in solar energy. The college has competed in solar car world events since 1995 and finished second in the North American Solar Challenge of 2008 and seventh in the World Solar Challenge of 2009.
=== Athletics ===
Principia College teams, named the Panthers, participate as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC). The Principia Panther is the mascot of Principia College and has been since its change from the Indian in 1984. There are 14 varsity athletic teams at Principia College of which men's sports are baseball, basketball, cross country, soccer, tennis, track & field, and rugby; and women's sports include basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball.
In 1983, the women's tennis team won the NCAA Division III national championship.
In 2013, the men's rugby team won the first ever Open Division USA Rugby 7s Collegiate National Championship, beating the University of Wisconsin-Stout …
