Heart of America Athletic Conference
Template:Short description Template:Infobox sports league
The Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC or The Heart)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Member institutions are located in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska in the United States.
HistoryEdit
The HAAC's earliest ancestor was the Missouri College Athletic Union (MCAU), which was formed in 1924 when the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association (now the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association or MIAA) split in two. The old MIAA's private schools formed the Athletic Union, while the state teachers' colleges stayed in the MIAA.<ref>MIAA Template:Webarchive</ref> It was reorganized as the HAAC in 1971 when it began admitting schools outside Missouri. However, the HAAC does not presently claim the Athletic Union's history as its own.
In early 2014, Grand View University and William Penn University were announced as members for the 2015–16 school year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In April 2015, Clarke University and Mount Mercy University were also announced as members for the 2016–17 school year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In October 2019, Park University was approved for HAAC membership and joined in the 2020–21 school year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On February 10, 2022, long-serving Evangel University accepted its invitation to join the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, also Kansas-based, in 2023.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On July 24, 2023, William Woods University (alongside St. Ambrose) announced they would join the conference as associate members in football beginning in the 2024 fall season (2024–25 school year). The expansion made it NAIA's largest football conference with 14 teams playing in two divisions.<ref>"William Woods football joins Heart of America conference" ABC 17 News. Retrieved 2023-07-26.</ref>
The current commissioner of the conference is Lori Thomas. Thomas, the first female commissioner in NAIA history, began her term in 2014,<ref name="History">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> succeeding Larry Lady who retired after 22 years as commissioner.Template:Citation needed
Chronological timelineEdit
- 1971 – The Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) was founded. Charter members included Baker University, Central Methodist College (now Central Methodist University), the College of Emporia, Graceland College (now Graceland University), Missouri Valley College, Ottawa University, Tarkio College and William Jewell College, beginning the 1971–72 academic year.
- 1974 – The College of Emporia left the HAAC as the school announced that it would close after the 1973–74 academic year.
- 1980 – Culver–Stockton College and Mid-America Nazarene College (now MidAmerica Nazarene University) joined the HAAC in the 1980–81 academic year.
- 1982 – Ottawa left the HAAC to rejoin the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) after the 1981–82 academic year.
- 1986 – Central Methodist left the HAAC to become an NAIA Independent after the 1985–86 academic year.
- 1987 – Evangel College (now Evangel University) joined the HAAC in the 1987–88 academic year.
- 1991 – Benedictine College joined the HAAC (with Central Methodist rejoining), both effective in the 1991–92 academic year.
- 1996 – Lindenwood College (now Lindenwood University) joined the HAAC in the 1996–97 academic year.
- 2000 – Avila College (now Avila University) joined the HAAC in the 2000–01 academic year.
- 2011 – Two institutions left the HAAC and the NAIA to join the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), both effective after the 2010–11 academic year:
- Lindenwood as an NCAA D-II Independent (which would later join the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), beginning the 2012–13 school year)
- and William Jewell to the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC)
- 2011 – Peru State College joined the HAAC in the 2011–12 academic year.
- 2015 – Grand View University and William Penn University (both coming from the defunct Midwest Collegiate Conference (MCC)) joined the HAAC in the 2015–16 academic year.
- 2016 – Clarke University and Mount Mercy University (also both coming from the defunct Midwest Collegiate (MCC) after spending a season as NAIA Independents) joined the HAAC in the 2016–17 academic year.
- 2017 – Dickinson State University joined the HAAC as an affiliate member for men's wrestling in the 2017–18 academic year.
- 2018 – Avila left the HAAC to join the KCAC after the 2017–18 academic year.
- 2020 – Park University joined the HAAC in the 2020–21 academic year.
- 2020 – Three institutions joined the HAAC as affiliate members, all effective in the 2020–21 academic year:
- Missouri Baptist University and the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis (UHSP) for men's volleyball
- and Waldorf University for men's & women's wrestling
- 2021 – Two institutions joined the HAAC as affiliate members, both effective in the 2021–22 academic year:
- St. Ambrose University for only men's wrestling
- and Iowa Wesleyan University for men's & women's wrestling
- 2022 – Two institutions joined the HAAC as affiliate members (and/or added other single sports into their affiliate memberships), both effective in the 2023 spring season (2022–23 academic year):
- Mount Vernon Nazarene University for men's lacrosse
- and St. Ambrose for men's and women's lacrosse
- 2023 – Evangel left the HAAC to join the KCAC after the 2022–23 academic year.
