Onondaga Community College Athletics

The Lazers compete in the NCCAA, a smaller athletic association focused on character development alongside competition. With 288 athletes across 16 varsity sports, about 6.6% of OCC's student body participates in athletics. The college doesn't offer athletic scholarships, keeping sports accessible to students who want to compete while focusing on academics. Basketball and soccer traditionally draw the strongest community support among the winter and fall sports. The athletic program emphasizes personal growth and teamwork rather than big-stadium spectacle. Most games happen in intimate settings where players develop close relationships with coaches and teammates. The NCCAA structure allows student-athletes to balance competition with the demanding coursework in popular programs like nursing and health sciences that many Lazers pursue.