Ave Maria Gyrenes
The Ave Maria Gyrenes are the athletic teams that represent Ave Maria University, located in Ave Maria, Florida, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, primarily competing in the Sun Conference since the 2009–10 academic year. They are also a member of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association.
Ave Maria's traditional rivals for all sports are St. Thomas University, Keiser University, and Warner University.
Varsity teams
Ave Maria competes in 24 intercollegiate varsity sports:
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Beach volleyball |
| Cross country | Cross country |
| Football | Golf |
| Golf | Lacrosse |
| Pickleball | Pickleball |
| Rugby | Soccer |
| Soccer | Softball |
| Swimming | Swimming |
| Tennis | Tennis |
| Track and field | Track and field |
| Ultimate frisbee | Volleyball |
Football
In 2011, Ave Maria became the first college in southwestern Florida to field a football team. In the spring of 2016, the Gyrenes football team joined the Mid-South Conference as an affiliate member.
Rivalries
Ave Maria football's traditional rival is fellow Sun Conference member St. Thomas University. The matchup between the two South Florida, Catholic schools is called the Rosary Bowl, which St. Thomas leads all-time with six wins.
Other geographic rivalries exist with Keiser University, with Keiser having a distinct 7-1 lead in the all-time series, and with Warner University, with Ave Maria holding a 7-6 all-time series lead.
Series records
Men's Basketball
Rivalries
Ave Maria's basketball rivals are St. Thomas, Keiser, and Warner.
Series records
- Records through January 2, 2026
Lacrosse
The women's lacrosse team competed in the National [Women's Lacrosse League] in their first varsity season in the spring of 2015. Ave Maria does not sponsor men's lacrosse at the varsity level.
Rivalries
A rivalry exists with the Franciscan Barons exists for Ave Maria lacrosse. The matchup between the two deeply Catholic schools is called the Newman Cup, named for both schools' perennial prominence on the Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College|Newman Guide]. The last game was played in 2024, with Ave Maria winning 22-6. As of the 2026 season, the Newman Cup is dormant.
Series records
- Records through January 2, 2026
| Opponent | Match Ups | Record | Next Game |
| Franciscan | 3 | 3-0 | dormant |