Central Arkansas Bears Sugar Bears |
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University | University of Central Arkansas |
Conference | Southland Conference |
NCAA | Division I FCS |
Athletic director | Brad Teague |
Location | Conway, Arkansas |
Varsity teams | 17 |
Football stadium | Estes Stadium |
Basketball arena | Farris Center |
Baseball stadium | Bear Stadium |
Softball stadium | Farris Field |
Other arenas | Prince Center Bill Stephens Track/Soccer Complex |
Nickname | Bears & Sugar Bears |
Colors | Purple and Gray |
Website | www |
The University of Central Arkansas Bears and Sugar Bears participates in the NCAA Division I's Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA football) as a member of the Southland Conference. The athletic program is supported by the efforts of a diverse group of over 400 male and female student-athletes. Its men's teams are called the Bears and the women's are the Sugar Bears.
A member of the Southland Conference, the University of Central Arkansas sponsors teams in eight men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports:
From 1993 to 2006, UCA competed in the West Division of the Gulf South Conference. In 2005–2006, UCA's men's athletic teams won that conference's All Sports Trophy. However, on July 1, 2006, UCA began the transition to Division I and joined the Southland Conference, with the Bears also becoming Associate members of the Missouri Valley Conference for men's soccer.
In 2008, the UCA Bear Football Team defeated more Southland Conference Opponents than any other conference team and were declared "Unofficial Southland Conference Champions." (The Southland Conference nor the NCAA would recognize UCA as the champions due to the transition period from Division II.)
Prior to moving to Division II, UCA competed in NAIA Division I for most sports, winning the national football championship three times (1984 {co-champs}, 1985 {co-champs} and 1991) and finishing runner-up once (1976). Between 1979 and 1992, UCA won or shared 13 out of 14 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference championships (AIC) and went to the playoffs 12 times in that span. A number of former Bears have found success in the NFL, including Tom McConnaughey, Jacob Ford, Landon Trusty, Willie Davis, Tyree Davis, Dave Burnette, Curtis Burrow, Andre Collins, David Evans, and most notably Monte Coleman.