List of college athletic programs in Kentucky
This is a list of
college athletics programs in the U.S. state of Kentucky
.
NCAA
Division I
Bellarmine
Eastern Kentucky
Kentucky
Louisville
Morehead State
Murray State
Northern Kentucky
Western Kentucky
Full NCAA Division I member colleges in Kentucky.
โ FBS Football, 
โ FCS Football, 
โ Non-football
โ FBS Football, 
โ FCS Football, 
โ Non-football| Team | School | City | Conference | Sport sponsorship | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foot- ball |
Basketball | Base- ball |
Soft- ball |
Soccer | ||||||
| M | W | M | W | |||||||
| Bellarmine Knights [a] | Bellarmine University | Louisville | ASUN |
 [b] |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Eastern Kentucky Colonels | Eastern Kentucky University | Richmond | ASUN |
FCS[c] | |
|
|
|
 |
|
| Kentucky Wildcats | University of Kentucky | Lexington | SEC | FBS | |
|
|
|
[d] |
|
| Louisville Cardinals | University of Louisville | Louisville | ACC | FBS | |
|
|
|
|
|
| Morehead State Eagles | Morehead State University | Morehead | OVC | FCS [e] | |
|
|
|
|
|
| Murray State Racers | Murray State University | Murray | MVC | FCS [f] | |
|
|
|
|
|
| Northern Kentucky Norse | Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights | Horizon | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers | Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green | C-USA | FBS | |
|
|
|
|
|
- ^ As of the 2023โ24 academic year, Bellarmine is in the fourth year of a four-year transition to Division I and will become an active member in 2024โ25.
- ^ Bellarmine began playing sprint football, a weight-restricted form of football not governed by the NCAA, in 2022 as a charter member of the Midwest Sprint Football League.
- ^ Eastern Kentucky's football program competes in the United Athletic Conference.
- ^ Kentucky's men's soccer team competes in the Sun Belt Conference.
- ^ Morehead State's football program competes in the Pioneer Football League.
- ^ Murray State's football team is a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, a separate entity from the MVC.
Division II
Kentucky State
Kentucky Wesleyan
Thomas More
Full NCAA Division II member colleges in Kentucky.
| Team | School | City | Conference | Sport sponsorship | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foot- ball |
Basketball | Base- ball |
Soft- ball |
Soccer | ||||||
| M | W | M | W | |||||||
| Kentucky State Thorobreds and Thorobrettes | Kentucky State University | Frankfort | SIAC | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers | Kentucky Wesleyan College | Owensboro | G-MAC | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Thomas More Saints [a] | Thomas More University | Crestview Hills | G-MAC | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
- ^ As of the 2023โ24 academic year, Thomas More is in the second year of a three-year transition to Division III and will become an active member in 2025โ26.
Division III
| Team | School | City | Conference | Sport sponsorship | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foot- ball |
Basketball | Base- ball |
Soft- ball |
Soccer | ||||||
| M | W | M | W | |||||||
Asbury Eagles [a] |
Asbury University | Wilmore | TBD | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Berea Mountaineers | Berea College | Berea | CCS | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Centre Colonels |
Centre College | Danville | SAA | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spalding Golden Eagles |
Spalding University | Louisville | SLIAC | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Transylvania Pioneers |
Transylvania University | Lexington | HCAC | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
- ^ As of the 2023โ24 academic year, Asbury is in the third year of a three-year transition to Division III and will become an active member in 2024โ25.
NAIA
| Team | School | City | Conference | Sport sponsorship | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foot- ball |
Basketball | Base- ball |
Soft- ball |
Soccer | ||||||
| M | W | M | W | |||||||
Alice Lloyd Eagles |
Alice Lloyd College | Pippa Passes | River States | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brescia Bearcats |
Brescia University | Owensboro | River States | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Campbellsville Tigers |
Campbellsville University | Campbellsville | Mid-South | [a] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cumberlands Patriots |
University of the Cumberlands | Williamsburg | Mid-South | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Georgetown Tigers | Georgetown College |
Georgetown | Mid-South | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kentucky Christian Knights |
Kentucky Christian University | Grayson | Appalachian | |
|
|
|
[b] |
|
|
Lindsey Wilson Blue Raiders |
Lindsey Wilson College | Columbia | Mid-South | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Midway Eagles |
Midway University | Midway | River States | [c] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Pikeville Bears | University of Pikeville | Pikeville | Mid-South | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Union Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs | Union College | Barbourville | Appalachian | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
- ^ Campbellsville additionally sponsors flag football as a women's varsity sport.
- ^ Kentucky Christian's softball team competes in the Mid-South Conference.
- ^ Midway sponsors sprint football, a weight-restricted form of football not governed by the NCAA; it is a charter member of the Midwest Sprint Football League.
NCCAA
| Team | School | City | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boyce Bulldogs | Boyce College | Louisville | Mid-East |
| Campbellsville Pioneers | Campbellsville University | Campbellsville | Mid-East |
| Simmons College Falcons | Simmons College of Kentucky | Louisville | Mid-East |