To most people, Athletes in Action is best known for its exhibition teams, the men’s and women’s basketball teams that play top NCAA Division I programs around the country prior to that team’s official start to the season.

AIA-USA Basketball began in 1967, just one year after Dave Hannah founded Athletes in Action. Hannah attended the NCAA Coach’s Convention in the spring and developed a 29-game schedule against major universities across the country.

Whether the first men’s team in 1967 or today’s men’s and women’s teams come to mind, AIA exhibition teams are well-known from California to Maine, Florida to Michigan.

The AIA-USA men’s team scored its first win by beating Oregon, 75-73, in 1968. Known as “The Chargers,” AIA finished the inaugural season at 15-14. Another memorable stat was when AIA upset the No. 1-ranked San Francisco Dons, 104-85, and were later ranked No. 1a behind the Dons in the AP and UPI national polls during the 1976-77 season.

Nine days later, AIA upset No. 5-ranked UNLV, 104-77. The team went on to win 26 games in a row and finished the season at 54-7.

In the mid-1980’s, AIA began to resemble a “Fall Tour” team when their schedule changed from enduring over an entire season to ending right before Christmas.

In 1990, Bowling Green graduate student Marcia Burton finished her thesis on the feasibility of beginning an AIA women’s team similar to the men’s set-up after spotting an article in a publication about the men’s team. She then came on staff with AIA and formed the first-ever AIA-USA Women’s team. In the team’s first game, AIA defeated Bowling Green, 70-65.

Stats and facts aside, AIA exhibition teams have been true through the years to use basketball as a platform to tell others about Christ. AIA teams also provide great competition that helps each team prepare for its upcoming and strenuous college schedule. Many years have passed since that first men’s game, and many changes have taken place since then. For instance, the men played in front of capacity crowds against top NCAA Division I teams for years. However, after the 2003 season, the NCAA cracked down on Division I teams playing exhibition teams. Thus, beginning in 2004, AIA could no longer play those programs, and instead, now plays Division II and III and NAIA schools.

Today, the women’s team still competes against NCAA Division I opponents such as Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Michigan, just to name a few. And while the opportunity to communicate the gospel during half-time or post-game with the crowd used to be common, it’s becoming more difficult to do. Because of this change, the women spend more time communicating this message and building relationships with opposing teams in a pre-game or locker room setting.

In 2006, the AIA Men’s North team gave a gospel presentation in all but one of their games. This is the freedom that comes with playing outside of NCAA Division I. Schools are more open.

This year AIA sent out three Fall Tour teams that played all across the country. Below are some stats from this year’s teams:

AIA Men’s North team:

• Finished 10-7, playing 17 games in 22 days against NAIA and Canadian schools and one junior college
• Traveled to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota and Canada (Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island)
• Tour was a partnership between AIA-USA and AIA-Canada
• 40,000 were exposed to AIA, while 3,000 were exposed to the gospel

AIA Men’s South team:

• Finished 8-5, playing Division II schools
• Traveled to North and South Carolina
• Hosted after-school programs each day at the Raleigh YMCA
• Hosted pre-game meal and chapel with each team, giving the opportunity to communicate the gospel; players also gave faith stories and gave a gospel presentation at the half-time of each game
• 120 students inquired for more information about God, while 40 people placed their faith in Christ

Women’s team:

• Finished 5-4, playing 7 Division I schools, an NAIA school and a school in Windsor, Ontario, Canada
• Traveled to Canada, Michigan, Texas, Massachusetts, New York and Ohio
• Spent four days with the University of Windsor (Ontario) team, building relationships and telling personal faith stories
• Communicated gospel at two post-games and had pre-game or post-game meals with 8 teams—telling a personal faith story at each
• Met President George Bush (Sr.), Coach Bob Knight and former NBA-great Bill Laimbeer on the road