Defunct Sullivan University basketball program was once dominant force in junior college
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BVM) — Basketball has always been a cultural norm in the state of Kentucky and that was no different for Sullivan University in Louisville. Although the school’s athletic programs were eliminated in 1997, the school had already made itself known on a national level in the sport of basketball.
Over its 33 years of existence, Sullivan University, or Sullivan Business College as it was originally known, was able to dominate on the basketball court, winning five junior college national basketball championships. Although the school may no longer have its athletic programs, Sullivan will be remembered as one of junior college’s earliest dynasties.
Sullivan Business College’s basketball program started fast. When the National Little College Athletic Association was founded in 1966, Sullivan was among the first teams to join the league and quickly proved why Kentucky is a state full of basketball elites. When the NLCAA held its first championship in 1967, Sullivan not only participated in the game, but would end up winning it, defeating Strayer Junior College of Washington, D.C. 72-64 in the championship.
That wouldn’t be it for that Sullivan squad either as the team would become the NLCAA’s first dynasty by winning three straight national championships, winning in both 1968 and 1969 as well. While the team would not see a championship in the next decade, the program was still one of the most well respected in the nation as it was only one of two programs to win multiple championships (with Tiffin University in Ohio being the only other).
Although the school would change its name to Sullivan Junior College, the new name made no difference on the program as the team would go on to win the 1980 NLCAA basketball national championship, giving the program a whopping four championships in its brief existence.
After its 1980 basketball triumph, the university would shift into membership with the National Junior College Athletic Association. Though the switch would see the school’s longest championship drought, the Sullivan program, which would be known officially as Sullivan College at this point, was still able to reach the peak when the team won the 1996 NJCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship over Allegany College of Maryland in a 104-98 overtime thriller.
Men’s basketball was not the only dominant basketball program under Sullivan umbrella as the Sullivan women’s basketball program on the school’s Lexington campus was also considered elite during its brief eight-year existence. Though the women’s team would have no championships to its name, the program would win over 85% of its games in program history while also making it to the NJCAA tournament one time.
Though the university would cease its athletic programs in 1997, the memories of the once dominant Sullivan basketball programs still live on in school lore. Championship trophies commemorating the accomplishments of the now defunct programs can still be found in the Sullivan University archives at the Louisville campus. Although Sullivan University may not hold the same athletic significance it once did, the history books will forever remember the small Kentucky school that had, for a brief moment, the best basketball the state had to offer.
