The North Alabama Lions are the athletic teams of the University of North Alabama (UNA), located in Florence, Alabama. The Lions are a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I and compete within the United Athletic Conference (UAC). The university has a total of 14 varsity sports teams, seven men's teams and ten women's teams.
Significant changes came to the athletic program on July 1, 2026. On that date, the Western Athletic Conference rebranded as the United Athletic Conference (UAC) and continued operations as an NCAA Division I all-sports league. North Alabama was among five Atlantic Sun Conference members to join the rebranded UAC as part of a strategic alliance with the ASUN. Also, UNA added five sports—women's flag football, men's and women's indoor track & field, and men's and women's outdoor track & field. The new track & field teams will initially be distance-focused, building on UNA's existing cross country teams.
The fall of 2018 marked the Lions' first year of their transition into Division I. They have a storied tradition in Division II and have earned numerous national titles competing in NCAA Division II's Gulf South Conference.
Conference affiliations NCAA Gulf South Conference (1971–2018) Atlantic Sun Conference (2018–2026) United Athletic Conference (2026–present)
Sponsored sports The UNA Athletic Department sponsors the following sports. Women's indoor and outdoor track and field was sponsored from the 2015-16 to 2017-18 seasons. In 2026–27, women's track & field will be reinstated, and men's track & field and women's flag football will be added.
Men's sports Women's sports Baseball Basketball Basketball Beach volleyball Cross country Cross country Football Flag football (2026–27) Golf Golf Tennis Soccer Track & field (2026–27) Softball Tennis Track & field (2026–27) Volleyball
Baseball
In his first 10 seasons as head baseball coach at the University of North Alabama, Mike Keehn helped lead the Lions back into the regional and national spotlight on the NCAA Division II level with a combined 308 wins and back-to-back trips to the NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament in 2011 and 2012. The Lions 2011 appearance was the first by the Lions in 12 years.
Keehn then led the Lions to another level in 2019 with the move to NCAA Division I status as a member of the ASUN Conference.
The Lions finished their first Division I season at 16–38, facing a rugged schedule, but UNA remained in the hunt for a possible ASUN Tournament berth until the final series of the series. It was just UNA's second losing season in the last 36 years. The Lions had a streak of 30 consecutive winning seasons from 1984 to 2013.
Included in 2019 was a 10-6 road win at then-18th-ranked Ole Miss. It was UNA's first win over a Southeastern Conference opponent in 22 years.
UNA was 3–13 in 2020 in a season cut short by the COVID-19 virus.
A longtime assistant with the Lions, Keehn became head coach in 2009, beginning a new era at the school after 25 seasons under
The 2008 season was a historic one for UNA as Mike Lane stepped down as head coach after 25 straight winning seasons at the school. A major renovation of the school's University Field also resulted in a renaming of the facility in Lane's honor as the facility is now known as Mike D. Lane Field.
Early years
The baseball program at UNA started in 1932 under coach Eddie Flowers, but it wasn't until Mike Lane arrived in 1984 that the Lions program reached the national prominence it enjoys today.
Flowers was not only the first baseball coach for the Lions, but he was also the athletic director, a teacher for the physical education department, and the first basketball and tennis coach. His most successful year as the baseball coach came in his last season (1948) when the Lions went 15–3. His contributions to the University of North Alabama athletic program led to the naming of the school's basketball arena, which is Flowers Hall.
George Weeks was the baseball head coach from 1949 to 1971. Week's had numerous successful teams during his coaching career, including wins over Division I powers like the University of Alabama. From 1972 to 1975 the Lions were coached by Jackie Pedigo, Ricky Lindsey, and Mike Dean. Mike Knight was the head coach from 1976 to 1978. Gary Elliott coached the Lions to an 18–17 record in 1979. From 1980 to 1983 the Lions were led by Mike Galloway and had a record of 72–87.
Mike Lane Arrives
It was not until 1984, under Coach Mike Lane that the Lions became recognized as a standout in Division II and Gulf South Conference baseball. In 25 seasons, Lane's teams won 908 games, averaged 36 wins per season, won 40 games or more six times, won five Gulf South Conference championships, and went to one Division II World Series.
Lane's success at UNA began during his first season when the Lions won their first Gulf South Conference baseball championship in school history. In 1985, the Lions finished 46-11-1 and were ranked 2nd in the nation. A 40-13-1 season in 1987 led the Lions to the second-most wins in school history at that time. Another winning season for the Lions in 1988 led to a successful year in 1989 that resulted in a second GSC championship and put them back in the NCAA playoffs. In 1990, UNA was 37–9, which included wins over Division I schools Middle Tennessee State and Mississippi State. The Lions earned their fifth NCAA playoff berth in eight years during 1991. Another successful year came in 1992 when the Lions had their third straight appearance in the NCAA playoffs. UNA won the GSC title again in 1993 by defeating rival Jacksonville State 7–6 in the championship game. The Lions earned another bid to the playoffs and ended the regular season at No. 2 nationally. In 1994 and 1995 the Lions won the GSC East Division title and made another regional appearance in 1995. The Lions finished 1996 with a 37–11 record and 1997 at 40-15-1, winning a fourth Gulf South Conference championship and playing in their ninth NCAA regional tournament in 14 years. The Lions finished the 1998 season 38-12 and were 24–4 at home. Lane's most successful year came in 1999 when he led the Lions to their first Division II World Series in Montgomery after winning the GSC and Division II South Central Regional championships. UNA finished the season with a 45–12 record and finished in the championship tournament.
