University of Rio Grande Athletics

The University of Rio Grande competes in NAIA athletics, which sits between NCAA Division I and Division III in terms of competitiveness and scholarships. With 366 athletes out of 795 total students, nearly 46% of the campus participates in varsity sports, creating a strong athletic culture for a small school. The RedStorm fields 20 different varsity teams and distributes $2.35 million in athletic scholarships annually. This level of athletic participation means you'll likely know several student-athletes in your classes and dorms. NAIA schools like Rio Grande offer serious competition with the ability to provide athletic scholarships, but without the intense pressure and time commitments of Division I programs. The high percentage of student-athletes helps build school spirit and gives non-athletes plenty of games to attend throughout the year.