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Our analysis found Nova Southeastern University to be the best college for Student Athletes (Division II) in the Southeast Region. Nova Southeastern University is a private not-for-profit school based in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
by our College Data Analytics TeamFor student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. This list ranks 91 colleges for Student Athletes (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual evaluates each program using a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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Our analysis found Nova Southeastern University to be the best college for Student Athletes (Division II) in the Southeast Region. Nova Southeastern University is a private not-for-profit school based in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Harding University came in at #2 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division II). Harding University is a private not-for-profit school based in Searcy, AR.
Union University ranked #3 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). Union University is a private not-for-profit school based in Jackson, TN.
Eckerd College came in at #4 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division II). Based in Saint Petersburg, FL, Eckerd College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Florida Institute of Technology came in at #5 on this year's ranking for Student Athletes (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Melbourne, FL.
Rollins College landed the #6 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Winter Park, FL.
Florida Southern College did well this year, earning the #7 position. Located in Lakeland, FL, Florida Southern College is a private not-for-profit institution.
University of West Florida came in at #8 in this year's ranking. University of West Florida is a public school based in Pensacola, FL.
Lynn University ranked #9 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division II). Located in Boca Raton, FL, Lynn University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Lee University landed the #10 spot this year. Located in Cleveland, TN, Lee University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Flagler College landed the #11 spot this year. Flagler College is a private not-for-profit school based in Saint Augustine, FL.
Palm Beach Atlantic University ranked #12 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division II). Palm Beach Atlantic University is a private not-for-profit school based in West Palm Beach, FL.
North Greenville University did well this year, earning the #13 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Tigerville, SC.
Lincoln Memorial University came in at #14 in this year's ranking. Based in Harrogate, TN, Lincoln Memorial University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Ouachita Baptist University did well this year, earning the #15 position. This private not-for-profit school is set in Arkadelphia, AR.
University of Alabama in Huntsville placed #16 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). This public school is set in Huntsville, AL.
Spring Hill College came in at #17 in this year's ranking. Based in Mobile, AL, Spring Hill College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Catawba College did well this year, earning the #18 position. Catawba College is a private not-for-profit school based in Salisbury, NC.
Trevecca Nazarene University came in at #19 in this year's ranking. Located in Nashville, TN, Trevecca Nazarene University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Kentucky Wesleyan College ranked #20 on our 2026 list for Student Athletes (Division II). Located in Owensboro, KY, Kentucky Wesleyan College is a private not-for-profit institution.
Lenoir-Rhyne University did well this year, earning the #21 position. Located in Hickory, NC, Lenoir-Rhyne University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Clark Atlanta University came in at #22 in this year's ranking. Clark Atlanta University is a private not-for-profit school based in Atlanta, GA.
Christian Brothers University landed the #23 spot this year. This private not-for-profit school is set in Memphis, TN.
Carson-Newman University placed #24 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). Carson-Newman University is a private not-for-profit school based in Jefferson City, TN.
Emory & Henry University placed #25 among the best colleges for Student Athletes (Division II). Based in Emory, VA, Emory & Henry University is a private not-for-profit institution.
Not far behind, these colleges also placed near the top this year:
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.
References
See our data sources and methodologies.