They were also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the Mid-East Region of the Division I level until after the 2019–20 school year to fully align with the NAIA.[4] The Rams previously competed in the Mid-South as a full member from 2012–13 to 2013–14. Athletes make up about 60% of the student population at Bluefield.[5] It served as host for the NCCAA Softball National Championship.[6]
Varsity teams
Bluefield competes in 14 intercollegiate varsity sports:
Men's sports
Women's sports
Baseball
Basketball
Basketball
Golf
Football
Soccer
Golf
Softball
Soccer
Track and field
Track and field
Volleyball
Volleyball
Co-ed sports
Esports
Basketball
The Bluefield Rams men's basketball team was often nationally ranked between 2007 and 2009 under head coach Jason Gillespie. In the 2008–09 season, the Rams won 27 games, including an 18–0 mark in AAC conference play and a regular season championship, but fell in the conference tournament to then-rival King University by one point, finishing the season ranked seventh in NAIA Division II. Guard/forward Omar Reed went on to play professionally with the San Antonio Spurs' NBA Development League affiliate, with the Boston Celtics organization, as well as internationally in Europe and Japan.[7]
Baseball
The Bluefield Rams baseball team won its first NCCAA Division I national championship in 2009[8] and followed with a school-record 41 wins in 2010 before losing in the NCCAA World Series finals to North Greenville. In 2007 they were the NCCAA Mid-East Regional Champs, and made their fourth NCCAA World Series appearance in 2014. Current head coach Mike White has won over 200 games with Bluefield[9] and has sent multiple players to professional baseball. The Rams play their home games at Bowen Field. As of 2014[update], nine former Bluefield baseball players have gone on to play professionally.[10]
Football
Bluefield fielded a football program from 1922 to 1941, but had not had a football program since the attack on Pearl Harbor.[11] On June 4, 2011, Bluefield University announced the return of a football program under head coach Mike Gravier, beginning with "club football" season in 2011, and began play in the NAIA in 2012.[12] The school hired Ordell Walker as the program's new head coach in 2013,[13] and the Rams earned their first win since the program's return with a 46–24 defeat of the Apprentice Builders in Newport News, Va., on September 13, 2014.[14] The Rams play their home games in 10,000-seat Mitchell Stadium.
Cross country
Bluefield hired Coach Travis Yoder in 2014 to build a cross country and track and field program from ground zero. In his first year as head coach he had the schools first NCCAA national qualifier in school history (Kendall Haynes). After his first year Coach Travis Yoder left Bluefield. Bluefield then hired Coach Kendall Haynes to Coach cross country and is now building a track and field program as well. During Coach Haynes's first year in 2017 he had the schools first girls NCCAA national qualifiers in school history (Kenize Marshall and Jordyn O'Saben).
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