Ayrton Oneill
The acronym FAU stands for Florida Atlantic University, which fields a men's basketball team known as the Florida Atlantic Owls. The Owls compete in the American Athletic Conference of NCAA Division I college basketball and play their home games on the Abessinio Court in the Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena in Boca Raton, Florida. The team has experienced recent success, making their second-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2023 and advancing to the Sweet 16.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Form | Florida Atlantic University |
| Team Name | Florida Atlantic Owls |
| Team Sport | Basketball |
| Team Coach | John Jakus |
| Team Captain | Johnnell Davis |
| Home Ground | Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena |
| Home Ground Location | Boca Raton, Florida |
| Year of Inception | 1988 |
| Number of NCAA Division I Teams | 19 |
| Number of Student Athletes | 500 |
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What You'll Learn
Florida Atlantic University
The Florida Atlantic Owls men's basketball team represents Florida Atlantic University with pride and has a rich history. The team played its first intercollegiate basketball game on November 18, 1988, against Palm Beach Atlantic University, winning 111-62. Despite a challenging inaugural season, the Owls have gone on to establish themselves as a competitive force in college basketball.
The Owls joined Conference USA (C-USA) in 2013 as part of the NCAA conference realignment. However, after the 2022-23 season, they moved to the American Athletic Conference. The team's home games are played on the Abessinio Court in the Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena, located on the university's Boca Raton campus.
The Florida Atlantic Owls have experienced both triumphs and setbacks over the years. During the 2001-02 season, the Owls had a winning season, finishing 19-12 and advancing to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. They continued to improve, and in 2023, they made their mark by reaching the Sweet 16. The team's success can be attributed to the leadership of coaches like Dusty May, who became the program's all-time wins leader.
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NCAA Division I
The Owls began competing in NCAA Division I in the 1993-94 season, joining the Atlantic Sun Conference (now known as the ASUN Conference). They have since appeared in the NCAA tournament four times: in 2002, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
In 2002, the Owls won their first Atlantic Sun Conference Championship, clinching a bid to the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. They were seeded as a 15-seed and placed in the South Region, facing 2-seed Alabama in the first round. Despite a close game, Alabama ultimately won 86-78.
After not winning a single NCAA Tournament game prior to 2023, the Owls qualified for their first Final Four in program history in 2023 by defeating the Kansas State Wildcats 79-76. In 2024, the Owls were the No. 2 seed in the AAC Tournament and faced North Texas in the quarterfinals. In 2025, the Owls soared into the Sweet 16 for a matchup with Tennessee.
The Florida Atlantic Owls men's basketball team plays their home games on the Abessinio Court in the Eleanor R. Baldwin Arena on the university's Boca Raton, Florida campus. The team's success has been described as leading a "revolution" in basketball, with their rapid improvement taking the country by storm.
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The Owls
The Florida Atlantic Owls, or FAU, are the athletic teams of Florida Atlantic University. The university has 19 NCAA Division I athletic teams, including basketball, volleyball, football, and golf.
The Florida Atlantic Owls men's basketball team has been competing in the NCAA Division I since the 1993-94 season. The team's first intercollegiate basketball game was played on November 18, 1988, against fellow NCAA Division II school, Palm Beach Atlantic University, which they won 111-62. The Owls have appeared in the NCAA tournament four times, in 2002, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
In 2023, the Owls soared into the Sweet 16 for a matchup with Tennessee. Led by former Florida Gators assistant Dusty May, the team was making only its second-ever tournament appearance. May is the program's all-time wins leader, with 99 career wins. The Owls qualified for their first Final Four in program history in 2023 by defeating the Kansas State Wildcats 79-76.
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Conference realignment
The 2025-26 college basketball season will see a relatively tame round of conference realignment compared to the previous 2024-25 season, with only five schools changing conferences and no changes at the high-major level. Some notable moves include Seattle joining the WCC, with the conference temporarily expanding to 12 basketball teams before Gonzaga's departure for the Pac-12 in 2026-27. Oregon State and Washington State will also join the reformed Pac-12, and Delaware and Missouri State will join Conference USA to play FBS football.
In some cases, conference realignment can be influenced by the desire to focus on local rivalries, historical animosities, and recruiting battles. For example, the 2021 realignment saw the Pac-12, Big Ten, and Atlantic Coast Conference forming a scheduling alliance, adding games between teams in these conferences in various sports, including men's and women's college basketball.
Overall, conference realignment in college basketball is a complex and dynamic process influenced by a range of factors, from financial considerations to competitive dynamics and historical rivalries.
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FAU's basketball history
Florida Atlantic University's men's basketball team, the Florida Atlantic Owls, has a rich history in college basketball. The team began play in the 1988–89 season, competing as an NCAA Division II independent until the 1993–94 season when they moved up to Division I and the Atlantic Sun Conference (now known as the ASUN Conference).
The Owls' early years in Division I were challenging, suffering through several losing seasons. However, under the leadership of coach Kevin Billerman, the team showed improvement, achieving a 9–19 record in the 1994–95 season. Billerman's second season produced the most wins of any Division One FAU men's basketball coach up to that point.
The Owls continued to grow and develop as a program, scheduling games against powerhouse teams like the University of Miami Hurricanes. During the 2002–03 season, the Owls appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the first time, though they did not win a game.
In recent years, the Owls have experienced significant success. In the 2022–23 season, led by coach Dusty May, the Owls had their most successful season in program history, going 31-3 and winning the Conference USA Championship for both the regular season and the conference tournament. The team was ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time and made it to the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament, defeating the Kansas State Wildcats 79-76 before narrowly losing to the San Diego State Aztecs 72-71.
The 2023–24 season saw the Owls return to the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year, entering as a No. 8 seed in the East Region. The team has continued to build on its recent success, with head coach John Jakus leading the Owls into the future.
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Frequently asked questions
FAU stands for Florida Atlantic University, whose basketball team is known as the Florida Atlantic Owls.
The Florida Atlantic Owls play in the American Athletic Conference of NCAA Division I college basketball.
The Florida Atlantic Owls played their first intercollegiate basketball game on November 18, 1988, against Palm Beach Atlantic University. They won the game 111-62.
Florida Atlantic University has 19 NCAA Division I athletic teams, with nearly 500 student-athletes across various sports.
The mascot of the Florida Atlantic basketball team is the Owl.
