Bluefield Rams

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Bluefield Rams
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UniversityBluefield University
NicknameRams
AssociationNAIA
ConferenceAAC (primary)
Athletic directorCorey Mullins
LocationBluefield, Virginia
Varsity teams14 (7 men's, 6 women's, 1 co-ed)
Football stadiumMitchell Stadium
Basketball arenaDome Gymnasium
Baseball stadiumBowen Field
Softball stadiumGraham Rec Park
Soccer stadiumEast River Soccer Complex
Tennis venueBluefield City Courts
Other venuesFincastle on the Mountain
ColorsTemplate:College color list
Websiteburams.com
File:Bluefield rams wordmark.png

The Bluefield Rams are the athletic teams that represent Bluefield University, located in Bluefield, Virginia, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA),[2] primarily competing in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) for most of their sports since the 2014–15 academic year (which they were a member on a previous stint from 2001–02 to 2011–12);[3] while its football team competes in the Mid-South Conference (MSC) since the 2014 fall season.

They were also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the Mid-East Region of the Division I level until after the 2019–20 school year to fully align with the NAIA.[4] The Rams previously competed in the Mid-South as a full member from 2012–13 to 2013–14. Athletes make up about 60% of the student population at Bluefield.[5] It served as host for the NCCAA Softball National Championship.[6]

Varsity teams

Bluefield competes in 14 intercollegiate varsity sports:

Men's sports Women's sports
Baseball Basketball
Basketball Golf
Football Soccer
Golf Softball
Soccer Track and field
Track and field Volleyball
Volleyball
Co-ed sports
Esports

Basketball

The Bluefield Rams men's basketball team was often nationally ranked between 2007 and 2009 under head coach Jason Gillespie. In the 2008–09 season, the Rams won 27 games, including an 18–0 mark in AAC conference play and a regular season championship, but fell in the conference tournament to then-rival King University by one point, finishing the season ranked seventh in NAIA Division II. Guard/forward Omar Reed went on to play professionally with the San Antonio Spurs' NBA Development League affiliate, with the Boston Celtics organization, as well as internationally in Europe and Japan.[7]

Baseball

The Bluefield Rams baseball team won its first NCCAA Division I national championship in 2009[8] and followed with a school-record 41 wins in 2010 before losing in the NCCAA World Series finals to North Greenville. In 2007 they were the NCCAA Mid-East Regional Champs, and made their fourth NCCAA World Series appearance in 2014. Current head coach Mike White has won over 500 games with Bluefield[9] and has sent multiple players to professional baseball. The Rams play their home games at Bowen Field. As of 2026, nineteen former Bluefield baseball players have gone on to play professionally.[10]

Football

Bluefield fielded a football program from 1922 to 1941, but had not had a football program since the attack on Pearl Harbor.[11] On June 4, 2011, Bluefield University announced the return of a football program under head coach Mike Gravier, beginning with "club football" season in 2011, and began play in the NAIA in 2012.[12] The school hired Ordell Walker as the program's new head coach in 2013,[13] and the Rams earned their first win since the program's return with a 46–24 defeat of the Apprentice Builders in Newport News, Va., on September 13, 2014.[14] The Rams play their home games in 10,000-seat Mitchell Stadium.

Cross country

Bluefield hired Coach Travis Yoder in 2014 to build a cross country and track and field program from ground zero. In his first year as head coach he had the schools first NCCAA national qualifier in school history (Kendall Haynes). After his first year Coach Travis Yoder left Bluefield. Bluefield then hired Coach Kendall Haynes to Coach cross country and is now building a track and field program as well. During Coach Haynes's first year in 2017 he had the schools first girls NCCAA national qualifiers in school history (Kenize Marshall and Jordyn O'Saben).

Facilities

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File:Mitchell Stadium 2014.jpg
Mitchell Stadium
File:Final Bluefield Orioles Game - August 31, 2010.jpg
Bowen Field
Venue Sport(s) Ref.
Mitchell Stadium Football [15]
Bowen Field [n 1] Baseball
Graham Recreation Park [n 1] Softball [17]
East River Soccer Complex [n 2] Soccer [18]
Dome Gymnasium Basketball
Volleyball		 [19][15]
Bluefield City Courts Tennis [15]
Fincastle on the Mountain Golf [15]
Herb Sims Wellness Center (football training) [15]
Notes

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  1. ^ a b Not owned by the university but by the city of Bluefield.
  2. ^ Not owned by the university. Operated by the East River Soccer Association.

Achievements

In 2009, Bluefield won the NCCAA Baseball National Championship.[20]

References

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  1. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Bluefield University Brand Guidelines" (PDF). Retrieved July 16, 2023.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Schools". NAIA.ORG. NAIA. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Members". Appalachian Athletic Conference. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Membership Directory" (PDF). National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  5. ^ Athletic Overview Script error: No such module "webarchive".
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Softball". Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Tim Brafford (February 27, 2014). "Bluefield College | Former Ram Omar Reed Ballin' in Japan | Christian College Virginia". Bluefield.edu. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."NCAA Baseball DI History" (PDF). Sidearm Sports. p. 1. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."White earns 200th career victory at Bluefield – NAIA – National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics". NAIA. April 2, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Bluefield College Baseball Players". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Football Returns to Bluefield College" (PDF). Bluefield University. June 4, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 28, 2010.
  12. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.White, Jim (July 24, 2010). "Bluefield College names football coach". Religious Herald. Archived from the original on October 3, 2011. Retrieved June 24, 2011.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Mid-South Conference Athletics News". Mid-southconference.org. May 5, 2013. Archived from the original on December 15, 2014. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Bluefield College | Rams Secure First Football Win Since '41 | Christian College Virginia". Bluefield.edu. November 20, 1941. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  15. ^ a b c d e Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Bluefield College Athletics | Christian College Virginia | Bluefield College Athletic Facilities". Bcrams.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  16. ^ Bowen Field
  17. ^ Graham Recreation Park
  18. ^ East River Soccer Complex
  19. ^ Dome Gymnasium
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Shoemaker, Chris. "BC BASEBALL BEGINS BID FOR NATIONAL TITLE". Retrieved March 8, 2016.
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