Divisions are used by the NCAA, the principal regulating body for college athletics, to group its member institutions.
NCAA Division I colleges in North Carolina have the largest student bodies, the highest athletic budgets, and the most athletic scholarships when compared to NCAA Division II and III institutions.
Although players and programs from the other divisions do make it into the professional sports leagues, Division 1 is regarded as the top tier and attracts the most domestic and international news coverage of athletic events.
This article provides a well-researched list of what division 1 colleges are in North Carolina.
What Division 1 Colleges Are In North Carolina?
According to the NCAA, North Carolina is home to several Division 1 colleges, they include:
1. North Carolina A&T State University
North Carolina Agriculture and Technology State University, the school of the “Aggies”, features Division I teams in a variety of sports, including basketball, cross country, track & field, softball, tennis, and even bowling.
Elvin Bethea, Dwaine Board, Maurice Hicks, and Mel Phillips are some of the football team’s notable former players who went on to play in the NFL.
Six times since 1975, the club has advanced to the semifinals of the Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference.
The basketball team has also advanced to the MEAC finals 12 times over the past 35 years.
2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The UNC athletic department is regarded as one of the best in the nation, and the school’s supporters are among the most passionate.
The institution has numerous Division I teams in sports like track & field, fencing, golf, and men’s and women’s cross country.
Since the 1953–54 season, the Tar Heels have mainly competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for all sports at the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), or the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sub-level for football.
Women’s sports include basketball, cross country, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.
Men can participate in baseball, basketball, cross country, fencing, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, and wrestling.
3. Wake Forest University
Baseball, basketball, football, golf, soccer, tennis, and volleyball all have Division I teams at Wake Forest.
The “Demon Deacons”, who compete in the NCAA Division I Atlantic Coast Conference, have recently won three national field hockey titles, reached the top spot in men’s basketball polls, and participated in three football bowl games, including the Orange Bowl.
Nine national titles have been won by Wake Forest overall in five different sports, with five of those victories occurring since 2002.
The four North Carolina universities that fiercely compete against one another within the ACC, including Wake Forest, Duke University, North Carolina, and North Carolina State, are referred to as “Tobacco Road” or “The Big Four”.
4. Duke University
There are 13 men’s and women’s Division I sports teams at Duke University, which also has outstanding squads in tennis, golf, fencing, field hockey, and lacrosse.
The men’s basketball team, which has a history of 32 NCAA Tournament participation, 14 Final Four berths, and three national titles, maybe the most well-known team at the institution.
The Duke women’s basketball team has made 15 NCAA tournament trips and earned four Final Four berths.
5. Western Carolina University
The college sporting teams that represent Western Carolina University are known as the Catamounts.
The Southern Conference’s Catamounts participate in Division I of the NCAA representing Western Carolina University.
There are 16 varsity sports teams at Western Carolina, and the Catamounts are the names of both the men’s and women’s teams.
6. Campbell University
The intercollegiate American football team for Campbell University, which is situated in the U.S. state of North Carolina, is known as the Campbell Fighting Camels.
The team represents the Big South Conference in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
The 5,000-seat Barker-Lane Stadium in Buies Creek, North Carolina, is where the club plays its home games.
7. Davidson College
The NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletic teams for Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina, are known as the “Davidson Wildcats”.
Davidson College supports teams in ten men’s and nine women’s NCAA-sanctioned sports and is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The football team competes in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Pioneer Football League, which is composed of universities that do not provide football athletic scholarships.
8. East Carolina University
East Carolina University’s football team, the East Carolina Pirates, competes in collegiate football.
The team competes in the American Athletic Conference, which is a part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division I Football Bowl Subdivision.
The Pirates have triumphed in nine bowl games, and seven conference championships and have had 20 All-Americans.
9. Elon University
The intercollegiate American football team for Elon University, which is situated in North Carolina, is known as the Elon Phoenix football program.
This college entered the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision in 1909 and now fields a football team.
The 13,100-seat Rhodes Stadium is where the Elon Phoenix play their home games.
10. Gardner-Webb University
A member of the Big South Conference, the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association, and the Southern Conference, Gardner-Webb University is an NCAA Division I college.
The athletic teams represent the school’s crimson, black, and white colors under the name Runnin’ Bulldogs.
Although the men’s and women’s swimming teams are members of the Coastal Collegiate Swim Association and the wrestling team is a part of the Southern Conference, the bulldogs are part of the Big South Conference.
11. High Point University
The 16 varsity sporting teams that represent High Point University in High Point, North Carolina, are known as the High Point Panthers.
The varsity teams at High Point University all participate in the NCAA Division I competition.
Before the Panthers competed in NCAA Division II and were a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), before moving up to Division I in 1999.
