McPherson College Athletics

McPherson College competes in NAIA athletics, which sits between major Division I programs and smaller Division III schools. NAIA schools offer athletic scholarships but play at a more regional level than big university programs. With 481 athletes out of 786 total students, about 61% of the campus plays varsity sports, making athletics central to student life. The Bulldogs field 16 varsity teams and award $6,853,133 in athletic scholarships annually. The school competes in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference alongside other small Kansas colleges. With men making up 67% of the student body, many male students participate in football, basketball, and baseball. This high participation rate means game days bring together much of the campus community, and being an athlete is often part of the typical McPherson experience.