This research was designed to be a pilot study that examined the differences in heavy episodic drinking and perceptions of drinking between athletes and non-athletes. To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first of alcohol consumption between these groups at Christian-affiliated colleges. A random sample of participants comprised approximately 50% athlete and 50% non-athlete undergraduates from four Christian-affiliated colleges. Of the 195 participants who completed the survey, 72 were men and 123 were women. Participants completed the College Alcohol Survey developed by the Harvard School of Public Health and reported their drinking behaviors, consequences from drinking, and their perceptions of drinking at their school. The authors found that athletes took part in heavy episodic drinking more frequently, consumed more alcohol at one sitting, and perceived more drinking among their peers than non-athletes. The authors concluded that, although students at Christian-affiliated colleges may commit to abstinence from alcohol, some still engage in heavy episodic drinking. This finding is especially true for athletes, who in this study were found to engage in heavy episodic drinking almost as frequently as athletes in secular schools. Future research should examine this issue on a broader scale and correlate the relationship between students' personal religious beliefs and alcohol consumption. (Contains 5 tables.)