[2] The Dukes compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association as members of the Atlantic 10 Conference.

A member of the Atlantic 10 Conference, Duquesne University sponsors teams in six men's and eleven women's NCAA sanctioned sports.

A Duquesne Dukes men's basketball player's heart ailment serves as the major plot device for the pilot episode of Pittsburgh-based CBS medical drama Three Rivers.

In the fall 2012 semester, Duquesne's women's rowing team, for the first time, took first place in the varsity eight event at the Head of the Ohio, held in Pittsburgh.

Duquesne will field a Division III team for the 2021-22 season, joining College Hockey East.

The men's indoor track & field program practices and competes alongside Duquesne's varsity women's indoor track & field program during the winter months and is affiliated with the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America.

The men's team is recognized as varsity during the spring months when it becomes an outdoor track & field program and competes in the Atlantic 10, though it maintains its affiliation with the IC4A.

The "Dukes" nickname dates back to 1911, when what is now Duquesne University changed its name to honor the Marquis Du Quesne, the French governor of Canada, who first brought Catholic observances to the Pittsburgh area.

The Duquesne Department of Athletics unveiled its most notable "Duke" mascot prior to the January 18, 2003 game against the University of Richmond.

Before the 2010 City Game vs the Pittsburgh Panthers, Duquesne introduced the new character mascot at an annual alumni event.