Shawnee State Bears

The Shawnee State Bears are the athletic teams that represent Shawnee State University, located in Portsmouth, Ohio, in intercollegiate sports. They are a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the River States Conference (RSC). The Bears joined the RSC in 2023^[2] after 13 years in the Mid-South Conference (MSC).^[3] The Bears previously competed in the defunct American Mideast Conference (AMC) from 1991–92 to 2009–10; and as an NAIA Independent from 1986–87 (when the school began its athletics program and joined the NAIA) to 1990–91.

Shawnee State Bears
University	Shawnee State University
Association	NAIA
Conference	River States (MEC in 2026)[1]
Athletic director	Gerald Cadogan
Location	Portsmouth, Ohio
Varsity teams	20 (9 men's, 10 women's, 1 co-ed)
Basketball arena	Frank and Janis Waller Gymnasium
Baseball stadium	Branch Rickey Park
Softball stadium	Boone Coleman Field
Soccer stadium	Shawnee Turf
Nickname	Bears
Colors	Midnight Blue, Gray, and White
Website	www.ssubears.com

The Shawnee State athletics program was established in 1986. The Bears have participated in 25 national championships and 17 conference championships in 7 of 11 sponsored sports.

Varsity teams

Shawnee State competes in 20 intercollegiate varsity sports:

Men's sports	Women's sports
Baseball	Basketball
Basketball	Bowling
Bowling	Cross country
Cross country	Golf
Golf	Soccer
Soccer	Softball
Swimming	Swimming
Tennis	Tennis
Track and field1	Track and field1
	Volleyball
Co-ed sports
eSports
1 – includes both indoor and outdoor

Club sports

Apart from the varsity teams, the university has a men's volleyball club.^[4]

Accomplishments

The SSU women’s basketball team won the NAIA Division II National Championship on March 16, 1999 with an 80-65 win over the University of Saint Francis (Indiana).^[5]

The SSU men's basketball team won the NAIA National Championship on March 23, 2021 with an 74-68 win over the Lewis-Clark State College.^[6]

National championships

NAIA

Sport	Titles	Competition	Winning years	Ref.
Basketball (men's)	1	National championship – Div. I	2021	[7]
Basketball (women's)	1	National championship – Div. II	1999	[8]

Other athletic highlights

• 1992 - softball team finishes 10th in NAIA National Tournament^[9]
• 1995 - softball team finishes 8th in NAIA National Tournament^[9]
• 1995 - women's basketball, NAIA National Tournament Final Four^[10]
• 1996 - softball team finishes as NAIA National Tournament Runners-up^[9]
• 1998 - softball team finishes 9th in NAIA National Tournament^[9]
• 1999 - women's basketball team won the NAIA Division II National Championship^[10]
• 2001 - softball team finishes 9th in NAIA National Tournament:^[9]
• 2008 - men's cross country team finishes 11th in NAIA National Championships:^[11]
• 2008 - women's cross country team finishes 13th in NAIA National Championships:^[12]
• 2021 - men's basketball team won the NAIA National Championship^[6]