The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to their student athletes. $1.3 billion in athletic scholarship financial aid is awarded to student athletes annually. For the 2023–24 season, it had 241 member institutions, of which two are in British Columbia, one in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the rest in the continental United States, with over 83,000 student-athletes participating. The NAIA, whose headquarters is in Kansas City, Missouri, sponsors 28 national championships. CBS Sports Network, formerly called CSTV, serves as the national media outlet for the NAIA. In 2014, ESPNU began carrying the NAIA Football National Championship.
Chaminade University of Honolulu is a private Marianist university in Honolulu, Hawaii. Founded in 1955 by the Society of Mary, Chaminade is located in Kaimuki, Honolulu at the base of St. Louis Heights. Chaminade offers bachelor's degrees in 23 fields of study and 5 master's degree programs. Chaminade University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.
The Neal S. Blaisdell Center is a community center near downtown Honolulu, Hawaii. The complex has a multi-purpose arena, concert hall, exhibition hall, galleria, meeting rooms, Waikiki Shell and others.
The Pacific West Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level. Member institutions are located in California and Hawaii.
The Maui Invitational, currently sponsored as the Allstate Maui Invitational, is an annual early-season college basketball tournament that takes place Thanksgiving week, normally in Lahaina, Hawaii, at the Lahaina Civic Center on the island of Maui. It is hosted by Chaminade University of Honolulu, an NCAA Division II school. Seven NCAA Division I men's basketball teams are invited to Maui to complete the field. The Maui Invitational has been played since 1984 and is carried by ESPN. Camping World became the title sponsor for the 2020 Tournament only. Maui Jim became the title sponsor of the tournament in 2015 and returned as title sponsor in 2021 and 2022; the previous fourteen tournaments were sponsored by EA Sports. The Maui Invitational and Allstate announced a new title partnership starting for the 2023 tournament, which was held in Oʻahu because of the Maui wildfires.
The Charleston Cougars are the varsity intercollegiate athletic teams representing the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. The Cougars compete in NCAA Division I and are currently members of the Coastal Athletic Association. The university sponsors 20 varsity sports teams including men and women's basketball, cross country, golf, soccer and tennis; women's-only dance team, equestrian, beach volleyball, softball, track and field and volleyball; men's-only baseball; and co-ed sailing and cheerleading. The university's most successful sports are co-ed sailing, which has won 14 national championships since 1986, women's volleyball, which has qualified for the NCAA Tournament seven times since 2002 and men's baseball, which has qualified for the NCAA Tournament seven times since 2004.
The Houston Christian Huskies, HCU or Huskies are the athletic teams that represent Houston Christian University, located in Houston, Texas, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Southland Conference for most of its sports since the 2013–14 academic year; as of the current 2023 NCAA soccer season, its men's soccer team competes in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). The Huskies previously competed the D-I Great West Conference from 2008–09 to 2012–13 after spending one season as an NCAA D-I Independent during the 2007–08 school year ; in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1998–99 to 2006–07; and as an NAIA Independent from 1989–90 to 1997–98. Houston Christian's (HCU) official school colors are royal blue and orange.
The 1982–83 Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball team represented the University of Virginia and was a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The Grand Canyon Antelopes are the 21 athletic teams representing Grand Canyon University, located in Phoenix, Arizona. Most of the university's athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division I level in the Western Athletic Conference. Men's volleyball competes in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) effective beginning in the 2017–18 academic year. The beach volleyball program competes in the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) through the 2024 season, after which it will become an inaugural member of the MPSF beach volleyball league.
The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles refer to the fifteen intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Florida Gulf Coast University, located in unincorporated Lee County, Florida near Fort Myers, in intercollegiate athletics, including men and women's basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, and tennis; women's-only: softball, swimming and diving, indoor volleyball, and beach volleyball; and men's-only: baseball. The Eagles compete in the NCAA Division I and are members of the ASUN Conference (ASUN). FGCU is also notable as the youngest institution competing in NCAA Division I, having been officially founded in 1991 and started classes in 1997. Their mascot is Azul the Eagle.
The Hawaii Pacific Sharks are the 13 varsity athletic teams that represent Hawaii Pacific University, located in Honolulu, Hawaii, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Sharks compete as members of the Pacific West Conference. Hawaii Pacific University's first venture into intercollegiate athletics came with the formation of the men's basketball team. The university previously competed in the NAIA before joining the NCAA in the mid-1990s.
The BYU–Hawaii Seasiders men's basketball team represented Brigham Young University–Hawaii in NCAA Division II college basketball play. The team attended 6 NAIA Tournaments and 11 NCAA D2 Tournaments. The Seasiders participated as members of the Pacific West Conference.
The 1982 Virginia vs. Chaminade men's basketball game was a college basketball game between the Virginia Cavaliers of the University of Virginia and the Chaminade Silverswords of Chaminade University of Honolulu. The contest was held on December 23, 1982, at the Honolulu International Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Silverswords, then a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) member, defeated the Cavaliers, who were the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) top-ranked team, 77–72. Chaminade's victory over a Virginia team that included three-time national player of the year Ralph Sampson was called college basketball's "biggest upset" of all time by multiple publications.
The Warner Royals are the athletic teams for Warner University in Lake Wales, Florida, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Sun Conference for most of its sports since the 1990–91 academic year; while its men's volleyball team competes in the Mid-South Conference (MSC). They are also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the South Region of the Division I level.
The 2000 Maui Invitational Tournament was an early-season college basketball tournament that was played, for the 17th time, from November 20 to November 22, 2000. The tournament, which began in 1984, was part of the 2000–01 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The tournament was played at the Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, Hawaii and was won by the Arizona Wildcats. It was the first title for both the program and for its head coach Lute Olson after losses in the 1993 and 1997 finals.
The Embry–Riddle Eagles are the athletic teams that represent Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, located in Daytona Beach, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the NCAA Division II ranks, primarily competing in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) as a provisional member since the 2015–16 academic year for most of their sports ; while its men's and women's track and field teams compete in the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) as associate members. Prior to joining the NCAA and the SSC, the Eagles previously competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as a founding member of the Sun Conference from 1990–91 to 2014–15.
The 1999 Maui Invitational Tournament was an early-season college basketball tournament that was played, for the 16th time, from November 22 to November 24, 1999. The tournament, which began in 1984, was part of the 1999–00 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The tournament was played at the Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, Hawaii and was won by the North Carolina Tar Heels. It was the first title for both the program and for its head coach Bill Guthridge.
The 2021 Big West Conference men's volleyball tournament is a postseason men's volleyball tournament for the Big West Conference during the 2021 NCAA Division I & II men's volleyball season. It was held April 22 through April 24, 2021 at the SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. The winner received the conference's automatic bid to the 2021 NCAA Volleyball Tournament.
The 1987 Maui Invitational Tournament was an early-season college basketball tournament that was played, for the 4th time, from November 27 to November 29, 1987. The tournament, which began in 1984, was part of the 1987-88 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The tournament was played at the Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, Hawaii and was won by the Iowa Hawkeyes. It was the first title for the program and its head coach Tom Davis.
The 1988 Maui Invitational Tournament was an early-season college basketball tournament that was played, for the 5th time, from November 25 to November 27, 1988. The tournament, which began in 1984, was part of the 1988-89 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The tournament featured a particularly loaded field and the eventual national champion for the second straight season. Games were played at the Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, Hawaii. The No. 3 Michigan Wolverines won the tournament by defeating Vanderbilt, Memphis State, and No. 4 Oklahoma. It was the second title for the program and its head coach Bill Frieder.
