The Middle Georgia State Knights are the athletic teams that represent the Middle Georgia State University. The Knights compete in NAIA and are members of the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC). The official mascot is a costumed character version of a knight in grey and purple named Duke.

The university sponsors ten sports – baseball, men's and women's basketball, women's cross country, men's and women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, and women's volleyball.

The Cochran campus hosts the facilities for men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, and men's and women's soccer. The Macon campus is home of the facilities for women's cross country and volleyball. Both Men's and Women's tennis are hosted in Macon as well.

Nickname and mascot

In the fall of 2012, students at the two colleges selected a new mascot to replace the Blue Storm (of Macon State) and the Warriors (of Middle Georgia). More than 1,000 students on the campuses of the two legacy institutions voted to select Knights as the new mascot. Students also selected new school colors of purple, black and silver, and they voted among several choices on the design of the new mascot. The new mascot and color selections were at least partially influenced by the two institutions' previous identities. The Blue Storm was depicted as a horse in clouds, while the Warriors were fighting humans. Some students saw the "knight," an armor-wearing fighting soldier often depicted as riding a horse, as a combination of the two former mascots. Selection of the new colors was similarly influenced by the past. The Blue Storm colors were blue and gold; the Warrior colors were red and black. The combination of blue and red form purple, a regal color often worn by knights. Students also proposed many names for the new mascot; the name "Duke" was selected in another student vote.

Sports sponsored

Baseball

The Middle Georgia baseball program is one of the winningest programs in the United States, with an overall record of 2140-714 since 1967. The program's overall winningest percentage of .749 is among the highest of any program in the United States.

There have been 136 players from Middle Georgia drafted in the MLB Draft, which ranks third among all colleges & universities in Georgia—only Georgia & Georgia Tech have had more. There have been 7 first round draft picks & 44 total top-five-round draft picks out of Middle Georgia. 20 players from Middle Georgia have reached the major leagues, including Andy Abad, Barret Browning, Kal Daniels, Glenn Davis, Jody Davis, Tom Dunbar, Terry Evans ,Mike Fitzgerald, Willie Harris, Shawn Hillegas, Garey Ingram, Jim Leyritz, Larry Littleton, Warren Newson, Josh Reddick, Ernie Riles, Ray Stephens, Jeff Treadway, Matt Turner, & J.B. Wendelken.

Middle Georgia College (1967-2013)

The MGC Warrior baseball team won four NJCAA national championships: 1979, 1980, 1982, &1995.^[2]

The team reached the JUCO World Series 13 times: 1975, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2004, & 2009.^[3]

The Warriors won 38 division or conference championships.

Middle Georgia State University (2014-present)

Since joining the NAIA, the MGA baseball team has made an NAIA regional 4 years: 2017, 2018, 2019, & 2021.

The Knights won their first SSAC conference championship in 2017 & won their first SSAC tournament championship in 2018.

Men's Basketball

Middle Georgia has history in men's basketball prior to becoming the Knights.

Middle Georgia College

In 2009-10, Middle Georgia made their first trip to the NJCAA National tournament in 30 years as the Warriors. The Warriors were GJCAA Regular Season Champions as well as District 17 Tournament Champions. Coach Scott Moe was named GJCAA Coach of the Year as well as District 13 Coach of the Year. The Warriors finished 9th in the nation in the Final NJCAA National Poll that season.

Middle Georgia State University (2014-present)

The Knights played their final season as a member of the NJCAA and the GCAA before entering the NAIA and Southern States Athletic Conference in the 2014-15 season. The Knights compiled a 101-89 record in the 7 seasons as a member of the NAIA and SSAC. In the 2015-16 Season, the Knights finished the regular season as Runner-up in the SSAC and also finished Runner–up in the SSAC Conference Tournament. In 2018-19, the Knights finished with a 19-12 overall record and an 11-11 conference record. Entering the SSAC Conference Tournament as the #7 seed, the Knights defeated #10 Blue Mountain, #2 William Carey, and #3 Bethel in consecutive days. The Knights lost in the SSAC championship game 78-74 to Loyola.

Women's Basketball

Middle Georgia College

In 2008-09, the MGC Lady Warriors (now the Knights) with a 23-6 record became the 2009 Region XVII and District J Championships which earned the team a berth in the NJCAA National Tournament held in Salina, Kansas.

