| Heart of America Athletic Conference | |
|---|---|
| The Heart | |
){kind=logo} | |
| Established | 1971 |
| Association | NAIA |
| Division | Division I |
| Members | 14 |
| Sports fielded |
|
| Region | West North Central |
| Headquarters | Overland Park, Kansas |
| Commissioner | Lori Thomas (since 2014) |
| Website | www |
| Locations | |
) | |
The Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC or The Heart)[1] is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA. Member institutions are located in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska in the United States.
History
The HAAC's earliest ancestor was the Missouri College Athletic Union, which was formed in 1924 when the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association (now the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association) split in two. The old MIAA's private schools formed the Athletic Union, while the state teachers' colleges stayed in the MIAA.[2] 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.[3] In April 2015, Clarke University and Mount Mercy University were also announced as members for the 2016–17 school year.[4] In October 2019, Park University was approved for HAAC membership and joined in the 2020–21 school year.[5]
The current commissioner of the conference is Lori Thomas. Thomas, the first female commissioner in NAIA history, began her term in 2014,[6] succeeding Larry Lady who retired after 22 years as commissioner.
Member schools
Current members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Type | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker University | Baldwin City, Kansas | 1858 | Private/Methodist | 989 | Wildcats | 1971 |
| Benedictine College | Atchison, Kansas | 1858 | Private/Catholic | 2,189 | Ravens | 1991 |
| Central Methodist University | Fayette, Missouri | 1854 | Private/Methodist | 1,094 | Eagles | 1971; 1991 |
| Clarke University | Dubuque, Iowa | 1843 | Private/Catholic | 1,075 | Pride | 2016 |
| Culver–Stockton College | Canton, Missouri | 1853 | Private/Disciples of Christ | 1,066 | Wildcats | 1980 |
| Evangel University | Springfield, Missouri | 1955 | Private/Assemblies of God | 1,958 | Crusaders | 1987 |
| Graceland University | Lamoni, Iowa | 1895 | Private/Community of Christ | 2,301 | Yellowjackets | 1971 |
| Grand View University | Des Moines, Iowa | 1896 | Private/Lutheran (ELCA) | 1,988 | Vikings | 2015 |
| MidAmerica Nazarene University | Olathe, Kansas | 1966 | Private/Nazarene | 1,884 | Pioneers | 1980 |
| Missouri Valley College | Marshall, Missouri | 1889 | Private/Presbyterian | 1,728 | Vikings | 1971 |
| Mount Mercy University | Cedar Rapids, Iowa | 1928 | Private/Catholic | 1,877 | Mustangs | 2016 |
| Park University | Parkville, Missouri | 1875 | Private/Nonsectarian | 2,340 | Pirates | 2020 |
| Peru State College | Peru, Nebraska | 1865 | Public | 2,422 | Bobcats | 2011 |
| William Penn University | Oskaloosa, Iowa | 1873 | Private/Quakers | 1,550 | Statesmen & Lady Statesmen | 2015 |
Former members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Nickname | Joined | Left | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avila University | Kansas City, Missouri | 1916 | Eagles | 2000 | 2018 | Kansas |
| College of Emporia | Emporia, Kansas | 1882 | Fighting Presbies | 1971 | 1974 | Closed in 1974 |
| Lindenwood University | St. Charles, Missouri | 1827 | Lions | 1996 | 2011 | Great Lakes Valley (NCAA D-II) |
| Ottawa University | Ottawa, Kansas | 1865 | Braves | 1971 | 1981 | Kansas |
| Tarkio College | Tarkio, Missouri | 1883 | Owls | 1971 | 1992 | Closed in 1992 |
| William Jewell College | Liberty, Missouri | 1849 | Cardinals | 1971 | 2011 | Great Lakes Valley (NCAA D-II) |
Membership timeline
Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football)
Sports
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball |  | |
| Basketball | | |
| Cross Country | | |
| Football | | |
| Golf | | |
| Soccer | | |
| Softball | | |
| Tennis | | |
| Track & Field Indoor | | |
| Track & Field Outdoor | | |
| Volleyball | | |
| Wrestling | |
See also
- Heart of America (college rugby)
- Football seasons: 2011, 2012
References
- ^ "Heart of America Athletic Conference Athletics News". Haacsports.com. May 7, 2015. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ MIAA Archived July 9, 2012, at Archive.today
- ^ "Heart of America Conference adds two Iowa members | The Kansas City Star". Kansascity.com. January 10, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- ^ "Heart of America Athletic Conference Athletics News". Haacsports.com. April 2, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
- ^ "Park set to join Heart of America in 2020". Victory Sports Network. October 9, 2019. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
- ^ "About us". Heart of America Athletic Conference. 2015. Archived from the original on July 22, 2015.