Warner Royals | |
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University | Warner University |
Association | NAIA |
Conference | The Sun (primary) Mid-South (men's volleyball) |
Athletic director | Chrissy Moskovits |
Location | Lake Wales, Florida |
First season | 1973 |
Varsity teams | 20 (8 men's, 11 women's, 1 co-ed) |
Football stadium | Tye Athletic Field |
Basketball arena | Turner Athletic Center |
Baseball stadium | Royals Baseball Field |
Softball stadium | Daly Field |
Soccer stadium | Royals Soccer Field |
Lacrosse stadium | Tye Athletic Field |
Nickname | Royals |
Colors | Blue and Gold |
Website | warnerroyals |
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), [1] primarily competing in the Sun Conference (formerly known as the Florida Sun Conference (FSC) until after the 2007–08 school year) for most of its sports since the 1990–91 academic year; [2] [3] 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. Their rivals are the Webber Warriors.
Warner competes in 21 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, soccer, tennis, track & field and volleyball; women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, cheerleading, cross country, dance, flag football, [4] lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball; and co-ed sports include clay target. Former sports included men's & women's golf.
The university added football for the 2013 season. [5] The team initially played as an NAIA Independent program with a mixed schedule of NAIA, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division I FCS competition. [6] The Royals left independent status after the inaugural season when The Sun Conference announced football as a conference sport starting in the 2014 season. [7] After two seasons, the conference announced a football merger with the Mid-South Conference in 2016. [8] Warner and the other conference rivals became affiliate members in the Mid-South, participating in the Sun Division for football. [9] Their football team gained national recognition after losing 98-0 to Stephen F. Austin on September 24, 2022.
Warner University was the first college/university to offer a varsity men's volleyball program in the state of Florida. The men's volleyball program participates in the Mid-South Conference. [10] The program initially competed in the Mid-America Men's Volleyball Intercollegiate Conference (MAMVIC). The program made back-to-back appearances in the NAIA Men's Volleyball National Invitational Tournament in 2011 and 2012.