Ave Maria University Athletic Scholarships
Ave Maria University, private non-profit liberal arts Catholic University founded in 2003, offers a well-rounded education where students are given the opportunity to grow intellectually, physically, spiritually and emotionally. Its 1,000-acre campus located in Ave Maria, Florida contains distinctive buildings including the modern Canizaro Library that’s open 24/7 and the Golisano Fieldhouse that is home to the AMU Athletic Department. Facilities continue to be built within the campus to serve the growing needs of the students.
The Ave Maria Law School of Law (AMSL) in Naples, Florida is a Catholic law school fully accredited by the American Bar Association and offers a Juris Doctor (J.D.) program.
Known for its excellent academics and strict adherence to the teachings of the Catholic faith, AMU offers its students an educational environment that challenges and equips them to be outstanding leaders and businessmen in the future. It welcomes diversity and has students from 46 states and 18 countries. It offers 21 majors and two pre-professional programs, and a study abroad program in San Marcos, Nicaragua and Gaming, Austria. AMU’s total student population is 1,200; student-faculty ratio is 15:1, with an average class size of 17.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) has accredited AMU to award bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. It is fully accredited by the American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE) and was formally recognized as a Catholic university in 2008. AMU is licensed by the Florida Department of Education’s Commission for Independent Education.
Athletics Department of Ave Maria University
The Athletics Department of Ave Maria University designs programs that will enhance the growth and development of student athletes through core values that will impact on the students’ personal life and professional success in the future. The Department strives to successfully integrate academic and athletic experiences but emphasizes the priority on academic pursuits over participation in varsity, intramural or club sports.
The Department aims to produce competitive student-athletes with a strong commitment to the highest level of excellence, sportsmanship, and respect for everyone in and out of the court or field. On its part the Department focuses on the student-athletes and provides them with available resources to support them in every competition.
Athletics Programs of Ave Maria University
Ave Maria University’s varsity teams belong to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division II level competing primarily in The Sun Conference (previously known as the Florida Sun Conference or FSC), but its football team plays as an independent. AMU was the first college in southwest Florida to field a football team in 2011.
AMU’s men’s seven-sport varsity program includes basketball, soccer, baseball, football, tennis, golf and cross country; while the women’s sports program consist of volleyball, basketball, softball, soccer, golf, cross country, tennis, lacrosse and cheerleading.
Intramurals and club sports are designed for all students to participate in organized sports regardless of their athletic abilities.
Official Sports Team: Gyrenes
Ave Maria University’s varsity team is called Gyrenes. Young as the University is, the Gyrenes are slowly making a name for themselves in varsity sports. In 2012-2013 nine players were named to the Academic All-Conference Awards, 11 made it in 2011-2012 and three in 2010-2011.
Guide to Athletic Scholarships for Ave Maria University
All athletic scholarships from the Ave Maria University are awarded to qualified student-athletes by the AMU Athletic Department. The Department will also consider the student-athletes’ eligibility for need-based and merit-based scholarship and generate it through the same awarding process as the athletic leadership scholarship.
Among the other need and merit-based financial aid and scholarships offered are the AMU Sibling Grant, which is awarded to siblings who are enrolled as undergraduates during the same academic year, and the AMU Leadership Scholarship that given to students with excellent leadership qualities, and may be used in lieu of, or supplementary to, an athletic scholarship. In 2012, 100% of AMU students received financial aid in the form of grants or scholarships, and loans; the average grant covers almost 60% of tuition.