TCNJ Lions
University	The College of New Jersey
Conference	NJAC
NCAA	Division III
Athletic director	Amanda V. DeMartino
Location	Ewing, New Jersey
Varsity teams	11 men's, 11 women's
Football stadium	Lions Stadium
Basketball arena	Packer Hall
Baseball stadium	George Ackerman Park
Softball stadium	Dr. June Walker Field
Soccer stadium	TCNJ Soccer Complex
Aquatics center	TCNJ Aquatic Center
Mascot	Roscoe the Lion
Nickname	Lions
Colors
Website	tcnjathletics.com

TheTCNJ Lions are the athletic teams representingThe College of New Jersey (TCNJ). They are a member of theNew Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) and compete withinDivision III of theNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).^[1]

In 1957, TCNJ, then known as Trenton State College, was a founding member of the NJAC (then called the New Jersey State Athletic Conference) along with five other state institutions.^[2] Since then, and after the conference allowed women's sports in 1985, the school has been a powerhouse winning the most titles in men's cross country, women's cross country, field hockey, women's tennis, women's soccer.

The school fields 11 varsity sports teams for men and women each and has captured 44 team national championships, as well as more than 40 individual and relay national championships, across multiple programs. The school's two most successful are the Women's Lacrosse team with 12NCAA Division III Championships and the Women's Field Hockey team with 11Division III NCAA Championships, the most of any team in D-III for either sport.

TCNJ's varsity teams are the top combined first- and second-place finishers of all 424 Division III schools in the nation over more than 25 years.^[3]

TCNJ football at the Lions Stadium

Soccer awards won by TCNJ

The women's lacrosse team has played in the championship game 16 out of 20 possible times, winning 11 (though the 1992 title was later vacated) and qualifying for the NCAA tournament 21 consecutive times through 2005, highlighted by a 93–1 record from 1991 to 1996. The women's field hockey team has won 10 Division III crowns in 14 championship appearances (both twice as many as any other school).

The TCNJ men's soccer team won the 1996 National Championship and was the National Championship Runner-up in 1997.

Thetrack and field teams have especially dominated the NJAC since the title was first contested in 1997, winning each year in both indoor and outdoor.

In 2017–18, TCNJ captured its first NJAC cup, after claiming titles in women’s cross country, field hockey, women’s tennis, women’s indoor track & field, and women’s lacrosse, and NJAC regular season titles in softball and baseball.^[4][5]

Thewrestling team hosts has placed in the top 20 nationally for 30 consecutive years, including 5national championships (1979, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1987), 5 runner-up finishes, and numerous finishes in the top 5.

The TCNJwrestling team has placed in the top 20 nationally for 30 consecutive years, including 5national championships (1979, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1987), 5 runner-up finishes, and numerous finishes in the top 5.

Source:List of individual TCNJ national champions

• ¹The NCAA vacated the 1992 Women's Lacrosse title due to use of an ineligible player during the tournament^[6][7]

Outside of varsity athletics the school also hosts 15 club sports including a men's ice hockey team that competes within theAmerican Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) at Division I.^[10][11] The team is a member of theNortheast Collegiate Hockey League. Prior to 2022, the team competed in ACHA Division II and won championships in various conferences such as theGreat Northeast Collegiate Hockey Conference (2012, 2014) and theColonial States College Hockey Conference (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020).^[12] Following the jump to ACHA Division 1, a second men's ice hockey team was launched which currently competes in theAtlantic Coast Collegiate Hockey League (Men's 2A Tri-State Division).^[13]

The TCNJ cheerleading team has found success in the collegiate cheerleading world since its inception in 2000. In 2014, 2015, 2019, and 2020, the program was recognized as National Champions at Universal Cheerleaders Association's College championship.

The school's club ice hockey team have found success as a member of multipleAmerican Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) conferences since the group's creation in 1977.^[14]

The team currently plays in theColonial State College Hockey Conference where it began play as a founding member in 2014, has won four conference championships (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020), and earned bids to the ACHA Southeast Regional Tournament.^[15] Prior to this as a member of theGreat Northeast Collegiate Hockey Conference the team won two conference titles in 2012 and 2014.

The main athletic facility, Lions Stadium, holds 6,000 spectators and is home to thefootball,field hockey,lacrosse, andintramural teams. The stadium opened in the fall of 1984 and featured the first North American installation ofAstroTurf's vertical-drainage system. This system prevents the "duck-pond effect" commonly seen with other artificial surfaces.^[16]

In 2008, reports indicated that the turf contained higher-than-acceptable levels of lead and was subsequently removed. Now, the stadium is furnished withTiger Turf, which is the first installation of theTrophy Turf in the United States. The stadium has hosted multiple NCAA tournaments and championship games, as well as the annualSpecial Olympics New Jersey and the annual USSBA Central Jersey Regionalmarching band competition.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toThe College of New Jersey athletics.

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