Athens State University Archives

This page serves as a resource for members of the Athens State Community looking for information about the history of Athens State University which has been verified via archival resources. 

Campus buildings in chronological order, from the earliest built. Major renovations have been indicated in parenthesis.

• Founders Hall, 1843.
• Brown Memorial Hall, 1912 (2024)
• McCandless Hall, 1914 (2013)
• Sanders Hall, 1921. (2010)
• Naylor Hall  (no longer standing)
• Waters Hall, 1957. (2010)
• McCain Hall, 1962. (2011)
• Carter Physical Education Center, 1965.
• Sandridge Student Center, 1967. (2018)
• Chasteen Hall, established 1990.
• Kares Library, 1996. (2019)
• Classroom Building, 1998. (2019)
• Alabama Center for the Arts Visual Arts Building, 2012.
• Alabama Center for the Arts Performing Arts Building, 2016.
• Physical Plant and Facilities, 2024.
• Nazeretain Welcome Center, 2025 (originally built c.1890)
• Center for Lifelong Learning established 2012, rebranded as LaunchBox (2024)
• AMSTI Regional In-Service Center for Region 2, established 2008.
   

Research is an active process and is ongoing, particularly regarding items in italics. Information on this page may change as archival backlog processing progresses. For more detailed information on particular buildings, original construction, or for information regarding other campus features and landmarks, see the Historic Tours page or contact the University Archivist.

Sources:

Athens State University Website, About Campus.

Athenian Student Newspapers, JSTOR.

The Columns Yearbooks, JSTOR

Course Catalogs, Bulletins, and Class Schedules,  JSTOR

Athletic Teams in Chronological order, by earliest recorded

• Tennis-Women’s
  • 1907-08: Athletic Association Tennis Club
  • 1911-1941: Intramural style
  • 1969-1975: Collegiate tennis

• Archery-Women’s
  • 1908-09: Athletic Association Tennis Club

• Basketball-Women’s
  • 1909-1914; Athletic Association Basketball by class
  • 1922-1949: Athletic Association Basketball, intramural style
  • 1972-1978: collegiate level

• Baseball-Women’s
  • 1923-24 Athletic Association
  • 1929-31 Athletic Association

• Track and Field-Women’s
  • 1928-1931

• Equestrian/Riding-Women’s
  • 1923-24
  • 1929-31

• Cheerleading:
  • 1928: Women’s
  • 1947-2004:  Co-Ed and Women’s
    • In May 2001, 12 full time scholarships between Men’s and Women’s sports were cut to 9 partial scholarships.

• Football-Men’s
  • 1930-31: team made up of “local” men, dubbed “The Collegiates”
  • 1940-42: Collegiate

• Golf-Women’s
  • 1930-31: Intramural style

• Basketball-Men’s
  • 1940-1950, sporadic, intramural style
  • 1952-2004 collegiate
    • In May 2001, 12 full time scholarships between Men’s and Women’s sports were cut to 9 partial scholarships.
    • Last game at home was in February 2004. Athletics ended with end of 2003-2004 academic year.

• Baseball-Men’s
  • 1940-1962: Intramural style
  • 1967-1980
    • (notable: Gary Redus and Chuck Merriwether played for ASC in the 1970s)

• Tennis-Men’s
  • 1940-57: Intramural style
  • 1964-1968: Collegiate

• Softball-Men’s
  • 1947-Athens College men participated in Limestone County Softball Association

• Volleyball-Women’s
  • 1949-50: Intramural style
  • 1971-1978: Collegiate

• Golf-Men’s
  • 1963-1968

• Soccer-Men’s
  • 1966-75

• Wrestling-Men's
  • 1966
• Gymnastics-Women’s
  • 1970-75: Collegiate
    • notable: ASU possibly first in state to offer scholarship for gymnastics

• Softball-Women’s Fastpitch
  • 1990-2004: Collegiate
    • In May 2001, 12 full time scholarships between Men’s and Women’s sports were cut to 9 partial scholarships.
    • Last softball game in Spring 2004 was a loss at the NAIA National Championship.

Notes:

Significant gaps exist in digitized archival records from 1904-1907, 1915-1922, 1931-1940, 1943-1946, and prior to 1902.

No official university athletic programs were in operation from 1950-52.  Yearbooks ceased publication in 1980. University athletic programs were discontinued with the end of the 2003-2004 school year. Scholarships were extended through the Spring Semester of 2005 for impacted athletes.

Research into active dates is ongoing and this timeline will be updated as new information is discovered, particularly regarding the distinction between intramural, club, and collegiate or varsity teams.

Sources:

Athens State University's digitized yearbooks and student newspapers, available at JSTOR.