Houghton College has deep and solid roots in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, where our teams use their commitment to excellence, both on the field-of-play and in the classroom, as a platform for their strong and unique emphasis on Sports Ministry. Their goal is to make a difference for the Kingdom on campus, in Allegany County, in the Northeast and around the world.  Houghton is one of only 13 institutions who have been hand-selected by the NAIA to serve as "Champions of Character" Program Centers, opening the door for Houghton to be a leader, both in the Northeast and nationally, in character education. Through hands-on, innovative community outreach initiatives, Houghton coaches and student-athletes are working together to change the culture of sport and to change our culture through sport.