Canisius University Athletics

The Golden Griffins compete in NCAA Division I, meaning serious athletic competition with scholarships and regional television coverage. About 24% of Canisius students are varsity athletes across 16 sports programs. The university distributes $4.3 million in athletic scholarships annually. Canisius plays in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference alongside schools like Niagara University, their cross-state rival. The basketball programs have historically been the school's strongest athletic draw, with the men's team making occasional NCAA tournament appearances. Division I status puts Canisius athletics on a different level than most small Catholic universities. The athletic programs benefit from Buffalo's sports-crazy culture, though they compete for attention with the Bills and Sabres. Student-athletes balance rigorous Jesuit academics with high-level competition.