The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a public research university in Birmingham, Alabama. Founded in 1969 in the University of Alabama System, UAB has grown to be the state's largest employer, with more than 24,200 faculty and staff and over 53,000 jobs at the university. The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".
The UAB Blazers football team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the sport of American football. The Blazers compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and American Athletic Conference. The team is led by head coach Trent Dilfer, who was named the program’s 7th head coach on November 30, 2022. Home games were previously held at Legion Field in Birmingham from the 1991 season to the 2020 season. A new stadium, Protective Stadium, has been the home of the Blazers starting from the 2021 season. The new stadium's capacity is over 47,000.
The UAB Blazers are the varsity intercollegiate athletic programs that represent the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The school is one of the fourteen member institutions of the American Athletic Conference and participates in Division I of the NCAA. The school's men's basketball team plays in 8,508-seat Bartow Arena. The Blazers' colors are forest green and old gold. The men's basketball program has a long history of success spanning several decades.
Ronald George Polk is an American professional coach in NCAA Division I college baseball. He was a long-time head baseball coach at Mississippi State and is considered to be the "Father of Southeastern Conference Baseball." Polk compiled one of the most successful winning records, as a coach, in both MSU and Southeastern Conference history. In 31 seasons as an SEC coach he compiled a 1218-638-2 (.656) record. His career record stands at 1373-702-2. He currently ranks 9th on the all-time wins list nationally for 10+ year Division I coaches. His teams won five SEC championships and five SEC tournament championships. His teams participated in the NCAA tournament twenty-three times, and reached the College World Series eight times.
The UAB Blazers men's basketball team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in NCAA Division I men's college basketball, with the 2023–24 season being the Blazers' first as members of the American Athletic Conference. The Blazers play home games at Bartow Arena and are coached by Andy Kennedy. UAB has appeared 17 times in the NCAA men's basketball tournament and most recently appeared in 2024.
The 2008 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Blazers' head coach was Neil Callaway, who entered his second year at UAB. They played their home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C-USA). They improved upon a 2–10 record from the 2007 season and finished the 2008 campaign with an overall record of 4–8.
The 1991 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the 1991 NCAA Division III football season, and was the first team fielded by the school. The Blazers' head coach was Jim Hilyer. They played their home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama and competed as an NCAA Division III independent. The Blazers finished their inaugural season with a record of 4–3–2.
The 1992 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) as an independent during the 1992 NCAA Division III football season. It was the second team fielded by the school. Led by second-year head coach Jim Hilyer, the Blazers compiled a record of 7–3. They played four of their home games at Legion Field in and one at Lawson Field, both located in Birmingham, Alabama. UAB moved to the NCAA Division I-AA—now known as NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)—level in 1993.
The 1995 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the 1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season, and was the fifth team fielded by the school. The Blazers were led by head coach was Watson Brown, in his first season as the UAB's head coach. They played their home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama and competed as a Division I-AA Independent. The Blazers finished their third and final season at the I-AA level with a record of five wins and six losses (5–6).
The 1997 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season, and was the seventh team fielded by the school. The team's head coach was Watson Brown, who entered his third season as the UAB's head coach. They played their home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama and competed as a Division I-A Independent. The Blazers finished their second season at the I-A level with a record of 5–6.
The 2007 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, and was the 17th team fielded by the school. The Blazers were led by first-year head coach Neil Callaway and played their home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, and competed as a member of Conference USA. The Blazers finished their twelfth season at the NCAA I-A/FBS level and their ninth affiliated with a conference with a record of 2–10.
The Battle for the Bones is a sports rivalry between the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers and the University of Memphis Tigers. The two NCAA Division I schools compete in various sports, with men's basketball and college football in particular being prominent.
The 2009 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They played their home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C-USA). The Blazers finished the season 5–7 and 4–4 in C-USA play.
The UAB Blazers men's soccer team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. As of the upcoming 2022 season, the college soccer program competes in the NCAA Division I American Athletic Conference.
The UAB Blazers women's basketball team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham in women's basketball. The school competes in the American Athletic Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Blazers play home basketball games at Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.
The 2020 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Blazers played their final home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, and competed in the West Division of Conference USA (C-USA). They were led by fifth-year head coach Bill Clark.
The 1981–82 UAB Blazers men's basketball team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham as a member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 1981–82 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. This was head coach Gene Bartow's fourth season at UAB, and the Blazers played their home games at BJCC Coliseum. They finished the season 25–6, 9–1 in Sun Belt play and won the Sun Belt tournament. They received an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament as No. 4 seed in the Mideast region. After beating No. 5 seed Indiana in the second round, UAB upset No. 1 seed Virginia to reach the Elite Eight. The Blazers fell to Louisville in the Mideast regional final, 75–68. As of 2021, that is the furthest a UAB men’s team has advanced in NCAA Tournament play.
The 2022–23 UAB Blazers men's basketball team represents the University of Alabama at Birmingham during the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team is led by third-year head coach Andy Kennedy, and plays their home games at the Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Alabama as a member of Conference USA.
2024 UAB Blazers baseball team 