Ottawa University-Surprise Athletics

Ottawa competes in the NAIA, offering a middle ground between Division I spectacle and Division III's purely recreational approach. The Spirit field 30 varsity sports teams with 623 total athletes, meaning a remarkable 81% of students participate in varsity athletics. This creates an intensely athletic campus culture where most students either compete or support teammates. The university distributed over $9.3 million in athletic scholarships, averaging about $15,000 per athlete. Men make up 64% of the student body, reflecting the heavy emphasis on athletics recruitment. Ottawa competes in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, though the Arizona campus maintains its own athletic identity. The Spirit particularly emphasize football and basketball as flagship programs. With such a high percentage of student-athletes, sports dominate campus life and social connections.