<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000883939
<NAME> STI CLASSIC

   <NUMBER> 172
   <NAME> LIMITED-TERM FEDERAL MORTGAGE SECURITIES FUND FLEX SHARES
<MULTIPLIER> 1000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          MAY-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                             JUN-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               MAY-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                           130869
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                          128263
<RECEIVABLES>                                     1022
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                     290
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  129575
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                         1320
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                               1320
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                        134346
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                              177
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                              213
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                             (7)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                        (3478)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                        (2606)
<NET-ASSETS>                                    128255
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                 8706
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                   (952)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                           7754
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                        (2174)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                       (2454)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                             3126
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                        (110)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                             81
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                      (127)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                 10
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                           (413)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                           (40)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                      (1304)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                              904
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                   1139
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                            137270
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             9.94
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.49
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (0.32)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                            (0.49)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                         0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                              0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               9.62
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.27