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Southwest Missouri State University
Athletics
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Southwest Missouri State University Athletics
Southwest Missouri State University is an NCAA Division I School. Teams compete in the Missouri Valley Conference; the football team is in the Gateway Football Conference. Men’s sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, swimming, tennis, and track & field. Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track & field, and volleyball. The sports teams are supported by a spirit squad, which includes a marching band with a color guard section, and a co-educational cheerleading squad. The team nick-name is the Bears.
Athletic facilities at Southwest Missouri State University include a 16.300 seat stadium for football, field hockey, and track, an indoor center for basketball, swimming, and volleyball, a softball field, tennis courts, and a soccer field. The baseball team plays at a new stadium in the town of Springfield, and the golf team plays on area courses.
Among the championships and awards that Southwest Missouri State University has received are conference titles in baseball, including an appearance in the College World Series, a Final 4 appearance in women’s basketball, and a Sweet 16 appearance in men’s basketball.
Student athletes receive academic support from the university through the Achievement Center for Intercollegiate Athletics, which provides a computer lab, study hall periods, tutoring, and lap tops to be checked out for roadtrips. Athletes also participate in the CHAMPS/Life Skills program, where they hear speakers and presentations on important practical subjects.
The Southwest Missouri State Bears compete in the NCAA and in the Missouri Valley Conference and the Gateway Football Conference. Intercollegiate sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track, and volleyball. The Athletics Department is home to a unique facility called the Achievement Center for Intercollegiate Athletics (ACIA), which assists the more than 500 student-athletes at SMS with their education. The ACIA offers 30 computers, two staff members and four graduate students, and a number of part-time tutors to strengthen the academic excellence of student-athletes. First-time freshmen are a focus of the ACIA, as they are prone to developing poor study habits within the first year of college, an especially difficult problem for student-athletes, who already devote a great deal of time outside the classroom to things other than studying. The ACIA also monitors student-athlete eligibility for NCAA and SMSU athletics participation by keeping a close eye on academic performance and grades. The ACIA staff works closely with the NCAA and the University’s compliance office to ensure that student-athletes are meeting their academic obligations.
