The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) is a
college athletic conference
In college athletics in the United States, institutions typically join in conferences for regular play under different governing bodies.
Varsity sports
There are several national and regional associations governing the varsity teams of colleges ...
affiliated with the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its stu ...
(NAIA). Member institutions are located in
Iowa
Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
,
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
,
North Dakota
North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...
, and
South Dakota
South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Lakota people, Lakota and Dakota peo ...
. The conference was founded in 1969 as the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NIAC), later becoming the Nebraska–Iowa Athletic Conference (1992) before being renamed the Great Plains Athletic Conference (2000).
History
The Great Plains Athletic Conference was founded on September 22, 1969, as the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NIAC). The first president of the conference was Art Nicolia (NWU) while Glen Hinkle (Doane) was the vice president and Roger Olsen (Dana) was the secretary/treasure. Jack Anderson (NWU) was named the first publicist on February 28, 1970. The six charter members were
Concordia University
Concordia University ( French: ''Université Concordia'') is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1974 following the merger of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University, Concordia is one of the t ...
,
Dana College
Dana College was a private college in Blair, Nebraska. Its rural 150-acre (607,000 m²) campus is approximately 26 miles (40 km) northwest of Omaha and overlooks a portion of the Missouri River Valley. The campus was planned to be purchase ...
,
Doane University
Doane University is a private university in Crete, Nebraska. It has additional campuses in Lincoln and Omaha, as well as online programs.
History
Doane College was founded on July 11, 1872, by Thomas Doane, chief civil engineer for the Burlingt ...
,
Hastings College
Hastings College is a private Presbyterian college in Hastings, Nebraska.
History
The college was founded in 1882 by a group of men and women seeking to establish a Presbyterian college dedicated to high academic and cultural standards. Ha ...
,
Midland University
Midland University is a private Lutheran university in Fremont, Nebraska. It has an approximate enrollment of 1,600 students on campus. Known as Midland Lutheran College from 1962 to 2010, the college is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran ...
, and
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) is a private Methodist-affiliated university in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was founded in 1887 by Nebraska Methodists. As of 2017, it has approximately 2,100 students including 1,500 full-time students and 300 ...
. With the addition of
Northwestern College in 1992, the NIAC was renamed the Nebraska–Iowa Athletic Conference. The NIAC became the Great Plains Athletic Conference in 2000 with the addition of
Dakota Wesleyan University
Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) is a private Methodist university in Mitchell, South Dakota. It was founded in 1885 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The student body averages slightly fewer than 800 students. The campus of th ...
,
Dordt University
Dordt University is a private evangelical Christian university in Sioux Center, Iowa. It was founded in 1955 and is affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church in North America. The university name is a reference to the Synod of Dordt (Dordr ...
,
Mount Marty University
Mount Marty University is a private Benedictine university in Yankton, South Dakota.
Athletics
The Mount Marty athletic teams are called the Lancers. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), pr ...
, and the
University of Sioux Falls
The University of Sioux Falls (USF) is a private BaptistChristian university in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. In fall 2014, the university enrolled a total of 1,142 undergraduate students and ...
. Later,
Briar Cliff University
Briar Cliff University is a private Franciscan university in Sioux City, Iowa.
History
In March 1929, Mother Mary Dominica Wieneke, Major Superior of the Sisters of Saint Francis of Dubuque, Iowa, along with the Most Rev. Edmond Heelan, Bishop ...
and
Morningside University
Morningside University is a private university affiliated with the United Methodist Church and located in Sioux City, Iowa. Founded in 1894 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, Morningside University has 21 buildings on a campus in Sioux City (ar ...
joined the GPAC in 2002 and 2003 respectively. The College of Saint Mary, a women's only institution, joined in 2015. In 2018,
University of Jamestown
, mottoeng = Light and Truth
, established =
, type = Private university
, religious_affiliation = Christian
, endowment = $45 million
, staff =
, faculty =
, president = Polly Peterson
, p ...
joined the conference as a full-member, while
Presentation College joined the conference as an associate member. All former members of the NIAC remain affiliated with the GPAC except for
Dana College
Dana College was a private college in Blair, Nebraska. Its rural 150-acre (607,000 m²) campus is approximately 26 miles (40 km) northwest of Omaha and overlooks a portion of the Missouri River Valley. The campus was planned to be purchase ...
