Phoenix

Phoenix Highlights

General Information

NCAA Division: Division I
Conference: Colonial Athletic Association (2014-present)
City: Elon, N.C.
Stadium: Schar Center

Championships:

NCAA Tournaments: None
National Championships: None
Conference Tournament Titles: None
Conference Regular Season Titles: 2 (2006, 2013)

Past Conferences:

Big South
Southern

Team History

The Elon Phoenix is a North Carolina-based program that competes in the Colonial Athletic Association. Elon began its transition to Division I in 1997 and became a full-fledged member in 1999. After 11 seasons in the Southern Conference, during which it won two regular-season conference titles, Elon moved to the CAA in 2014. The Phoenix hasn’t been as prosperous in the CAA and is still seeking its first trip to the NCAA Tournament.

To date, Elon’s only postseason appearance at the Division I level came in 2013, when it lost to Canisius in the CIT. The Phoenix did make the NCAA Tournament in 1997, but that was at the Division II level. They also appeared in the NAIA Tournament three times during the 1950s. The Phoenix nearly broke that drought in 2021 despite long odds, only to fall to Drexel in the CAA Tournament final as the No. 8 seed.

Billy Taylor, a former Iowa assistant, took over as Elon’s head coach in 2022, replacing Mike Schrage. In addition to Iowa, Taylor’s previous coaching stops include Lehigh, where he was the two-time Patriot League Coach of the Year, Ball State, and Division II Belmont Abbey. Schrage was just 33-52 over three seasons at Elon, never finishing better than seventh in the CAA. He was preceded by Matt Matheny.

In 2009, Elon retired the numbers of former Division II All-Americans Jesse Branson and Tommy Cole. Branson is the program’s all-time scoring and rebounding leader while Cole holds the school record for career assists.