
Gardner-Webb competes in NCAA Division I athletics and is associated with the Big South Conference, although conference arrangements can differ by sport. Its varsity offerings include football, basketball, baseball, soccer, softball, volleyball, wrestling, and track and field, among other sports.
Varsity participation ordinarily involves team selection, training, travel, and NCAA eligibility rules. Club sports, intramural play, and general recreation are different ways to participate and should not be assumed to offer the same schedule or level of commitment. Prospective athletes should confirm their sport's current roster, conference, recruiting process, and eligibility requirements directly with the program; athletic-aid opportunities vary.
Gardner-Webb students can join organizations organized around governance, academic interests, identity, faith, and campus activities. Reported examples include the Student Government Association, Honors Student Association, International Club, Campus Ministries United, and the Dawg Pound student-support group.
Arts and media offer additional ways to participate: the university reports a student newspaper, student-run radio, theater activities, choral groups, and a marching band. A recognized organization's activity and membership requirements can change from year to year. Students who want a particular club experience should check the current student-organization directory and meeting schedule rather than relying only on a historical list.
Gardner-Webb enrolled 3,104 students in the reported institution-wide count. Its community includes traditional-age undergraduates, transfer students, graduate students, and substantial numbers of adult learners, so the experience in a first-year residence hall may differ from that in an evening, graduate, or online class.
The reported entering groups included 450 first-time degree-seeking undergraduates and 236 transfer-in students. About 59% of students were North Carolina residents, while 37% came from other U.S. states. The age figures also show why "college student" does not describe a single life stage here: 557 students were 18 or 19, while 449 were in their 40s.
Gardner-Webb reports a student-to-faculty ratio of 12 to 1. That institution-wide ratio is not a promise that every class has 12 students; course size can vary by subject, level, and format. Students comparing programs should ask about class availability and advising within their intended major.
Gardner-Webb combines a residential campus with a sizeable commuting population. About 51% of students were reported as living on campus and 49% as commuting, making both scheduled campus events and practical access between classes relevant to everyday life.
Students can connect through orientation and welcome activities, performances, recreation, ministry, and other campus programming. Personal or psychological counseling is among the reported student services, as is a veterans-affairs office. The university does not report an on-campus health clinic, so students with ongoing medical needs should identify local care arrangements. Someone choosing between residential, commuter, and online study should consider which activities and support services fit the hours they will actually be on campus.
Dover Memorial Library is Gardner-Webb's main campus library. It serves as a starting point for course research, access to academic materials, and help locating sources beyond a general web search.
Students should use the library's current catalog and research guides to find books, journals, and subject-specific databases, and ask library staff about research assistance or obtaining materials the university does not hold. Online and graduate students should check remote authentication and borrowing arrangements for their program. Study-room access and building hours can vary during exams, breaks, and other parts of the academic year, so the posted library schedule matters when planning a visit.
Total enrollment
3104Full Time Degree Seeking Freshmen
450Member of Athletic Associations
NCAATotal staff
139 full time, 326 part timeVeterans affair office
YesVarsity teams compete against other colleges, intramural teams within the school. Each column says whether men, women or both take part, and whether the sport offers athletic scholarships (Aid).
Sport
Badminton
Baseball
Basketball
Cheerleading
Cross-country running
Football
Golf
Racquetball
Soccer
Softball
Swimming and diving
Table tennis
Tennis
Track and field
Ultimate Frisbee
Volleyball
Wrestling
Data last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.