St. John Fisher College recognizes the importance of balancing academics with healthy athletic competition and physical fitness. As a result, athletics are an important part of campus life at Fisher. The College competes at the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division III level, and is a member of the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) and the Empire 8.

Men compete at the varsity level in baseball, basketball, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, and tennis. Women compete in basketball, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball.

Fisher, which hosts the Buffalo Bills Training Camp during the summer months, offers some of the top athletic facilities in the state. Growney Stadium is home to the Cardinals football, soccer and lacrosse teams. The stadium's all-weather playing field extends the outdoor sports season through the winter. Lighting and a 2,100 seat grandstand provide spectators with a birds eye view of the action. Fisher's men's and women's basketball teams play at newly-renovated Bobby Wanzer Court at Manning and Napier Varsity Gym.

The Student Life Center boasts a 19,000 square foot addition, which houses team locker rooms, training rooms and two fitness facilities. The field house now has an all purpose floor with four module courts that can be used for a variety of sports. There are three remodeled racquetball courts, a sauna and a whirlpool in the Student Life Center. Fisher's baseball and softball fields are located on the College's south campus, as is a nine-hole golf course, free of charge to students during the academic year.

In addition, Fisher recently received a generous donation that will allow the College to build the Polisseni Track & Field Complex.  With the addition of the new facilities, including an eight-lane, 400-meter competition track with a grass infield and components for shot put, pole vault, and long jump events, the College will add seven new varsity sports to its intercollegiate offerings.  Men’s and women’s cross country, indoor and outdoor track, and women’s field hockey are scheduled to begin competition within the Empire 8 Conference in the fall of 2011.