics competes for the USA Gymnastics Women's Collegiate National Championships)
Lindenwood won 12 National Championships prior to moving to the NCAA level
Men's Soccer - 2004 (NAIA)
Men's Indoor Track and Field – 1998, 2005, 2006 (NAIA)
Men's Outdoor Track and Field – 2003 (NAIA)
Wrestling – 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 (NAIA)
Men's Volleyball – 2009 (NAIA National Invitational Tournament)
Women's Ice Hockey – 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 (ACHA)
NAIA Directors' Cup Finishes
1997 – 21st
1998 – 17th
1999 – 4th
2000 – 2nd
2001 – 4th
2002 – 1st
2003 – 1st
2004 – 3rd
2005 – 2nd
2006 – 2nd
2007 – 2nd
2008 – 7th
2009 – 3rd
2010 – 5th
2011 - 5th
NCAA Directors' Cup Finishes
2014 - 23rd
2015 - 32nd
2016 - 29th
2017 - 6th
2018 - 37th
2019 - 11th
2022 - 34th
3 NCAA Division II Regional Championships
Baseball - 2017
Men's Soccer - 2013
Men's Golf - 2019
2021 NCAA D2
Wrestling 174lb
National Champion
13 NCAA Individual National Championships
Alecia McGillivary - Swimming and Diving - 1000 free - 2015
Alecia McGillivary - Swimming and Diving - 1650 free - 2015
Krzysztof Jankiewicz - Swimming and Diving - 100 back - 2015
Terrel Wilbourn - Wrestling - 2016
Serghei Golban - Swimming and Diving - 50 free - 2016, 2017, 100 free - 2016, 100 back - 2016
Simone de Rijcke - Swimming and Diving - 200 free - 2018
Ariel Jackson - Indoor Track and Field - 200m - 2018
Carlos Jacquez - Wrestling - 2019
Abner Romero - Wrestling - 2021
Jerry Brown - Swimming and Diving - 100 breast - 2021
32 NCAA Conference Championships
Field Hockey - 2016, 2017
2021 GLVCÂ Conference Champions
Football - 2019, 2021
Women's Gymnastics - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021
Women's Lacrosse - 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Men's Lacrosse - 2022
Men's Soccer - 2012, 2013, 2016
Men's Swimming and Diving - 2014, 2015, 2017
Women's Swimming and Diving - 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021
Men's Wrestling - 2015, 2021
Men's Golf - 2018, 2019
Men's Indoor Track and Field - 2022
8 NCAA Division II Conference Tournament Championships
Men's Soccer - 2012, 2013
Women's Lacrosse - 2015, 2016
Field Hockey - 2017
Baseball - 2017, 2021
Women's Basketball - 2018
Men's Golf - 2018
Other National Affiliated Varsity National Championships
Billiards - 2019
2021 USA Rugby 15's
D1 Elite Women's
National ChampionsÂ
Men's Bowling – 2005, 2014
Women's Bowling – 2006, 2014, 2018
Cheerleading - 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 (2), 2019, 2021 (2), 2022 (2), 2023 (2), 2024
Clay Target Shooting – 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023, 2024
Lion Line (Dance) – 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021 (2), 2023
Lionettes (Dance) - 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 (2), 2022, 2023 (2), 2024
Men's Ice Hockey - 2009, 2010, 2016, 2022
Women's Ice Hockey – 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010Â
Olympic Weightlifting - 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024
Roller Hockey – 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2022, 2023, 2024
Men's Rugby -- 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018 (2), 2019 (2), 2021Â
Women's Rugby -- 2017, 2018 (3), 2019 (3), 2021 (2), 2022, 2023
Women's Table Tennis - 2010, 2012
Synchronized Swimming - 2015 (2), 2016, 2017, 2018
Men's Volleyball* - 2009
Men's Water Polo – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019
*Men's Volleyball was a NAIA emerging sport
Other National Affiliated Junior Varsity National Championships
Roller Hockey –2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024
Heart of America Athletic Conference Championships (NAIA)
Baseball – 1999, 2008, 2009, 2010
Men's Basketball – 2006, 2011
Women's Basketball – 2000
Men's Cross Country – 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Women's Cross Country – 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2008, 2009
Football – 2004, 2007, 2009
Men's Golf – 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Women's Golf – 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Men's Soccer – 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003
Women's Soccer – 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002
Softball – 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2010
Spirit Squads – 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011
Men's Tennis – 2005
Women's Tennis – 1999, 2007, 2010
Men's Indoor Track and Field – 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
Women's Indoor Track and Field – 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Men's Outdoor Track and Field – 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Women's Outdoor Track and Field – 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Women's Volleyball – 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
American Midwest Conference Championships (NAIA)
Women's Basketball – 1994, 1995, 1996
Men's Soccer – 1995
Women's Soccer – 1995
Softball – 1995
Other Conference Championships
Women's Ice Hockey (club) – 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Women's Lacrosse (club) – 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Men's Lacrosse (club) – 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
Men's Volleyball (NAIA) – 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2011
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