- 2023 – Iowa Wesleyan left the HAAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's wrestling after the 2023–24 academic year; as the school announced that it ceased operations.
- 2023 – Two institutions added other single sports into their HAAC affiliate memberships, both effective in the 2023–24 academic year:
- Dickinson State for women's wrestling
- and Missouri Baptist for football
- 2024 – Two institutions left the HAAC as affiliate members, both effective after the 2023–24 academic year:
- Mount Vernon Nazarene for men's lacrosse
- and Waldorf for men's and women's wrestling
- 2024 – Thirteen institutions joined the HAAC as affiliate members (and/or added other single sports into their affiliate memberships), all effective in the 2024–25 academic year:
- Central Christian College of Kansas, Dordt University, Kansas Wesleyan University and Morningside University for men's volleyball
- Columbia College for men's lacrosse
- John Brown University and Texas Wesleyan University for men's and women's tennis
- Midland University for men's and women's lacrosse
- Ottawa University for men's and women's lacrosse and men's volleyball
- Missouri Baptist for men's and women's lacrosse and men's and women's tennis
- St. Ambrose for football
- the USHP for women's lacrosse
- and William Woods University for football, men's lacrosse, and men's and women's tennis
- 2025 – Missouri Baptist and William Woods will both join the HAAC as full members for all sports, beginning the 2025–26 academic year.
Member schoolsEdit
Current membersEdit
The HAAC currently has thirteen full members, all but one are private schools: All but one of the private schools are religiously affiliated.
- Notes
Future membersEdit
The HAAC will have two new members, both are private schools as well as current HAAC affiliate members.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | JoiningTemplate:Efn | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri Baptist University | Creve Coeur, Missouri | 1957 | Baptist | 5,309 | Spartans | 2025 | American Midwest |
| William Woods University | Fulton, Missouri | 1870 | Disciples of Christ | 2,300 | Owls |
- Notes
Affiliate membersEdit
The HAAC currently has fourteen affiliate members, all but one are private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | JoinedTemplate:Efn | HAAC sport |
Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Christian College of Kansas | McPherson, Kansas | 1884 | Free Methodist | 1,013 | Tigers | 2024m.vb. | men's volleyball | Sooner (SAC) |
| Columbia College | Columbia, Missouri | 1851 | Nonsectarian | 4,000 | Cougars | 2024m.lac. | men's lacrosse | American Midwest |
| Dickinson State University | Dickinson, North Dakota | 1918 | Public | 1,392 | Blue Hawks | 2017m.wr. 2023w.wr. |
men's wrestling; women's wrestling |
North Star (NSAA) |
| Dordt University | Sioux Center, Iowa | 1955 | Christian Reformed | 1,581 | Defenders | 2024m.vb. | men's volleyball | Great Plains (GPAC) |
| John Brown University | Siloam Springs, Arkansas | 1919 | Interdenominational | 2,708 | Golden Eagles | 2024m.ten. 2024w.ten. |
men's tennis; women's tennis |
Sooner (SAC) |
| Kansas Wesleyan University | Salina, Kansas | 1886 | United Methodist | 1,000 | Coyotes | 2024m.vb. | men's volleyball | Kansas (KCAC) |
| Midland University | Fremont, Nebraska | 1883 | Lutheran ELCA | 1,394 | Warriors | 2024m.lac. 2024w.lac. |
men's lacrosse; women's lacrosse |
Great Plains (GPAC) |
| Missouri Baptist University | Creve Coeur, Missouri | 1957 | Baptist | 5,309 | Spartans | 2020m.vb. 2023fb. 2024m.lac. 2024w.lac. 2024m.ten. 2024w.ten. |
men's volleyball; football; men's lacrosse; women's lacrosse; men's tennis; women's tennis |
American Midwest |
| Morningside University | Sioux City, Iowa | 1894 | United Methodist | 2,824 | Mustangs | 2024m.vb. | men's volleyball | Great Plains (GPAC) |
| Ottawa University | Ottawa, Kansas | 1865 | Baptist | 726 | Braves | 2024m.lac. 2024w.lac. 2024m.vb. |
men's lacrosse; women's lacrosse; men's volleyball |
Kansas (KCAC) |
| St. Ambrose University | Davenport, Iowa | 1882 | Catholic Template:Small |
3,607 | Fighting Bees | 2021m.wr. 2022m.lac. 2022w.lac. 2024fb. |
