Intercollegiate athletics have played a significant role at Clarkson throughout the University’s history. From the early days, when the hockey team skated on the frozen surface of the Raquette River, the football squad and baseball team battled the opposition on Snell Field, and when the basketball team called the old gym on Pierrepont Avenue home, sports have been a rallying point for the Clarkson Community.

Today, students can compete in 14 varsity sports at the NCAA Division III level, while the men's and women’s hockey squads participate in Division I. The men’s and women’s alpine and nordic ski teams participate in the United States Collegiate Ski Association (USCSA). The Golden Knights athletic teams are in action throughout the school year, participating in the fall, winter, and spring.

Clarkson is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) , the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and the New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association (NYSWCAA). The Golden Knights Division III teams compete regionally in the Liberty League, which has produced numerous NCAA Champions and is comprised of top quality private institutions from within New York State.

Many of Clarkson's teams have participated in postseason play both in the ECAC and NCAA tournaments. The men’s hockey, men's soccer and women's basketball teams have all reached the "Final Four" in the NCAA Tournament in the past. The Knights’ men’s lacrosse team participated in the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2002.