Middle Georgia State University (2014-present)

During the 2020-21 season, the Knights were the SSA. East Division champions.

Women's Soccer

Middle Georgia College (2007-2013)

The women's soccer team won the 2009 GCAA Conference Championship and the men's team was runner-up in 2010. The women's teams have reached the GCAA semi-finals 6 of 7 seasons. The men's team made the semi-finals 5 out of 7 seasons.

Middle Georgia State University (2014-present)

In 2019, Coach Gill led the Knights to their first appearance in the NAIA Tournament.

Men's Soccer

Middle Georgia College (2007-2013)

The men's soccer team was the 2010 GCAA Conference Championship runner-up. The men's soccer team made the GCAA semi-finals 5 out of 7 seasons in the NJCAA.

Tennis

After two years of transition from junior college to four-year athletics, the Knights tennis teams have compiled a 52-38 (men) and 64-36 (women). MGS has had a team in the NAIA National Championships each of the five years of eligibility for the program. The Knights have had numerous all-conference award winners, including four of six women last year and all six of the men's team making the All-Conference Team. The program has also had four ITA All-American's in five years, and both teams have maintained very high GPA's with the women's tennis team finishing 3rd in the NAIA for GPA amongst all sports in the 300 member schools of the NAIA.

The MGA men finished 6th and the women 7th last year after both teams lost in the quarter finals of the national championships.

Records

Men's Total Record: 52-38

NJCAA: 4-7

NAIA: 48-31

Women Total Record: 64-36

NJCAA: 2-8

NAIA: 62-28

Club sports

MGA offers some non-varsity sports such as Cheer (non-competitive), Equestrian, and Football. Teams frequently play intercollegiate rivals and join club sports conferences, such as the NCFA.

Football

The university fields a club football team, which competes as a member of the National Club Football Association. The Knights football program placed as high as 4th in the NCFA and won the South Atlantic Conference Championship five times. The club football claimed the 2015 NCFA National Championship over Miami University (33-26), after a 10-0 season.

Equestrian

IHSA (2016-present)

The MGA Equestrian team is the newest club team at Middle Georgia. In only a few short years, Head Coach Allie Arrington has established a presence on the national stage for MGA's Equestrian Program. The team had two riders qualify for the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association's (IHSA) Semi Finals in Ocala, Florida in 2019. Sarah Andrews Rucker won at semi finals and was able to represented MGA in Syracuse, New York in the IHSA National Championship. The team has also placed fourth in the IHSA's Regional Finals with multiple qualifying members and followed that success with an appearance at Nationals.

In 2020, the IHSA hosted their Inaugural Online Horse Show. The results of that show resulted in many awards for MGA. For the 2021 IHSA Spring Showcase 1 Online Horse Show, the team were declared the Western Team champions.

Notable alumni

• Andrico Hines, Arena Football League player
• Josh Reddick, Major League Baseball player
• Jerry Zulli, college baseball coach
• Terry Evans, Major League Baseball player
• Kal Daniels, American baseball player
• Andy Abad (Tulile), American baseball player
• Ernest Riles, Major League Baseball player
• Tonya Butler, American college football player (First female to earn a football scholarship at a state school)
• Tom Dunbar, Major League Baseball player
• Barret Browning, Major League Baseball player^[4]
• Kevin Young, American basketball coach
• Jeff Treadway, Major League Baseball player
• Jody Davis, Major League Baseball player
• Jim Leyritz, Major League Baseball player
• J. B. Wendelken, Major League Baseball player
• Matt Turner, Major League Baseball player
• Ray Stephens, Major League Baseball player
• Warren Newson, Major League Baseball player
• Larry Littleton, Major League Baseball player
• Garey Ingram, Major League Baseball player
• Shawn Hillegas, Major League Baseball player
• Willie Harris, Major League Baseball player
• Mike Fitzgerald, Major League Baseball player
• David Perno, college baseball coach
• Manny Mantrana, college baseball coach
• Scott Forbes, college baseball coach
• Tony Cruz, Major League Baseball player
• Will Pettis, Arena Football Hall of Fame player
• Antonio Cochran, National Football League player