The University of Central Arkansas is a public university in Conway, Arkansas. Founded in 1907 as the Arkansas State Normal School, the university is one of the oldest in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As the state's only normal school at the time, UCA has historically been the primary source of teachers in Arkansas. It was one of about 180 "normal schools" founded by state governments to train teachers for the rapidly growing public common schools. Some closed but most steadily expanded their role and became state colleges in the early 20th century and state universities in the late 20th century.
First Security Field at Estes Stadium is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose stadium in Conway, Arkansas. It is home to the Central Arkansas Bears football team, representing the University of Central Arkansas in the NCAA's United Athletic Conference. The facility opened in 1939. In 2007, university President Lu Hardin announced that corporate sponsorship had been secured for the stadium from a local bank. As a result, the formal title of the stadium is First Security Field at Estes Stadium. The stadium is named after Dan Estes, who coached the Bears from 1915 to 1932.
The Central Arkansas Bears and Sugar Bears represent the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in NCAA Division I ASUN Conference, The football team competes in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC). The athletic program is supported by the efforts of a diverse group of over 400 male and female student-athletes. Its men's teams are called the Bears and the women's are the Sugar Bears.
The Mercer Bears are the athletic teams of Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, United States. Mercer is the only private university in Georgia with an NCAA Division I athletic program and fields teams in eight men's and nine women's sports. The university competes in the Southern Conference for most sports. In 2013, the football team competed in the Pioneer Football League.
The Central Arkansas Bears football program is the intercollegiate American football team for University of Central Arkansas (UCA) located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC), which started play in 2023. For the 2021 season, UCA was a de facto associate member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), and in 2022 it played in its full-time home of the ASUN Conference. Central Arkansas's first football team was fielded in 1908. The team plays its home games at the 12,000-seat Estes Stadium in Conway, Arkansas. The Bears are coached by Nathan Brown, in his seventh year.
The Jacksonville State Gamecocks baseball team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, United States. The team is a member of Conference USA, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. Previously the Gamecocks were members of the ASUN. The Gamecocks play home games at Rudy Abbott Field in Jacksonville, Alabama. The Gamecocks are coached by Steve Bieser.
The Central Arkansas Bears basketball team represents the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. UCA currently plays in the ASUN Conference, which it joined in 2021 after 15 seasons as a member of the Southland Conference. The Bears play home games at the Farris Center located on the UCA campus in Conway, Arkansas and are currently led by head coach John Shulman.
The Southern Arkansas Mulerider baseball team represents Southern Arkansas University in NCAA Division II college baseball. SAU has competed in the Great American Conference (GAC) since 2011. Prior to joining the GAC, SAU competed in the NAIA's Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference from 1950 until moving to the NCAA in 1996. Upon moving to the NCAA, SAU competed in the Western Division of the Gulf South Conference from 1996–2011. The Muleriders play their home games on campus at Walker Stadium at Goodheart Field. Justin Pettigrew is the current head coach.
The Central Arkansas Bears men's soccer team represents the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in the ASUN Conference of NCAA Division I men's soccer. Before joining the ASUN on July 1, 2021, UCA had been an all-sports member of the Southland Conference, which sponsors soccer only for women, and had played men's soccer in the Sun Belt Conference. The Bears play their home matches at the Bill Stephens Track/Soccer Complex located on the UCA campus in Conway, Arkansas. The team is currently coached by Frank Kohlenstein.
The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears softball team represents the University of Central Arkansas, located in Conway, Arkansas. The Sugar Bears are a member of the ASUN Conference and participate in NCAA Division I college softball. The team is currently led by head coach David Kuhn and plays home games at Farris Field.
Allen Gum is an American baseball coach and player. He played college baseball at Crowder College from 1988 to 1989 before transferring to Southern Arkansas. He then served as the head coach of the Southern Arkansas Muleriders (2006–2010) and the Central Arkansas Bears (2011–2021).
The Central Arkansas Sugar Bears basketball team is the women's basketball team that represents the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in Conway, Arkansas. The Sugar Bears compete in the ASUN Conference. They completed a 15-season tenure in the Southland Conference in 2020–21. The Sugar Bears are coached by Tony Kemper.
The Central Arkansas Bears basketball statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the Central Arkansas Bears basketball program in various categories, including points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. The Bears represent the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in men's basketball as members of the NCAA Division I ASUN Conference.
The 2020–21 Central Arkansas Bears basketball team represented the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bears, led by first-year head coach Anthony Boone, played their home games at the on-campus Farris Center in Conway, Arkansas. This was the Bears' last season as members of the Southland Conference; UCA left the Southland in July 2021 to join the ASUN Conference.
Nicholas Harlan is an American baseball coach and former first baseman, who is the current head baseball coach of the Central Arkansas Bears. He played college baseball at York College (Nebraska). He has also been the head coach of the York College Panthers (2004–2013).
The 2021 Central Arkansas Bears baseball team represented the University of Central Arkansas during the 2021 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Bears played their home games at Bear Stadium and were led by fifteenth–year head coach Allen Gum. They were members of the Southland Conference. This was Central Arkansas' final year in the Southland as they will be moving to the ASUN Conference for the 2022 season.
The 2021–22 Central Arkansas Bears basketball team represented the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bears, led by second-year head coach Anthony Boone, played their home games at the on-campus Farris Center in Conway, Arkansas. This was the Bears' first season as members of the West Division of the ASUN Conference.
The 2022–23 Central Arkansas Bears basketball team represented the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bears, led by third-year head coach Anthony Boone, played their home games at the on-campus Farris Center in Conway, Arkansas as members of the ASUN Conference. They finished the season 9–22, 4–14 in ASUN play to finish in 13th place. They failed to qualify for the ASUN tournament.
The 2023–24 Central Arkansas Bears basketball team represented the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bears, led by fourth-year head coach Anthony Boone, played their home games at the on-campus Farris Center located in Conway, Arkansas as members of the ASUN Conference. They finished the season 9–23, 5–11 in ASUN play to finish in 11th place. They failed to qualify for the ASUN tournament.
The 2023–24 Central Arkansas Sugar Bears basketball team represented the University of Central Arkansas during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Sugar Bears, led by first-year head coach Tony Kemper, played their home games at the Farris Center located in Conway, Arkansas as members of the ASUN Conference.
2024 Central Arkansas Bears baseball team 
