| Houston Christian Huskies | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | Houston Christian University |
| Conference | Southland (primary) OVC (men's soccer) |
| NCAA | Division I (FCS) |
| Athletic director | Steve Moniaci |
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| First season | 1963 |
| Varsity teams | 15 (7 men's, 8 women's) |
| Football stadium | Husky Stadium |
| Basketball arena | Sharp Gymnasium |
| Baseball stadium | Husky Baseball Field |
| Softball stadium | Husky Softball Field |
| Soccer stadium | Sorrels Field |
| Nickname | Huskies |
| Fight song | Get Up and Go, You Mighty Huskies |
| Colors | Royal blue and orange[1] |
| Website | hcuhuskies |
 | |
TheHouston Christian Huskies,HCU orHuskies (formerly known asHouston Baptist,HBU) are the athletic teams that representHouston Christian University, located inHouston, Texas, in intercollegiate sports as a member of theDivision I level of theNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in theSouthland Conference for most of its sports since the 2013–14 academic year; as of the current 2023 NCAA soccer season, its men's soccer team competes in theOhio Valley Conference (OVC). The Huskies previously competed the D-IGreat West Conference from 2008–09 to 2012–13 after spending one season as anNCAA D-I Independent during the 2007–08 school year (since returning to NCAA D-I as a transitional member); in theRed River Athletic Conference (RRAC) of theNational Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1998–99 to 2006–07; and as anNAIA Independent from 1989–90 to 1997–98. Houston Christian's (HCU) official school colors are royal blue and orange.
From the inception of the athletics program at the university in 1963 until 1965, the then-Spartans[2] competed as a junior college independent. Houston Baptist College became a four-year university in fall 1965 and their mascot was changed to the Huskies.[3] The Huskies were members of theNCAA College Division from 1969 until 1973 when the NCAA restructured their divisions into Divisions I, II, and III.[4][5] The Huskies were an NCAA Division I team from 1973-1990.[6] After playing for seventeen years as a member of the NAIA, the Huskies began play as anNCAA Division I team again in 2007 and became a full member of the NCAA for the 2011–12 academic year.[7]
After one year of independent status in the NCAA, HCU joined theGreat West Conference, and began play as a member in 2008 for all sports but basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, and women's soccer.[8] These teams remained independent until the 2009–2010 season when they joined the other HCU teams. Men's soccer joined theMountain Pacific Sports Federation since the Great West did not sponsor the sport.
On November 9, 2011, officials from theSouthland Conference visited HCU in their expansion drive.[9] On November 21, Houston Baptist accepted an invitation to join the Southland Conference joining July 1, 2013. The school started a football program in 2013 and began Southland play in 2014. There are also plans for a new basketball arena.[10] With the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation dropping men's soccer after the 2012 season, the HCU team moved to theWestern Athletic Conference, which began sponsoring the sport from 2013 onwards.[11]
The men's soccer program remained in the WAC through the 2022 season, after which it joined the newly formed men's soccer league of theOhio Valley Conference.[12]
NCAA
NAIA
HCU competes in 17 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer and track and field (indoor and outdoor); while women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, track and field (indoor and outdoor) and volleyball.
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Beach volleyball |
| Cross country | Cross country |
| Football | Golf |
| Golf | Soccer |
| Soccer | Softball |
| Track and field1 | Track and field1 |
| Volleyball | |
| 1 – includes both indoor and outdoor | |
| Venue | Sport(s) hosted | Opened |
|---|---|---|
| Husky Stadium | Football | 2014 |
| Sharp Gymnasium | Basketball, volleyball | 1964 |
| Husky Baseball Field | Baseball | 1993 |
| Husky Softball Field | Softball | 1993 |
| Sorrels Field | Soccer | 2007 |
