[3] The Lions are full members of the South Atlantic Conference, home to 18 of its 21 athletics programs.

The men's and women's swimming programs are members of the single-sport Appalachian Swimming Conference, and the acrobatics and tumbling team is an associate member of Conference Carolinas.

[4][5] In June 2017, Nathan Jones, a member of the Mars Hill cross country team, won the South Atlantic Conference Man of the Year Award, and in 2018 Mars Hill baseball player Zac Brown won the SAC Man of the Year Award.

[6][7] In December 2011, Mars Hill running back Jonas Randolph won the prestigious Harlon Hill Trophy, which is given each year to the best player in NCAA Division II football.

[9] In 2012 they finished in second place nationally, and in May 2015 the Mars Hill cycling team finished the season ranked in first place nationally among Division II teams.