As part of NCAA Division III, Fisher student-athletes commit themselves to excellence in sport and scholarship.
Athletics are an important part of campus life. Fisher is a Division III member of the NCAA, the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference, and Empire 8.
Men compete in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and wrestling.
Women compete in basketball, cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.
The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Athletic Center is a hub of campus activity. Fisher’s student-athletes train and work with coaches and teammates in the facility, and the larger student population uses the center to improve their health and wellness. Intramural athletes also enjoy competition and camaraderie in the Athletic Center. The Center includes three technology-equipped meeting rooms that promote enhanced coach-player dialogue and strengthen student-athlete leadership group engagement.
Additional facilities include Growney Stadium, the Player Development Center at Dugan Yard, the Joseph Pellicano Wrestling Pavilion, the Polisseni Track and Field Complex, and more.
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) promotes the well-being of every student-athlete. This committee represents the leadership, pride, and team unity that each sport brings to Fisher and the community. The SAAC also supports the fan experience while encouraging good sportsmanship in all aspects of the game.
The Student-Athlete Mentors (SAMs) program grew from a collaborative initiative with the Health and Wellness Center, the assistant athletic director, and an assistant football coach in 2003. SAMs partner with the Peer Leadership Program to team-teach the First-Year Seminar class on alcohol and promote understanding of how decisions in college may have a lasting effect on their lives.
St. John Fisher University has one of the most consistent intercollegiate athletics departments in Division III, the NCAA’s largest division. The Cardinals’ athletics department has placed in the top 100 of the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup nine times in a row.
Fisher’s student-athletes earn conference and national honors in droves, and the teams compete for championships year after year. Fisher’s teams have combined for 109 conference championships and 144 NCAA Tournament appearances. Seven teams, most recently women’s lacrosse in 2021, have reached the NCAA Final Four. Additionally, three track and field student-athletes and one men’s golf student-athlete have won national championships.
The success produced by the Cardinals’ student-athletes is not limited to the playing surface. The Fisher athletics department had one of the largest Chi Alpha Sigma Academic Honor Society classes in the country during the 2024-25 academic year.
Find your favorite Fisher Athletics apparel and gear. The Sideline Store online provides print-on-demand and embroidery services with additional customization and personalization options such as sport, player name, alumni class year, family relationship, and more.
“ It felt different here, it felt like everyone cared about more than just the grades but you as a person and who you’re going to turn into once you leave here. ”
