One highly promoted benefit of sport is its deterrent to negative lifestyle behaviors. Recent evidence has called this into question, with some studies finding the rate of engagement in health risk behaviors higher for athletes than for non-athletes. Studies on the protective benefits of sport for females have focused specifically on risky sexual behaviors of high school girls, revealing lower rates among athletes. Research among college female athletes and engagement in other health risk behaviors, however, is limited. The purpose of this study was to compare patterns of engagement in alcohol abuse and related risk behaviors, and frequency of engagement in risky sexual behaviors of co-eds from various levels of athletic participation (college, high school, and non-athlete). Further comparisons were made between each co-ed group and their male counterparts. A questionnaire designed to measure patterns of alcohol abuse, alcohol-related risk behaviors, and engagement in risky sexual behaviors, along with level of participation in athletics was completed by 1287 (n=1287) college students at a public university in the southeast. The questionnaire was administered in general education classes. The gender breakdown was 55% female and 45% male, representative of the university. Alcohol abuse included the following drinking and binge drinking categories: lifetime use, initiation, and frequency. Alcohol-related risk behaviors included frequencies of riding with a driver who had been drinking and of driving after drinking. Risky sexual activity included number of sexual partners, engaging in intercourse after drinking, and lack of condom use. The data were analyzed using descriptive and Chi Square statistics, (alpha=.05). The data showed that as athlete level increased, females’ engagement in risk behaviors increased, and engagement in these behaviors became more like their male counterparts. Significant differences between female athlete groups were found for lifetime alcohol use and binge drinking, frequency of drinking and binge drinking, early initiation of alcohol use, and frequency of riding with one who had been drinking and driving after drinking; but not for risky sexual behaviors. Significant gender differences were found between non-athletes and high school athletes, but not for college athletes for all the aforementioned behaviors with the addition of number of sexual partners. Significant gender differences were found for engagement in sexual intercourse after drinking for high school athletes, but not for college athletes nor non-athletes. The results imply a need to examine the direction of girls’ athletics if they are to have the protective effect that is promoted.Keyword(s): athletics/sports, gender issues, youth-at-risk