Five players under Lane have gone on to play Major League baseball. Cedric Landrum debuted in the majors with the Chicago Cubs and played for the New York Mets in 1993. Jim Czajkowshi made it to the majors to play with the Colorado Rockies in 1994. Terry Jones played for the Montreal Expos and Colorado Rockies during his five-year career in the Major League from 1996 to 2001. In 2004, Josh Willingham made his major league debut with the Florida Marlins and he had a break-out season as a starting outfielder for the Marlins in 2006, followed by impressive seasons in 2007 and 2008. He was traded to the Washington Nationals where he played in 2009 and 2010. He played for the Oakland A's in 2010 and has spent the last two seasons with the Minnesota Twins inAlso, former Lion pitcher Sergio Romo has played in the Major Leagues with the San Francisco Giants as a reliever for the last six years, including pitching on World Championship teams in 2010 and 2012.
Under Lane, 17 different Lions were selected All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association, and six Lions won NCAA statistical national championships. Most recently, James Barksdale earned All- American honors and led Division II in stolen bases in 2006.
Mike Keehn Takes the Helm
In his 12 seasons as head coach, Mike Keehn has won 327 games and led UNA to six Gulf South Conference Tournament appearances and two NCAA playoff berths.
In 2019, he led the Lions through their first season in Division I. Keehn is the second-winningest coach in UNA baseball history behind Mike Lane.
Men's basketball
The men's basketball program at the University of North Alabama is one of the most successful in collegiate basketball, having claimed two national championships, made five Final Four appearances and played in 14 NCAA championship tournaments.
The foundation for UNA's success in basketball, and its entire athletic program, was put in place by Eddie Flowers. After coming to UNA (then Florence State Teachers College) in 1929, Flowers began the school's athletic program in 1932 and coached the first basketball team that season. He remained as basketball coach until 1948 and as athletic director until 1969. When the Lions' new basketball facility was opened in 1972, it was only fitting that it be named for the founder of Lion athletics - Eddie Flowers - and was named Flowers Hall.
Ed Billingham was hired as the school's second men's basketball coach in 1948 and he directed the Lions for the next 24 years, winning 249 games. He also led the Lions to the NAIA National Tournament in 1960 and 1962.
UNA's fourth head coach, Gary Elliott, continued the Lion's success story, taking his teams to a 252–140 record overall and a 148–49 record at home. In Elliott's 15 seasons, he led the Lions to their second national championship in 1991, four NCAA appearances in 1991, 1994, 1995, and 1996 and an average of better than 19 wins per season. The Lions have won 20 or more games five times under Elliott. Elliott, who retired at the end of the 2002–03 season, helped place UNA among the division's elite.
Bobby Champagne took over the Lions Basketball program for the 2003-04 campaign, leading the Lions to a 12-16 overall record his first season and a 14–14 mark the following year. UNA advanced to the first round of the GSC Tournament in each of Champagne's seasons at the helm of the program. On Nov. 20, 2004, the Lions knocked off top-ranked Southern Indiana 78–75 at home on its way to a 10–4 record at Flowers Hall.
In 2006, the Lions returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 10 seasons finishing with an 18–11 record. Two years later, UNA was back in the Elite Eight. The Lions went 27-9 during the 2007-08 campaign and won the South Region Tournament before falling to top-ranked Bentley at the Mass Mutual Building in Springfield, Massachusetts.
On April 2, 2018, Tony Pujol was announced as the new head coach to lead the program through the transition to Division I."North Alabama hires former Bama assistant as new head basketball coach" AL.com. Retrieved 2024-05-13. The Lions earned a berth in the ASUN Tournament Championship game in 2021 before falling to Liberty 79-75."Liberty beats N. Alabama 79-75 for third straight ASUN title" Seymour Tribune. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
Women's basketball
The women's basketball program began at the University of North Alabama in the late 1960s as part of the physical education department, but has grown into a nationally respected program that has made four trips to the NCAA Division II national tournament since 1984. Initially competing against other schools in competition known as extramurals, the UNA women's basketball began competing under the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) in 1975, with Susan Phillips as head coach. Phillips coached the Lions from 1975 to 1977 and was followed for one year by Sharron Perkins.
Then, in 1978, the Lions made their first move to regional and national prominence with the hiring of Gary Elliott as head coach. Over the next four seasons, Elliott compiled a 75–42 record that included the 1979-80 Alabama Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AAIAW) State Championship and the 1981-82 AAIAW Northern Division championship. Those years also produced the school's first women's basketball All-American in Wanda Beckham, who was a second-team AIAW selection in 1980.