What is the farthest FAU has made it in March Madness?

The March Madness glass slipper fits for the Florida Atlantic Owls in 2023. But how far has FAU gone in the NCAA tournament in years past?

Earlier this week, we took a deep-dive into Florida Atlantic’s history, how they were founded, where they’re located, etc. It’s a really interesting read that involves former presidents, World War II and a hurricane.

It’s especially relevant considering the Owls are in the Elite Eight, yet very few people seem to know where they are.

Today, we look at a different aspect of their history – deepest NCAA Tournament runs.

FAU basketball: Past NCAA Tournament history

After Florida Atlantic welcomed its charter class of less than 900 students in 1964, it took nearly two decades before FAU sponsored its first athletic programs on campus. The Owls joined the NAIA ranks in 1979, but it wasn’t until the 1988-89 season that FAU first sponsored men’s basketball. By that time, Florida Atlantic had moved up to the NCAA level, Division II to be precise.

FAU spent its time in DII as an independent, and that time was short-lived. Five years later, FAU made the jump to the DI level, finishing its time in DII with zero postseason appearances. The Owls made their DI debut in the defunct Trans-Atlantic Conference before making stops in the Atlantic Sun, Sun Belt and Conference USA, where they currently reside (until next year).

After posting seven losing seasons in their first eight as a DI program, the Owls did the unthinkable in 2002 – they won the ASUN.

That season, FAU won three games in as many days to claim the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, including upsetting top-seed Georgia State in the championship game in Nashville.

Unfortunately for Florida Atlantic, a deep run wasn’t in the cards; the Owls drew No. 2 seed Alabama in the South Region and were quickly dispatched, 86-78. Prior to this season, it stood as the only NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.

Is this season the furthest FAU has gone in the tournament?

In short: yes.

What’s more shocking is that this is the furthest FAU has gone in any postseason tournament. In 2011, the Owls made a surprising regular-season run, posting a 21-10 record en route to winning the Sun Belt regular season title and earning a bid to the NIT. However, they bowed out in the first round to a Miami (FL) team who earned an at-large bid out of the ACC.

Eight years after the NIT appearance, FAU was back in the postseason – the College Insiders Tournament. Another postseason berth, another first round exit, this time to tournament hosts Charleston Southern. Last season, Florida Atlantic played in the CBI Classic in Daytona, again losing in the first round, a 74-71 loss to Northern Colorado.

Florida Atlantic plays Saturday for a chance to head to the Final Four in Houston. To do that, they’ll have to get through Kansas State, a fellow ‘team of destiny’ this season. The Owls are the first Conference USA team to advance this deep in the tournament since John Calipari’s Memphis Tigers in 2009. That year, the C-USA representative played for the National Championship.

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