Company Profile
Company Overview
Intercollegiate athletics at Fresno Pacific University has been an important part of the campus and community life for over five decades. As the largest accredited Christian university in Central California, Fresno Pacific University has emerged as a leading west coast university known for academic excellence, innovative programming and spiritual vitality. Fresno Pacific offers outstanding academic programs integrated with ethical and spiritual development through traditional bachelor's and master's degrees, adult degree completion degrees, certificate and credential programs. Founded on Christ, FPU strives for excellence in all areas of students' lives including intercollegiate athletics.
Fresno Pacific University offers opportunities to participate in a wide variety of intercollegiate sports designed to stimulate the physical, social and spiritual development of our student-athletes through elite levels of athletic competition. Sunbird athletics is one of the most successful college athletics programs in the nation, regularly finishing in the top five of the prestigious NACDA Director’s Cup, the measure of intercollegiate athletics programs across the country. FPU currently fields 16 teams (eight men's and eight women's) including: men's and women's basketball, cross country, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field, and water polo, women's volleyball and men's baseball. Hundreds of Sunbird student-athletes have garnered All-America honors as well as All-America Scholar-Athlete awards.
FPU teams are regularly in contention for national championships. Recent accomplishments include four national championships in a row for the women's volleyball team, back-to-back national championships in men's swimming, a national championship for both men's and women's tennis, and a national championship in women's swimming.
In addition to nationally recognized athletic success, the Sunbirds are also committed to the NCAA Division II’s “Life in the Balance” emphasis. Fresno Pacific believes that the total student-athlete experience should provide opportunities for growth and excellence academically, athletically, socially, through service and engagement with the community, and in leadership and character development. In an effort to make a positive impact outside the competitive arena of collegiate sport, FPU athletics is pleased to be a national leader in these important endeavors.
Fresno Pacific University's athletic programs enjoy strong support through the Sunbird Association. This organization is made up of interested individuals and businesses that help provide scholarships, cover travel expenses and purchase athletic and training equipment. Sunbird Association members are an important part of the Sunbird team not only through their financial contributions, but through their enthusiastic attendance at sporting events and overall generosity.
In 2011, Fresno Pacific University was accepted into the membership process for NCAA Division II. The NCAA Division II transition has been one that has engaged the entire FPU community, its alumni and various constituencies, as well as the local communities of media, business leadership, and the greater educational community. The support and encouragement from each of these entities has been overwhelming. FPU as an institution has grown significantly in the last 20 years, emerging in the western U.S. and particularly in the Central California region as a primary center and leader in higher education. FPU athletics has developed commensurate to the general university growth both in regional as well as national significance. Future planning for FPU athletics calls for continued development of facilities, increased support for student-athletes, and additional program expansion. Founded in 1910, the NCAA is the governing body for more than 1,200 schools with more than 400,000 student-athletes. For 2012-13 and 2013-14, FPU will be a member of the National Christian College Athletics Association (NCCAA) and fully eligible to compete in NCCAA National Championship play in sponsored sports.
Fresno Pacific University athletics is a member of the Pacific West Conference (PacWest) and, beginning in the 2012-13 athletics season, will be fully eligible for PacWest conference championships. Formed in 1992, the Pacific West Conference currently has 14 members with membership locations in Hawaii, California, Utah and Arizona. FPU will continue championship participation in the Pacific Coast Swim Conference and the Western Water Polo Association.
Company History
Nationally Ranked Sunbirds
Fresno Pacific University teams are regularly in contention for national championships.
In 2011-2012 FPU narrowly missed its fifth-straight top-5 finish in the NACDA Director's Cup, which measures the overall athletic success of institutions. The Sunbirds finished sixth nationally, winning the national title in women's swimming and finishing as the national runner-up in men's swimming and men's tennis.
In 2010-11 the Sunbirds captured their fourth consecutive national volleyball title, second straight men's swimming title, the men's tennis national title, and were national runner-ups in women's swimming and women's tennis on their way to a fourth-place Director's Cup finish.
During the 2009-2010 season, Fresno Pacific captured a third-straight NAIA national championship in women's volleyball as well as national championships in men's swimming and women's tennis. The Sunbirds finished a program-best third in the NACDA Director's Cup in a season that also saw Men's Tennis finish as the national runner-up and women's swimming come in third nationally.
In 2008-2009, FPU earned 4th place in the Director's Cup, after a record-breaking season. Fresno Pacific claimed two NAIA national championship titles (women's volleyball and men's tennis) and two national runner-up finishes (men's swimming and women's tennis).
2011-12 Season
Volleyball 11th*
Men's Swimming & Diving 2nd*
Women's Swimming & Diving 1st*
Men's Tennis 2nd*
Women's Tennis 3rd*
Men's Track & Field 8th*
Women's Track & Field 13th*
*Final NAIA Ranking
2010-2011 Season
Volleyball 1st*
Men's Swimming & Diving 1st*
Women's Swimming & Diving 2nd*
Men's Tennis 1st*
Women's Tennis 1st*
Baseball 18th*
Men's Track & Field 6th*
*Final NAIA Ranking
2009-2010 Season
Volleyball 1st*
Men's Swimming & DIving 1st*
Women's Swimming & Diving 1st*
Men's Tennis 1st*
Women's Tennis 2nd*
Baseball 11th*
Men's Basketball 23rd*
*Final NAIA Ranking
2008-2009 Season
Volleyball 1st*
Men's Swimming & Diving 2nd*
Women's Tennis 2nd*
Men's Tennis 3rd*
Women's Swimming & Diving 4th*
Men's Basketball 9th*
Baseball 13th*
Men's Cross Country 16th*
*FInal NAIA Ranking