, which closed in 2010, the
University of Sioux Falls
The University of Sioux Falls (USF) is a private BaptistChristian university in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. In fall 2014, the university enrolled a total of 1,142 undergraduate students and ...
, which left the conference in 2011, and
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) is a private Methodist-affiliated university in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was founded in 1887 by Nebraska Methodists. As of 2017, it has approximately 2,100 students including 1,500 full-time students and 300 ...
, which left the conference in 2016. Paul Clark was the commissioner of the GPAC when it formed in 2000. Corey Westra in Sioux City, Iowa, is the current commissioner of the league.
About Commissioner Corey Westra
/ref>
Chronological timeline
* 1969 – On September 22, 1969, the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) was founded as the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NIAC). Charter members included Concordia Teachers College (now Concordia University of Nebraska), Dana College
Dana College was a private college in Blair, Nebraska. Its rural 150-acre (607,000 m²) campus is approximately 26 miles (40 km) northwest of Omaha and overlooks a portion of the Missouri River Valley. The campus was planned to be purchase ...
, Doane College
Doane University is a private university in Crete, Nebraska. It has additional campuses in Lincoln and Omaha, as well as online programs.
History
Doane College was founded on July 11, 1872, by Thomas Doane, chief civil engineer for the Burling ...
(now Doane University), Hastings College
Hastings College is a private Presbyterian college in Hastings, Nebraska.
History
The college was founded in 1882 by a group of men and women seeking to establish a Presbyterian college dedicated to high academic and cultural standards. Ha ...
, Midland Lutheran College
Midland University is a private Lutheran university in Fremont, Nebraska. It has an approximate enrollment of 1,600 students on campus. Known as Midland Lutheran College from 1962 to 2010, the college is affiliated with the Evangelical Luthera ...
(now Midland University) and Nebraska Wesleyan University
Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) is a private Methodist-affiliated university in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was founded in 1887 by Nebraska Methodists. As of 2017, it has approximately 2,100 students including 1,500 full-time students and 300 ...
, effective beginning the 1969–70 academic year.
* 1992 – Northwestern College of Iowa joined the NIAC. Therefore, the NIAC has been rebranded as the Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference (NIAC), effective in the 1992–93 academic year.
* 2000 – Dakota Wesleyan University
Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) is a private Methodist university in Mitchell, South Dakota. It was founded in 1885 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The student body averages slightly fewer than 800 students. The campus of th ...
, Dordt College
Dordt University is a private evangelical Christian university in Sioux Center, Iowa. It was founded in 1955 and is affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church in North America. The university name is a reference to the Synod of Dordt (Dord ...
(now Dordt University), Mount Marty College
Mount Marty University is a private Benedictine university in Yankton, South Dakota.
Athletics
The Mount Marty athletic teams are called the Lancers. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), pr ...
(now Mount Marty University) and the University of Sioux Falls
The University of Sioux Falls (USF) is a private BaptistChristian university in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. In fall 2014, the university enrolled a total of 1,142 undergraduate students and ...
joined the NIAC. Therefore, the NIAC has been rebranded as the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC), effective in the 2000–01 academic year.
* 2002 – Briar Cliff College
Briar Cliff University is a private Franciscan university in Sioux City, Iowa.
History
In March 1929, Mother Mary Dominica Wieneke, Major Superior of the Sisters of Saint Francis of Dubuque, Iowa, along with the Most Rev. Edmond Heelan, Bishop ...
(now Briar Cliff University) joined the GPAC, effective in the 2002–03 academic year.
* 2003 – Morningside College
Morningside University is a private university affiliated with the United Methodist Church and located in Sioux City, Iowa. Founded in 1894 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, Morningside University has 21 buildings on a campus in Sioux City (ar ...
(now Morningside University) joined the GPAC, effective in the 2003–04 academic year.
* 2010 – Dana left the GPAC as the school announced that it would close, effective after the 2009–10 academic year.
* 2011 – Sioux Falls left the GPAC and the NAIA to move up to the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
(NCAA) as an NCAA D-II Independent (which would later join the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, which operates in the western Midwestern United States. Nine of its ...
(NSIC), effective beginning the 2012–13 academic year), effective after the 2010–11 academic year.
