It’s an exciting time for University of West Florida Athletics, with a new football stadium under construction and the transition to NCAA Division I in the United Athletic Conference and Atlantic Sun Conference.
The Argos are heading into their next chapter as winners, closing out their final year of competition in Division II with their most successful season in program history.
The Argos wrapped up their three-decade-long run in Division II and the Gulf South Conference with a bang, according to UWF Athletic Director Dave Scott.
“We did. We won 10 conference championships, which is the most ever for us,” said Scott. “That includes one in the New South Intercollegiate Swimming Conference. So it was a great year.”
The previous record was eight conference titles in the 2013-2014 season.
“We had teams that were very successful and went a long way in the NCAA postseason,” he added.
UWF football opened its successful season with a 27-point home win over Lenoir-Rhyne and, along with women’s soccer, secured the first conference championships of the year.
Men’s Soccer and Volleyball would follow.
Men’s Basketball, Swimming and Diving, and spring sports Baseball, Men’s Golf and Men’s and Women’s Tennis also won conference championships.
Scott could not have drawn up this final season competing in Division II any better.
“No, the way the year sort of went, it takes a lot of work by student athletes and coaches and staff to make things happen, and the way the year sort of played out, short of throwing a national championship in there somewhere, it couldn’t have went any better,” he declared. “I mean only the team that finishes winning at the end goes home happy, but Men’s golf made it a long way in the national championship; Men’s Tennis lost in the semi-finals to the eventual national champion.”
Baseball lost to the eventual national champion in the super regional.
Looking at the big picture, the 10 conference titles won by the Argos this year are just a fraction of the total won over the last three decades.
“One hundred forty-one total conference championships since we went to NCAA DII in about 1995,” Scott stated.
That means many more NCAA appearances, with some teams able to go all the way.
Eleven National Championships (10 at the DII level)
“We’ve won 10 NCAA and 1 NAIA national championship, so we’ve had 11 total over the period of time that UWF’s had athletics,” Scott proclaimed. “And I don’t even remember the number of individual championships.”
Most recently, Men’s Golf won an NCAA national championship in 2025, their third DII title overall (2001, 2008). Men’s Tennis has captured four national titles (2004, 2005, 2014, 2017). Baseball (2011), Women’s Soccer (2012), and Football (2019) each have one. Softball won the NAIA National Championship in 1993, before UWF moved up to DII.
It’s been a very successful run in DII that Scott believes will help set up UWF Athletics for the transition to DI.
“Well, I think very well,” he said, acknowledging that UWF has some strong teams that have done very well at Division II.
“When you’re at DII, you’re trying to recruit a Division I-style athlete to be able to compete at that upper level. So, over the years, when we’ve lost athletes, potentially in recruiting, because we weren’t Division I, now we’re going to get some of those student-athletes. And I think it sets up a strong base for when we go to compete in the Division I level.”
Update on Division I Transition:
UWF President Manny Diaz announced the move to NCAA DI on Apr. 2 and began the transition process immediately. Scott says the process has been going well.
“It’s kind of like starting a new job,” said Scott. “You’re learning all kinds of new rules and new things and meeting new people. It’s just a different level as far as what we’ve been doing.”
RELATED: UWF President and Athletic Director talk about the impact of moving to Division 1
He added that coaches and staff are also learning new rules, finishing up their recruiting, and getting their teams ready for a higher level of competition.
“It’s going to be great for the institution to be able to see our teams compete against North Florida, Stetson, and old-peer foes like West Georgia and North Alabama,” he said. “So, it’s an exciting time.”
Scott pointed out that a few student-athletes have made the decision, as they do each year for various reasons, to leave UWF. But, on the upside, he says a new crop of athletes is signing up to play.
“So, it’s definitely helped with the brand for the institution, and this is about an institutional move to make the University of West Florida more attractive to not only student-athletes, but students in our region,” he said, adding that it’s a great marketing tool for UWF to be able to compete against schools where they recruit students in North Florida, South Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
While others are being finalized, football is the only sport to date to release a schedule for the launch of DI competition in the fall, opening the season on Aug. 27 at PenAir Field against Southern Illinois.
Darrell Gooden Stadium Construction Update:
Scott says the construction of the stadium is going well.
“They’re moving the bleachers and the video board is up,” he said, clarifying that the frame and structure of the video board are in place. “So we’re hoping it all gets there for this year and then obviously you’ll be able to watch the construction of the rest of the season before fall ’27 when it’ll open.”
Season tickets available at goargos.com or by calling Marketing & Ticketing at 850-474-2311.