The North State Conference, which is now the NCAA Division II Conference Carolinas, was founded with HPU as a founding member.
12. University of North Carolina at Asheville
The men’s basketball team that represents the University of North Carolina at Asheville in Asheville, North Carolina, is known as the UNC Asheville Bulldogs.
Mike Morrell is their in-house coach and the school’s team competes in the Big South Conference.
13. North Carolina Central University
The 14 intercollegiate sports teams that represent North Carolina Central University (NCCU) in Durham, North Carolina are known as the North Carolina Central Eagles.
Men’s and women’s sports at North Carolina Central University include basketball, cross country, tennis, track, and field.
Bowling, softball, and volleyball are among the women’s sports, while baseball and golf are among the men’s sports.
The Eagles represent the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.
14. University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The athletic teams that represent the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in Greensboro, North Carolina, are known as the UNC Greensboro Spartans.
All the sports teams at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro are played in the Southern Conference.
15. University of North Carolina at Wilmington
The University of North Carolina at Wilmington Seahawks are Division I members of the NCAA and field 18 teams, including 10 teams for women and 8 teams in varsity sports for men.
The baseball team plays at Brooks Field, while the men’s and women’s basketball teams compete in Trask Coliseum. Gold, teal, and navy blue are the teams’ colors.
The men’s basketball team’s postseason achievements include six NCAA tournament appearances and two Sweet 16 appearances, while the baseball team has made eight appearances in the NCAA tournament.
16. Appalachian State University
The intercollegiate American football team at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, is known as the Mountaineers.
Since 2014, the Mountaineers have participated in both the Sun Belt Conference and the Football Bowl Subdivision.
Kidd Brewer Stadium, named for former head coach Kidd Brewer, is where Appalachian plays its home games.
The Appalachian State football team has won approximately 648 games throughout its history, won three NCAA Championships, and made approximately 35 appearances in bowl games and the Division I FCS playoffs.
17. University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The sporting team’s moniker, the 49ers, refers to the year 1949, when the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, was saved from closing permanently.
The school’s colors are green and white, and the emblem includes both gold and black, which are also frequently seen in sports jerseys.
The sports department supports sixteen varsity teams that participate in Division I of the NCAA.
The university is a full member of Conference USA, but after the 2022–2023 season, it will transfer to the American Athletic Conference.
- You May Like: 30 Best Community Colleges In The USA For…
FAQ
Are all Ivy League schools D1?
The Ivy League is made up of some of the most prominent and venerable universities in the nation. Among the top 20 NCAA Division 1 colleges are Brown University, Columbia, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Dartmouth. Each year, more than 8,000 student-athletes represent these schools in competition.
How many D1 colleges are there?
Division I schools include 350 member institutions, including 23 historically black colleges and universities, which field more than 6,700 athletic teams and give more than 187,000 student-athletes the chance to participate in NCAA competitions each year.
What’s the difference between Division 1 and 2?
The major universities and colleges are found in Division 1, whereas member institutions in Division II and Division III are smaller. A widespread misconception among athletes is that Division II is automatically inferior to Division I, or that Division III is inferior to Division II.
What are the smallest Division 1 schools?
- Davidson College.
- Colgate University.
- Bucknell University.
- Rice University.
- Wake Forest University.
What state does not have a D1 college?
For NCAA competition, there are now 350 Division I universities. Only Alaska lacks a Division 1 institution.
What is the number 1 college in the world?
Harvard University
United States|Cambridge (U.S.)
What is the cheapest college in America?
- University of the People.
- The City University of New York.
- California State University, Long Beach.
- Alcorn State University in Mississippi.
- Minot State University in North Dakota.
- South Texas College.
- Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York.
Are all D1 scholarships full rides?
However, college scholarships are usually full rides for NCAA Division I sports, often known as headcount sports, such as men’s football, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s volleyball, tennis, and gymnastics.
Do D1 athletes get paid?
College athletes in California now have full rights to financial rewards for their talent and labor. SANTA CRUZ, Calif. As a result of a bill that Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law on Tuesday night, all college athletes in California are now permitted to make money off of their names, images, and likeness.
Is D2 better than D3 college?
Although the schools in D2 tend to be a little smaller and have smaller funds, the teams and athletes there are generally rather good.
The lowest category, D3, is made up of numerous tiny, privately funded universities. These institutions take great pleasure in having “real” student-athletes.
Conclusion
A school’s Division 1 status is determined by the number of students enrolled, the number of varsity athletes, and the number of scholarships offered.
The NCAA separates universities into three divisions so that similarly sized institutions can compete in sports against one another.
The struggles of Division 1 teams are featured in the vast majority of college sporting events that are shown on television such as March Madness and bowl games.
