The first tier of intercollegiate sports in the United States includes sports that are sanctioned by one of the collegiate sport governing bodies. The major sanctioning organization is the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Before mid-1981, women's top-tier intercollegiate sports were solely governed by the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). Smaller colleges are governed by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Two-year colleges are governed by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) in most of the country, except for the unaffiliated California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) and Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC).
The second tier consists of competition between student clubs from different colleges, not organized by and therefore not formally representing the institutions or their faculties. This tier is also considered to be "intercollegiate" sports. Many of these sports have governing bodies that operate only at the collegiate level, such as the NCRHA. Other sports are governed by their national governing body, for example, USA Ultimate. College sports originated as student activities.
Intercollegiate Team Champions of Non-NCAA and Non-AIAW Sports in the United States: The championships below were bestowed by the governing bodies of specific collegiate sports in years when the sport lacked official varsity status in the NCAA (which many still lack) or in the AIAW (and the DGWS that preceded it). Women's rugby and equestrian are currently on the NCAA list of "Emerging Sports." Some sports (particularly women's sports) championships that are currently sanctioned by the NCAA were previously administered by a single-sport governing body (e.g., rifle, women's ice hockey, women's water polo). At some colleges, some of these sports operate at a club level outside of any athletic department. On the other hand, some teams have been accorded varsity status within their schools' athletic programs. Generally, there is no strict separation during competition, but there are exceptions (e.g., Varsity Equestrian since 2006, as it seeks official NCAA status). This list is reserved for champions of sports in which the NCAA did not also recognize a champion in a given year. Thus, non-varsity and/or club-level champions are excluded for sports that had a contemporary NCAA champion (e.g., men's ice hockey, alpine skiing) or other collegiate varsity-level champion (e.g., IRA rowing). Two exceptions are (1) women's fencing (the NCAA has not offered a women-only team championship since 1989) and (2) women's bowling (the long-established US Bowling Congress championship has co-eminence).
Key to initialism
Some schools in this list are more commonly known by their initials.
Athletics brand nameSchoolBYUBrigham Young UniversityLSULouisiana State UniversityMITMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyRITRochester Institute of TechnologyRPIRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteUCFUniversity of Central FloridaUSCUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUTSAUniversity of Texas at San Antonio
Key to location
The locations of some schools in this list are not obvious from their names.
SchoolLocationAir ForceColoradoArmy (also, Military Academy)New YorkBabsonMassachusettsBaylorTexasBentleyMassachusettsBradleyIllinoisBryantRhode IslandCastleton StateVermontChico StateCaliforniaCoast Guard AcademyConnecticutCollege of CharlestonSouth CarolinaDaytonOhioDrexelPennsylvaniaFurmanSouth CarolinaGeorgetownDistrict of ColumbiaHobart and William Smith CollegesNew YorkHoly CrossMassachusettsJames MadisonVirginiaJohnson StateVermontLife UniversityGeorgiaLindenwoodMissouriLock HavenPennsylvaniaLong Beach StateCaliforniaMerchant Marine AcademyNew YorkMiddleburyVermontMount St. Mary's MarylandNavy (also, Naval Academy)MarylandNorwichVermontOld DominionVirginiaProvidenceRhode IslandRadcliffeMassachusettsRadfordVirginiaRensselaer Polytechnic InstituteNew YorkRoger WilliamsRhode IslandSaint Mary's CollegeCaliforniaSalisburyMarylandShenandoahVirginiaShippensburgPennsylvaniaStonehillMassachusettsStony Brook New YorkTemplePennsylvaniaTuftsMassachusettsTulaneLouisianaWestern Health SciencesCalifornia
Adventure Racing
United States Adventure Racing Association Mixed teams unless indicated otherwise. YearChampion2007Garrett College (MD) (men's)2009 University of Miami (FL)2012 The Citadel2013 Texas A&M2014 Garrett College2015n/a2016n/a (no entries)2018Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Archery
