Alcohol and other drug use by college students and athletes have received increased attention in recent years. The purpose of this study was to assess substance use habits among college students and athletes at two small southeastern universities. The subjects (N = 126) were college student-athletes enrolled at two southeastern universities during the Fall 2003 Semester. Substance use was measured through a modified version of the NCAA Survey of Substance use and abuse habits of college student athletes. The results indicated that 20% of the students started smoking cigarettes before junior high school, 60 % started smoking in high school, and 20% started smoking either during their freshman year or after their freshman year in college. In addition, 60% of the students reported that they did not smoke cigarettes during the competitive season, and 20 % reported that they did smoke cigarettes during the competitive season. Sixty percent of the athletes reported that they first started using alcohol in high school while 30% reported that they first started using alcohol either during their freshman year or after their freshman year in college. Fifty percent of the athletes reported using alcohol more during the competitive season than the non-competitive season. Recommendations are made concerning what may be needed to provide student athletes alternatives to substance use during and out of the competitive season.