Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus Athletics

Fairleigh Dickinson competes in NCAA Division I, meaning serious athletic competition with full scholarships and regional television coverage. The Knights field 17 varsity sports with 338 total athletes, representing 13% of the student body. The athletic program awards $5.4 million in scholarships annually across all sports. FDU plays in the Northeast Conference alongside regional rivals like Sacred Heart and Central Connecticut State. The Knights made national headlines in 2023 when their men's basketball team became the lowest-seeded team ever to reach the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 as a 16-seed. This Cinderella run put the small New Jersey school on the map and demonstrated that mid-major programs can compete with college basketball's top. The basketball success has energized the campus and boosted school pride .