Following the war, the college added new athletic programs, and in 1948 men's basketball won a second state championship.

[2] Armstrong joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in 1967 and became known as the Pirates after the college became a four-year institution.

[2] In 1983, Armstrong State College upgraded athletics to NCAA Division I and became a charter member of the Big South Conference in 1985.

[2] Soon after in 1987, the Pirates returned to Division II, becoming a charter member of the Peach Belt Conference in 1990.

The Armstrong men's and women's tennis teams have combined to capture nine NCAA Division II national championships over the last eight seasons.