Athletic Programs
Berea’s Physical Education Department, its 16 varsity athletic teams, and an array of recreational and intramural sports programs call the Seabury Center home. This regionally recognized facility offers gymnasia, an indoor pool, racquetball courts, indoor track, weight room, wellness center, state-of-the-art classrooms, and multipurpose spaces. Its main arena seats 2,000 for basketball games and 2,800 for stage events, and hosts the annual Spring commencement ceremony. Just outside are athletic fields, an all-weather track, and 11 tennis courts, five of which are lighted.
Berea’s varsity teams are very successful, even though they compete against many larger schools that offer athletic subsidies. While Berea offers no athletic grants in aid, teams continue to be very competitive in conference, regional, and national championships. Berea is represented at national-level competition each season by several sports.
At the varsity level, the Berea Mountaineers have developed a long-standing, winning tradition in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC). Male student-athletes compete in baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, and track and field, while female student-athletes compete in basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.
Berea’s educational program includes courses in physical fitness, health, and wellness, and students are encouraged to participate in co-curricular athletic programs as well. The College offers a wide range of intercollegiate, intramural, and club sports, and this enables a student to choose a level of competition appropriate to his or her abilities and interests.
More students choose to be involved in intramural athletics than in any other activity at Berea. The intramural program is vigorous and comprehensive, offering individual, coed, and single-gender competition. Intramural sports include basketball, flag football, racquetball, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball.
Champions of Character Institution
As a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Berea is committed to the true spirit of competition by being a “Champion of Character” institution. As part of that commitment, the College embraces the NAIA's five core character values:
- Respect
- Integrity
- Responsibility
- Servant Leadership, and
- Sportsmanship.
Berea College expects athletes, coaches and fans alike to abide by these five values in all athletic contests. Fans, athletes, coaches and any others who do not respect these values may be asked to leave the contest area especially when using profane or hostile speech, intimidating actions, or physical violence.