Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls
The Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls are the athletic teams that represent Johnson C. Smith University, located in Charlotte, North Carolina, in intercollegiate sports at the Division II level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, primarily competing in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association since 1926.
Conference affiliations
NCAA- Independent
- Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Varsity teams
Basketball
In 2001 the men's basketball team won the CIAA Basketball Tournament and advanced to the Division II Elite Eight. In 2006 the men's and women's basketball teams were the CIAA Western Division Champions and the Tournament Runners-up. In 2007 the men's basketball team were the 2007 CIAA Western Division Champions. In 2008 the men's basketball team won the 2008 CIAA Men's Basketball Championship. In 2009 the men's and women's basketball team won the 2009 CIAA basketball championship. Sports Illustrated named its venue "One of the Loudest Gymnasiums in the Country."Football
Commemorative Classic: "''The Birth of Black College Football''"
On December 27, 1892, Livingstone College and Biddle College, University played in the snows of Salisbury, North Carolina, just two days after Christmas. A writer of a story in the 1930 year-book of Livingstone College provided a glimpse of that December experience when the team from Biddle Institute traveled to Livingstone's Old Delta Grove campus in Salisbury to play while writers recorded the results of a historic moment in sports history.According to historian T.M. Martin, the men of Biddle spent two years studying and practicing the sport of football. In 1892, they challenged the men of Livingstone, whose team was formally organized in the fall of that year.
Bowl games
Johnson C. Smith has made 7 bowl game appearances, winning 4 and losing 3. After an initial appearance in a postseason contest in the 1942 Flower Bowl against Lane College in a shutout, 13–0.| Date | Bowl | W/L | Opponent | PF | PA |
| January 1, 1942 | Flower Bowl | W | Lane | 13 | 0 |
| January 1, 1946 | Cotton-Tobacco Bowl | W | Allen | 18 | 6 |
| December 7, 1946 | Pecan Bowl | L | South Carolina NIA&M | 6 | 13 |
| December 3, 1949 | Iodine Bowl | W | Allen | 20 | 12 |
| December 2, 2006 | Pioneer Bowl | L | Tuskegee | 7 | 17 |
| December 3, 2011 | Pioneer Bowl | W | Miles | 35 | 33 |
| December 13, 2023 | Florida Beach Bowl | L | Fort Valley State | 10 | 23 |
| Total | 7 bowl games | 4–3 | 109 | 104 |
NCAA Division II playoffs
The Golden Bulls have made one appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs, with a combined record of 0–1.| 2025 | First Round | Frostburg State | L, 7–21 |
Notable alumni
Baseball
Basketball
- Tyrone Britt
- Quentin Hillsman
- Edward Joyner
- Earl Manigault
- Fred "Curly" Neal
- Trevin Parks
- James "Twiggy" Sanders
- Draff Young
Football
- Gregory Clifton
- Tim Beamer
- Jack S. Brayboy
- Grover Covington
- Bill Davis
- De'Audra Dix
- Bill Dusenbery
- Chet Grimsley
- Tim Harkness
- Benny Johnson
- Harris Jones
- Eddie McGirt
- Pettis Norman
- Reggie Sullivan
- John Taylor
- John Terry
- Bob Wells
- Emanuel Wilson