Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC)
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference logo
Established	1972
Association	NCAA
Division	Division II
Members	16
Sports fielded	21 (men's: 11; women's: 10)
Region	Great Lakes Region
Headquarters	Bay City, Michigan
Commissioner	Dell Robinson (since 2009)
Website	gliac.org
Locations
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference locations

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) is a competitive intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division II. The GLIAC was founded in June 1972. Member institutions are located in the midwestern United States in the States of Michigan and Ohio, with affiliate members in Indiana and Illinois. Charter members include Ferris State, Grand Valley State, Lake Superior State, Northwood, and Saginaw Valley State. Former members include Oakland (1972–1997) and Westminster (1997–2000).

Sponsorship of football was dropped by the GLIAC after the 1989 season. Conference schools sponsoring football joined with football-playing members of the Heartland Football Conference to form the Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference (MIFC), which began play in 1990. The MIFC merged with the GLIAC in July 1999 and the GLIAC resumed sponsorship of football that fall.

Tiffin University joined the GLIAC on July 1, 2008. Gannon University and Mercyhurst College left the GLIAC for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference on July 1, 2008.

Member schools

Current members

Institution	Location	Nickname	Founded	Type	Enrollment	Joined
North Division
Ferris State University	Big Rapids, Michigan	Bulldogs	1884	Public	14,381	1972
Grand Valley State University	Allendale, Michigan	Lakers	1960	Public	24,662	1972
Lake Superior State University	Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan	Lakers	1946	Public	2,750	1972
Michigan Technological University	Houghton, Michigan	Huskies	1885	Public	7,013	1980
Northern Michigan University 1	Marquette, Michigan	Wildcats	1899	Public	9,417	1975
Northwood University 2	Midland, Michigan	Timberwolves 3	1959	Private	1,688	1972
Saginaw Valley State University	University Center, Michigan	Cardinals	1963	Public	10,790	1972
Wayne State University	Detroit, Michigan	Warriors 4	1868	Public	30,909	1975
South Division
Ashland University	Ashland, Ohio	Eagles	1878	Private	3,146	1995
University of Findlay	Findlay, Ohio	Oilers	1882	Private	4,247	1997
Hillsdale College	Hillsdale, Michigan	Chargers 5	1844	Private	1,326	1975
Lake Erie College	Painesville, Ohio	Storm	1856	Private	1,009	2010
Malone University	Canton, Ohio	Pioneers	1892	Private	2,600	2012
Ohio Dominican University	Columbus, Ohio	Panthers	1911	Private	2,237	2010
Tiffin University	Tiffin, Ohio	Dragons	1888	Private	6,816	2008
Walsh University	North Canton, Ohio	Cavaliers	1960	Private	2,500	2012

Notes

1. Northern Michigan University left the conference in 1977 but returned in 1987
2. Northwood University left the conference in 1987 but returned in 1992.
3. Northwood University athletic teams have previously been known as the Northmen & Northwomen prior to the mid-1990s
4. Wayne State University athletic teams have previously been known at the Tartars prior to 1999
5. Hillsdale College athletic teams were previously known as the Dales prior to the late 1960s

Membership History

Associate members

Institution	Location	Nickname	Founded	Type	Enrollment	Year Joined	Sports	Primary Conference
Alderson–Broaddus College1	Philippi, West Virginia	Battlers	1871	Private	800	2012	Women's Lacrosse	WVIAC
University of Indianapolis2	Indianapolis, Indiana	Greyhounds	1902	Private	4,300	1999	Swimming & Diving	GLVC
Lewis University	Romeoville, Illinois	Flyers	1932	Private	4,000	2005	Swimming & Diving	GLVC
Notre Dame College3	South Euclid, Ohio	Falcons	1922	Private	2,120	2012	Football Women's Lacrosse Men's Soccer Women's Soccer Wrestling	NCAA D-II Independent
Urbana University4	Urbana, Ohio	Blue Knights	1850	Private/Nonsectarian	1,359	2012	Women's Lacrosse	G-MAC
Ursuline College5	Pepper Pike, Ohio	Arrows	1850	Private/Catholic (women's)	1,485	2013	Women's Lacrosse Women's Swimming and Diving	G-MAC
Wheeling Jesuit University4	Wheeling, West Virginia	Cardinals	1954	Private	1,232	2012	Women's Lacrosse	WVIAC

Notes

1. Alderson–Broaddus will join the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in 2013. This will not affect its status as a GLIAC associate, because the G-MAC does not sponsor women's lacrosse.
2. Indianapolis was also previously affiliated with the GLIAC in football from 1999 to 2012.
3. Notre Dame will become a full member of the new Mountain East Conference in 2013. Of the five sports that Notre Dame currently houses in the GLIAC, three—football, plus men's and women's soccer—will be sponsored by the MEC.
4. Although Urbana and Wheeling Jesuit will also become full MEC members, this will not affect their status in the GLIAC, since the MEC will not sponsor women's lacrosse.
5. Ursuline will join in 2013-2014.

Former members

Institution	Location	Nickname	Founded	Type	Enrollment	Year Joined	Year Left	Current Conference
Gannon University	Erie, Pennsylvania	Golden Knights	1925	Private	3,400	1995	2008	PSAC
Mercyhurst University	Erie, Pennsylvania	Lakers	1926	Private	4,106	1995	2008	PSAC
Oakland University	Rochester, Michigan	Golden Grizzlies	1957	Public	14,000	1974	1997	Summit
Westminster College	New Wilmington, Pennsylvania	Titans	1852	Private	1,450	1997	2000	Presidents

Membership timeline

• Full members in gray.
• Full members without football in sea green.
• Associate members including football in red.
• Associate members in teal.

The GLIAC dropped football from the conference after the 1989-90 season, but resumed it for the 1999-2000 season

Sports

The GLIAC sponsors the following 21 sports:

Men's Sports

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross country
• Football
• Golf
• Indoor track & field
• Outdoor track & field
• Soccer
• Swimming & diving
• Tennis
• Wrestling

Women's Sports

• Basketball
• Cross country
• Golf
• Indoor track & field
• Outdoor track & field
• Soccer
• Softball
• Swimming & diving
• Tennis
• Volleyball

Football facilities

Institution	Stadium	Capacity	Surface
Ashland University	Jack Miller Stadium	6,000	Artificial
Ferris State University	Top Taggart Field	6,200	Artificial
University of Findlay	Donnell Stadium	7,500	Artificial
Grand Valley State University	Lubbers Stadium	10,700†	Artificial
Hillsdale College	Muddy Waters Stadium	8,500	Artificial
University of Indianapolis	Key Stadium	5,500	Artificial
Lake Erie College	Jack Britt Memorial Stadium	2,500	Artificial
Michigan Tech University	Sherman Field	3,000	Artificial
Northern Michigan University	Superior Dome	8,000	Artificial
Northwood University	Hantz Stadium	3,000	Artificial
Ohio Dominican University	Panther Field	1,750	Artificial
Saginaw Valley State University	Wickes Memorial Stadium	6,300	Artificial
Tiffin University	Frost-Kalnow Stadium	4,500	Artificial
Wayne State University	Adams Field	6,000	Artificial

† - For the 2011 season GVSU completed the first phase of the Lubbers stadium renovation which increased the stadium capacity from 8,550 by approximately 400 seats. The second phase of the renovation is scheduled to be completed for the 2012 season, and will bring the capacity to approximately 10,700.

External links

• Official website