Southern Virginia began its athletic program in the fall of 1997, one year after it became a four-year liberal arts college with an LDS environment.

Two months later, on October 16, 2017, Southern Virginia University announced its football program would switch to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference starting in the 2019–20 season.

[6] On December 11, 2019, Southern Virginia announced it would join the USA South Athletic Conference, effective beginning in the 2021–22 academic year.

[10] In their first ever appearance in the NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament the Knights advanced to the Round of 32, where they fell to the Transylvania Pioneers 55–77.

In 2021, the Southern Virginia men's cross country team won the USA South Athletic Conference Championship, beating runner up Berea College.

[12] In 2021, the Southern Virginia women's cross country team also won the USA South Athletic Conference Championship.

[18] On April 23, 2021, the Southern Virginia men's volleyball team lost in the NCAA Division III Final Four to Benedictine in five sets.

On November 6, 2021 the Southern Virginia Women's Volleyball team won the USA South Athletic Conference tournament championship for the 2021–22 season.

For the second year in a row the Southern Virginia Women's Volleyball team won the USA South Athletic Conference tournament championship for the 2022–23 season.