| Heart of America Athletic Conference (The Heart) | |
| Established | 1971 |
|---|---|
| Association | NAIA |
| Division | Division I |
| Members | 13 |
| Sports fielded | 19 (men's: 10; women's: 9) |
| 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 announced as members for the 2016–17 school year.[4]
The current commissioner of the conference is Lori Thomas. Thomas, the first female commissioner in NAIA history,began her term in 2014,[5] succeeding Larry Lady who retired after 22 years as commissioner.[citation needed]
Member schools[]
Current members[]
| Institution | Location | Founded | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker University | Baldwin City, Kansas | 1858 | 989 | Wildcats | 1971 |
| Benedictine College | Atchison, Kansas | 1858 | 2,189 | Ravens | 1991 |
| Central Methodist University | Fayette, Missouri | 1854 | 1,094 | Eagles | 1971; 1991 |
| Clarke University | Dubuque, Iowa | 1843 | 1,075 | Pride | 2016 |
| Culver–Stockton College | Canton, Missouri | 1853 | 1,066 | Wildcats | 1980 |
| Evangel University | Springfield, Missouri | 1955 | 1,958 | Crusaders | 1987 |
| Graceland University | Lamoni, Iowa | 1895 | 2,301 | Yellowjackets | 1971 |
| Grand View University | Des Moines, Iowa | 1896 | 1,988 | Vikings | 2015 |
| MidAmerica Nazarene University | Olathe, Kansas | 1966 | 1,884 | Pioneers | 1980 |
| Missouri Valley College | Marshall, Missouri | 1889 | 1,728 | Vikings | 1971 |
| Mount Mercy University | Cedar Rapids, Iowa | 1928 | 1,877 | Mustangs | 2016 |
| Peru State College | Peru, Nebraska | 1865 | 2,422 | Bobcats | 2011 |
| William Penn University | Oskaloosa, Iowa | 1873 | 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 | Mid-America (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[]
See also[]
- Heart of America (college rugby)
- Football seasons: 2011, 2012
References[]
- ↑ "Heart of America Athletic Conference Athletics News". Haacsports.com. 2015-05-07. http://www.haacsports.com/article/2806.php. Retrieved 2015-08-04.
- ↑ MIAA Archived 2012-07-09 at archive.today
- ↑ "Heart of America Conference adds two Iowa members | The Kansas City Star". Kansascity.com. 2014-01-10. http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/10/4741333/heart-of-america-conference-adds.html. Retrieved 2015-07-20.
- ↑ "Heart of America Athletic Conference Athletics News". Haacsports.com. 2015-04-02. http://www.haacsports.com/article/2773.php. Retrieved 2015-07-20.
- ↑ "About us". Heart of America Athletic Conference. 2015. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150722001941/http://www.haacsports.com/f/About_Us.php.
External links[]
Template:Heart of America Athletic Conference navbox