men's wrestling; men's lacrosse; women's lacrosse; football |
Chicagoland (CCAC) |
| Texas Wesleyan University | Fort Worth, Texas | 1890 | United Methodist | 2,373 | Rams | 2024m.ten. 2024w.ten. |
men's tennis; women's tennis |
Sooner (SAC) |
| University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis |
St. Louis, Missouri | 1864 | Nonsectarian | 1,350 | Eutectics | 2020m.vb. 2024w.lac. |
men's volleyball; women's lacrosse |
American Midwest |
| William Woods University | Fulton, Missouri | 1870 | Disciples of Christ | 2,300 | Owls | 2024fb. 2024m.lac. 2024m.ten. 2024w.ten. |
football; men's lacrosse; men's tennis; women's tennis |
American Midwest |
- Notes
Former membersEdit
The HAAC has seven former full members, all were private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | JoinedTemplate:Efn | LeftTemplate:Efn | Subsequent conference |
Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avila University | Kansas City, Missouri | 1916 | Catholic Template:Small |
1,676 | Eagles | 2000 | 2018 | Kansas (KCAC) (2018–present) | |
| Template:Sort | Emporia, Kansas | 1882 | Presbyterian | N/A | Fighting Presbies | 1971 | 1974 | Closed in 1974 | |
| Evangel University | Springfield, Missouri | 1955 | Assemblies of God | 1,511 | Valor | 1987 | 2023 | Kansas (KCAC) (2023–present) | |
| Lindenwood University | St. Charles, Missouri | 1827 | Presbyterian Template:Small |
4,822 | Lions | 1996 | 2011 | variousTemplate:Efn | Ohio Valley (OVC)Template:Efn (2022–present) |
| Ottawa University | Ottawa, Kansas | 1865 | American Baptist | 726 | Braves | 1971 | 1982 | Kansas (KCAC) (1982–present) | |
| Tarkio College | Tarkio, Missouri | 1883 | Presbyterian Template:Small |
N/A | Owls | 1971 | 1992 | Closed in 1992 | |
| William Jewell College | Liberty, Missouri | 1849 | Nonsectarian | 738 | Cardinals | 1971 | 2011 | Great Lakes Valley (GLVC)Template:Efn (2011–present) |
- Notes
Former affiliate membersEdit
The HAAC has three former affiliate members; which all were private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | JoinedTemplate:Efn | LeftTemplate:Efn | HAAC sport |
Current primary conference |
Conference in former HAAC sport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Wesleyan University | Mount Pleasant, Iowa | 1842 | United Methodist | N/A | Tigers | 2021 | 2023 | men's wrestling; women's wrestling |
Closed in 2023 | |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene University | Mount Vernon, Ohio | 1964 | Nazarene | 2,622 | Cougars | 2022 | 2024 | men's lacrosse | Crossroads | Independent |
| Waldorf University | Forest City, Iowa | 1903 | For-profitTemplate:Efn | 4,500 | Warriors | 2020 | 2024 | men's wrestling; women's wrestling |
Great Plains (GPAC) | |
- Notes
Membership timelineEdit
<timeline> DateFormat = yyyy ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20 Period = from:1971 till:2027 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:40 top:5
Colors =
id:line value:black
id:bg value:white
id:Full value:rgb(0.7,0.9,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports
id:FullxF value:rgb(0.9,0.8,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football
id:AssocF value:rgb(0.9,0.7,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only
id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.8,0.9,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for another sport only
id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference
id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference when the other color has already been used
PlotData =
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
bar:1 color:Full from:1971 till:end text:Baker (1971–present)
bar:2 color:Full from:1971 till:1986 text:Central Methodist (1971–1986) bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1986 till:1991 text:NAIA Ind. bar:2 color:Full from:1991 till:end text:(1991–present)
bar:3 color:Full from:1971 till:1974 text:College of Emporia (1971–1974)
bar:4 color:Full from:1971 till:end text:Graceland (1971–present)
bar:5 color:Full from:1971 till:end text:Missouri Valley (1971–present)
bar:6 color:Full from:1971 till:1982 text:Ottawa (1971–1982) bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:1982 till:end text:KCAC
