Can you guess which Louisiana colleges have the most student athletes?

The college that has the most student athletes in the Pelican State is LSU (Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College), according to a Watchdog.org analysis of college sports participation.

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education collects athletics data annually from all institutions with intercollegiate athletics programs that receive funding through federal financial aid programs. Data for 2016 – the latest year available – includes more than 2,000 schools nationwide.

The number of Louisiana State students taking part in athletic programs was 465 –  251 men and 214 women – representing the largest contingent of student athletes in Louisiana.

In all, there are 5,590 students – 3,370 men and 2,220 women – playing on athletic teams at 25 colleges and universities in Louisiana.

Colleges with the most student athletes

Rank School Division Total Undergraduates Male Student Athletes Female Student Athletes Total Number of Student Athletes
1 Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College NCAA Division I-FBS 23,036 251 214 465
2 University of Louisiana at
Lafayette
NCAA Division I-FBS 12,859 249 152 401
3 McNeese State University NCAA Division I-FCS 5,444 245 141 386
4 University of Louisiana at Monroe NCAA Division I-FBS 5,149 214 144 358
5 Northwestern State University of Louisiana NCAA Division I-FCS 5,182 224 132 356
6 Southeastern Louisiana
University
NCAA Division I-FCS 9,010 221 119 340
7 Louisiana State University-
Alexandria
NAIA Division I 1,776 213 102 315
8 Louisiana Tech University NCAA Division I-FBS 7,434 187 128 315
9 Southern University and A & M College NCAA Division I-FCS 4,328 191 121 312
10 Louisiana College NCAA Division III with football 830 221 86 307
11 Tulane University of Louisiana NCAA Division I-FBS 6,487 171 130 301
12 Nicholls State University NCAA Division I-FCS 4,585 185 113 298
13 Grambling State University NCAA Division I-FCS 3,597 125 92 217
14 Centenary College of Louisiana NCAA Division III without football 473 112 101 213
15 Loyola University New Orleans NAIA Division I 2,274 94 80 174
16 University of New Orleans NCAA Division I without football 4,644 83 72 155
17 Xavier University of Louisiana NAIA Division I 2,120 37 63 100
18 Louisiana State University-
Shreveport
NAIA Division I 1,651 74 24 98
19 Bossier Parish Community
College
NJCAA Division I 3,504 60 33 93
20 Louisiana State University-
Eunice
NJCAA Division II 1,386 44 41 85
21 Baton Rouge Community
College
NJCAA Division I 3,714 51 29 80
22 Delgado Community College NJCAA Division I 5,404 53 18 71
23 Dillard University NAIA Division I 1,179 28 41 69
24 Southern University at New Orleans NAIA Division I 1,371 23 32 55
25 Southern University at
Shreveport
NJCAA Division I 1,760 14 12 26

Source: U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education

This article was first published by Watchdog.org.

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