USA Archery
RecurveYearMenWomenMixed2015James MadisonColumbiaUC Davis2016James MadisonTexas A&MCalifornia2017James MadisonColumbiaTexas A&M2018Texas A&MTexas A&MArizona State2019TexasTexas A&MEmmanuel College2020Canceled due to COVID-192021Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M2022Texas A&MTexas A&MMount Mary2023Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M2024Texas A&MColumbiaTexas A&M/Cumberlands2025Texas A&MColumbiaTexas A&M2026Rio GrandeUC San DiegoTexas A&M
BarebowYearMenWomenMixed2015UCLAUCLAUCLA2016Long Beach StateUC DavisCalifornia2017CaliforniaCaliforniaUCLA2018UC San DiegoHocking CollegeUC Davis2019LamarUC DavisUC Davis2020Canceled due to COVID-192021Texas A&MLindsey Wilson CollegeTexas A&M2022Texas A&MLindsey Wilson CollegeUC Irvine2023Texas A&MPikevilleCumberlands2024Texas A&MPikevillePikeville2025CumberlandsRio GrandeRio Grande2026CumberlandsCampbellsvilleLindsey Wilson
CompoundYearMenWomenMixed2015James MadisonColumbiaSouth Carolina2016Texas A&MTexas A&MGeorgia Southern2017Michigan StateColumbiaTexas A&M2018Georgia SouthernColumbiaTexas A&M2019CumberlandsUnion CollegeCumberlands2020Canceled due to COVID-192021CumberlandsUnion CollegeCumberlands2022CumberlandsCumberlandsCumberlands2023CumberlandsPikevilleTexas A&M2024CumberlandsCumberlandsPikeville2025Union CommonwealthCumberlandsTexas A&M2026Rio GrandeTexas A&MWilliam Carey
BowhunterYearMenWomenMixed2015Texas A&MPenn CollegePenn College2016Texas A&MTexas A&MPenn College2017Penn CollegeTexas A&MTexas A&M2018Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M2019Texas A&MUnion CollegeWisconsin-La Crosse2020Canceled due to COVID-192021Union CollegeCumberlandsUnion College2022Lindsey Wilson CollegeCumberlandsWabash Valley2023Texas A&MCumberlandsCumberlands2024Texas A&MCumberlandsCumberlands2025CumberlandsPikevilleCumberlands2026CumberlandsRio GrandeTexas A&M
Overall TeamYearChampion2015Texas A&M2016Texas A&M2017Texas A&M2018Texas A&M2019Texas A&M2020Canceled due to COVID-192021Texas A&M2022Cumberlands2023Cumberlands2024Texas A&M2025Cumberlands2026Texas A&M
US Collegiate Archery (preceded by National Archery Association)
The inaugural U.S. intercollegiate archery championships were held in November 1967 at Arizona State University with individual competition only. The second such event was in May 1969. Team titles were not bestowed, although team scores were kept.
Outdoor Target YearRecurve, WomenRecurve, MenRecurve, MixedYearRecurve, WomenRecurve, MenRecurve, Mixed1969Arizona State (unofficial)Arizona State (unofficial)Arizona State (unofficial)1982James MadisonArizona StateArizona State1970Arizona StateLos Angeles Pierce CollegeArizona1983Arizona StateArizona StateArizona State1971Arizona StateSan Bernardino Valley CollegeArizona State1984Arizona StateArizona StateArizona State1972Arizona StateSan Bernardino Valley CollegePalomar CC (CA)1985Arizona StateArizona StateArizona State1973Riverside City College (CA)San Bernardino Valley CollegeSan Bernardino Valley College1986Arizona StateArizona StateArizona State1974San Bernardino Valley CollegeArizona StateArizona State1987Arizona StateArizona StateArizona State1975Arizona StateSan Bernardino Valley CollegeEast Stroudsburg State1988Arizona StateArizona StateArizona State1976Arizona StateEast Stroudsburg StateArizona State1989Arizona StateArizona StateArizona State1977Arizona StateEast Stroudsburg StateWashington1990 James MadisonArizona StateArizona State1978Arizona StateAkronArizona State1991Arizona StateArizona StateArizona State1979Arizona StateCal State Los AngelesArizona State1992Arizona StateArizona StateArizona State1980Arizona StateArizona StateArizona State1993Arizona StateArizona StateArizona State1981Arizona StateArizona StateArizona State1994Arizona StateArizona StateArizona State Junior College and 2-Year College Division (discontinued before 1985) YearRecurve, WomenRecurve, MenRecurve, Mixed1977Glendale CC (AZ)Colorado NorthwesternAtlantic CC (NJ)1978Glendale CCColorado NorthwesternAtlantic CC1979Glendale CCPalomar College (CA)Cypress College (CA)1980Phoenix CollegeAtlantic CC Phoenix College1981Pima CC (AZ)Palomar CollegePalomar College1982Palomar CollegeColorado Northwestern?1983 #???1984 #??? # News reports of USIAC results in 1983 and 1984 mention only four-year schools. In 1985, two- and four-year schools are combined in the reported USIAC standings.
