Cumberland University Athletics

Cumberland competes in NAIA athletics, which sits between Division I powerhouse programs and Division III recreational sports. The Phoenix field 22 varsity teams with 402 total athletes, meaning about 20% of Cumberland's 2,053 students participate in varsity athletics. The school distributes $7,936,396 in athletic scholarships, making sports a real pathway to affordable education here. Cumberland competes in the Mid-South Conference and has built strong rivalries with other Tennessee private schools like Bethel University and Martin Methodist. The Phoenix are particularly known for their football and baseball programs, which have produced several professional players over the years. For a small school in Lebanon, Tennessee, Cumberland punches above its weight in athletics, creating a tight-knit community where student-athletes are campus celebrities and games draw solid local crowds.