Friends Falcons

Friends Falcons
Logo
UniversityFriends University
NicknameFalcons
AssociationNAIA
ConferenceKCAC (primary)
Athletic directorDr. Rob Ramseyer
LocationWichita, Kansas
Varsity teams23
Football stadiumAdair-Austin Stadium
Basketball arenaGarvey Center
Softball stadiumTwo Rivers Youth Complex
Soccer stadiumAdair-Austin Stadium
Tennis venueForrest Lattner Courts
Outdoor track and field venueAdair-Austin Stadium
Volleyball arenaGarvey Center
ColorsScarlet and gray
   
MascotFreddy Falcon
Websitefriendsathletics.com

The Friends Falcons are the athletic teams that represent Friends University, located in Wichita, Kansas, in intercollegiate athletics as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) since the 1953–54 academic year; which they were a member on a previous stint from 1902–03 to December 1928 (of the 1928–29 school year).

Varsity teams

Friends competes in 19 intercollegiate varsity sports:

Men's sports Women's sports
BasketballBasketball
Cross countryCross country
FootballGolf
GolfPowerlifting
PowerliftingSoccer
SoccerSoftball
TennisTennis
Track and field1Track and field1
WrestlingVolleyball
Wrestling
1 – includes both indoor and outdoor

Football

Friends University is coached by Terry Harrison, who has held the position since the 2023 season. Under Harrison's leadership, the Falcons have become well known for a highly aggressive, run-centric flexbone offense. In the 2025 season, the Falcons were first in rushing yards, with an average of 459.9 yards per game, but were 93rd out of 94 in passing yards, with an average of 52.8 yards per game, second only to the Mayville State Comets. The Falcons also led the league in points, with an average of 54.2 points per game.

Bowl games

In 1972, Friends was defeated by the Ottawa Braves in the Mineral Water Bowl by a score of 27–20.

Facilities

Stand of the Adair-Austin Stadium
Venue Sport(s) Ref.
Adair-Austin StadiumFootball
Soccer
Track and field
Garvey CenterBasketball
Volleyball
Forrest Lattner CourtsTennis
Crestview Country Club Golf

Mascot

The school's first athletic teams were known as the "Fighting Quakers" which symbolized the schools affiliation with the Society of Friends. In the 1930s, governance of the institution was turned over to an independent board not affiliated with the religious organization that founded the school. Still, the university's athletic teams remained known as the Fighting Quakers and used a duck as their mascot symbol up to 1960.

After 1960, student body began to desire a different mascot to represent Friends University. "Freddy Falcon" was created as a response to this initiative and adopted by the school.

Notes

  1. ↑ Not owned by Friends University but property of the state of Kansas.
  2. ↑ Private golf club.

References

  1. ↑ Two Rivers Youth Club
  2. ↑ Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Style Guide (PDF). July 6, 2016. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
  3. ↑ College Fanz Friends University Athletics
  4. ↑ Coach Profile Coach Profile
  5. ↑ Eldridge, T. (2025), America’s No. 1 offense? Friends has it using a scheme no one else dares to run, retrieved 24 September 2026
  6. ↑ Friends 2025-26 season stats
  7. ↑ Mineral Water Bowl All-time results
  8. 1 2 Adair-Austin Stadium & Forrest C. Lattner Tennis Courts
  9. ↑ Garvey Center
  10. ↑ Crestview Country Club
  11. ↑ Crestview Country Club (facilities) on friendsathletics.com
  12. ↑ Friends University Athletics Archived 2010-04-25 at the Wayback Machine Traditions