Recurve and Compound Bow YearRecurve, WomenRecurve, MenRecurve, MixedYearCompound, WomenCompound, MenCompound, Mixed1995Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M1995James Madison ‡Texas A&MJames Madison †1996Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M1996Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M1997James MadisonTexas A&MTexas A&M1997Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M1998Michigan StateTexas A&MMichigan State1998James MadisonPenn CollegeJames Madison1999Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M1999James MadisonPenn CollegeTexas A&M2000Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M2000Texas A&MJames MadisonJames Madison2001Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M †2001Texas A&MJames MadisonTexas A&M †2002Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M2002Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M2003Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M2003Texas A&M Texas A&MTexas A&M2004Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M2004Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M2005ColumbiaTexas A&MTexas A&M2005Texas A&MJames MadisonTexas A&M2006StanfordAtlantic Cape CC (NJ)Texas A&M †2006James MadisonJames MadisonJames Madison †2007StanfordJames MadisonJames Madison2007Texas A&MJames MadisonJames Madison2008ColumbiaJames MadisonTexas A&M2008James MadisonPenn CollegeJames Madison2009Texas A&MPenn CollegeTexas A&M2009Penn CollegeAtlantic Cape Community Coll.Penn College2010Texas A&MPenn CollegeTexas A&M2010Penn StatePenn CollegePenn State2011Columbia Texas A&MTexas A&M2011Diné College∗Texas A&MJames Madison2012Texas A&MPenn CollegeArizona2012Texas A&MPenn CollegeTexas A&M2013ColumbiaTexas A&MTexas A&M2013Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M2014Texas A&MTexas A&MAtlantic Cape CC (NJ)2014Texas A&MTexas A&MTexas A&M2015FloridaNorthern ArizonaLong Beach State2015Cumberlands (KY)Michigan StateFlorida2016UC IrvineUC IrvineUC Irvine2016Cumberlands (KY)Northern ArizonaCumberlands (KY)2017UC IrvineUC IrvineUC Irvine2017Union CollegeCumberlands (KY)Cumberlands (KY)2018UC IrvineSouth DakotaUC Irvine2018Union CollegeUnion CollegeUnion College † There being a lack of specific citations for this mixed team title, the result was calculated based on the raw FITA round scores. (It appears that by 1995 the competition format added bracketed elimination rounds after the initial FITA rounds to determine the men's and women's champions, but not the mixed team titles.)
‡ Based on a news account, it appears that James Madison was the only team eligible for the women's compound bow team title, a new discipline in the 1995 USIAC.
∗ This is believed to be the first time a tribal college team has won the top-level intercollegiate national championship event in any sport.
Bow Hunter
In 2012 the USIAC began team competition in bow hunting.
YearBow Hunter, WomenBow Hunter, MenBow Hunter, Mixed2012Penn. Coll. of TechnologyPenn. Coll. of TechnologyPenn. Coll. of Technology2013Penn. Coll. of TechnologyTexas A&MPenn. Coll. of Technology2014Michigan StateMichigan StateJames Madison2015University of the CumberlandsUniversity of the CumberlandsUniversity of the Cumberlands2016University of the CumberlandsUniversity of the CumberlandsUniversity of the Cumberlands2017University of the CumberlandsUniversity of the CumberlandsUnion College2018University of the CumberlandsUniversity of the CumberlandsUniversity of the Cumberlands