bar:7 color:Full from:1971 till:1992 text:Tarkio (1971–1992)
bar:8 color:Full from:1971 till:2011 text:William Jewell (1971–2011) bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:2011 till:end text:GLVC
bar:9 color:Full from:1980 till:end text:Culver–Stockton (1980–present)
bar:10 color:Full from:1980 till:end text:MidAmerica Nazarene (1980–present)
bar:11 color:Full from:1987 till:2023 text:Evangel (1987–2023) bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:2023 till:end text:KCAC
bar:12 color:Full from:1991 till:end text:Benedictine (1991–present)
bar:13 color:Full from:1996 till:2011 text:Lindenwood (1996–2011) bar:13 shift:(-20) color:OtherC1 from:2011 till:2012 text:D-II Ind. bar:13 color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:2019 text:MIAA bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:2019 till:2022 text:GLVC bar:13 color:OtherC2 from:2022 till:end text:OVC
bar:14 color:FullxF from:2000 till:2001 text:Avila (2000–2018) bar:14 color:Full from:2001 till:2018 bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:2018 till:end text:KCAC
bar:15 color:Full from:2011 till:end text:Peru State (2011–present)
bar:16 color:Full from:2015 till:end text:Grand View (2015–present)
bar:17 color:Full from:2015 till:end text:William Penn (2015–present)
bar:18 color:FullxF from:2016 till:2018 text:Clarke (2016–present) bar:18 color:Full from:2018 till:end
bar:19 color:FullxF from:2016 till:2026 text:Mount Mercy (2016–present) bar:19 color:Full from:2026 till:end
bar:20 color:AssocOS from:2017 till:end text:Dickinson State (2017–present)
bar:21 color:FullxF from:2020 till:end text:Park (2020–present)
bar:22 shift:(-40) color:AssocOS from:2020 till:2023 text:Missouri Baptist (2020–present) bar:22 color:AssocF from:2023 till:2025 bar:22 color:Full from:2025 till:end
bar:23 color:AssocOS from:2020 till:end text:UHSP (2020–present)
bar:24 color:AssocOS from:2020 till:2024 text:Waldorf (2020–2024)
bar:25 shift:(-50) color:AssocOS from:2021 till:2023 text:Iowa Wesleyan (2021–2023)
bar:26 shift:(-40) color:AssocOS from:2021 till:2024 text:St. Ambrose (2021–present) bar:26 color:AssocF from:2024 till:end
bar:27 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2022 till:2024 text:Mount Vernon Nazarene (2022–2024)
bar:28 shift:(-130) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Central Christian (Ks.) (2024–present)
bar:29 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Columbia (Mo.) (2024–present)
bar:30 shift:(-60) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Dordt (2024–present)
bar:31 shift:(-90) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:John Brown (2024–present)
bar:32 shift:(-110) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Kansas Wesleyan (2024–present)
bar:33 shift:(-70) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Midland (2024–present)
bar:34 shift:(-90) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Morningside (2024–present)
bar:35 shift:(-70) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Ottawa (2024–present)
bar:36 shift:(-110) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Texas Wesleyan (2024–present)
bar:37 shift:(-90) color:AssocF from:2024 till:2025 text:William Woods (2024–future) bar:37 color:Full from:2025 till:end
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:5 start:1971
TextData =
fontsize:M textcolor:black pos:(0,25) tabs:(400-center) text:^"Heart of America Athletic Conference membership history"
- > If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space.
Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color <# </timeline>
Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color Template:Font color
SportsEdit
The conference also sponsors co-ed varsity sports of dance and cheer.
| The following divisional format is used. | |
North {{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
|
South {{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}
|
| Notes | |
See alsoEdit
- Heart of America (college rugby)
- Football seasons: 2011, 2012
NotesEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
Template:Heart of America Athletic Conference navbox Template:NAIA conference navbox