* 2015 – The College of Saint Mary
The College of Saint Mary is a private Catholic women's university in Omaha, Nebraska. Enrollment totaled 1,018 students in fall of 2014: 735 undergraduates, 243 graduate, and 40 non-degree seeking students. It offers more than 30 undergraduat ...
joined the GPAC, effective in the 2015–16 academic year.
* 2016 – Nebraska Wesleyan left the GPAC and the NAIA to fully align in the NCAA Division III
NCAA Division III (D-III) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that choose not to offer athletic scholarships to their stu ...
ranks (during that time, they held dual membership with both the NAIA and the NCAA), primarily competing as a member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) is an NCAA Division III athletic conference. From 1927 until August 9, 2018, it was known officially as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) and commonly as the Iowa Conference.
History
The A ...
(IIAC; now known as the American Rivers Conference), effective after the 2015–16 academic year.
* 2018 – The University of Jamestown
, mottoeng = Light and Truth
, established =
, type = Private university
, religious_affiliation = Christian
, endowment = $45 million
, staff =
, faculty =
, president = Polly Peterson
, p ...
joined the GPAC, effective in the 2018–19 academic year.
* 2018 – Presentation College joined the GPAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's soccer, effective in the 2018 fall season (2018–19 academic year).
* 2020 – Central Christian College of Kansas
Central Christian College of Kansas is a Private college, private Evangelicalism, evangelical Christianity, Christian college in McPherson, Kansas, United States. Central Christian is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church.
Athletics
The Cen ...
and Ottawa University
Ottawa University (OU) is a private Baptist university with its main campus in Ottawa, Kansas, a second residential campus in Surprise, Arizona, and adult campuses in the Kansas City, Phoenix and Milwaukee metropolitan areas. It was founded in ...
joined the GPAC as affiliate members for men's volleyball, effective in the 2021 fall season (2020–21 academic year).
* 2021 – Kansas Wesleyan University
Kansas Wesleyan University is a private Christian university in Salina, Kansas. Founded in 1886, it is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. About 800 students attend KWU, with approximately 700 of them studying on the 28-acre campus. Th ...
joined the GPAC as an affiliate member for men's volleyball, effective in the 2022 fall season (2021–22 academic year).
Member schools
Current members
The GPAC currently has 12 full members, all are private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
schools:
;Notes:
Associate members
The GPAC currently has four associate members, all are private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
schools:
;Notes:
Former members
The GPAC had three former full members, all were private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
schools:
;Notes:
Membership timeline
DateFormat = yyyy
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:1969 till:2024
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:1969 till:end text: Concordia–Nebraska (1969–present)
bar:2 color:Full from:1969 till:2010 text: Dana (1969–2010)
bar:3 color:Full from:1969 till:end text: Doane (1969–present)
bar:4 color:Full from:1969 till:end text:Hastings
Hastings () is a large seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England,
east to the county town of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west ...
(1969–present)
bar:5 color:Full from:1969 till:end text: Midland (1969–present)
bar:6 color:Full from:1969 till:1982 text:Nebraska Wesleyan
Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) is a private Methodist-affiliated university in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was founded in 1887 by Nebraska Methodists. As of 2017, it has approximately 2,100 students including 1,500 full-time students and 300 ...
(1969–2016)
bar:6 color:Full from:1982 till:2016 text:GPAC (with NCAA D-III Ind. status)
bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:2016 till:end text: American Rivers
bar:7 color:Full from:1992 till:end text: Northwestern (Ia.) (1992–present)
bar:8 color:Full from:2000 till:end text: Dakota Wesleyan (2000–present)
bar:9 color:FullxF from:2000 till:2008 text: Dordt (2000–present)
bar:9 color:Full from:2008 till:end
bar:10 color:FullxF from:2000 till:2022 text: Mount Marty (2000–present)
bar:10 color:Full from:2022 till:end
bar:11 color:Full from:2000 till:2011 text:Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls () is the most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the 130th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha County and also extends into Lincoln County to the south, which continues up t ...
(2000–2011)
bar:11 shift:(-20) color:OtherC1 from:2011 till:2012 text: D-II Ind.
bar:11 color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:end text: Northern Sun
bar:12 color:FullxF from:2002 till:2003 text: Briar Cliff (2002–present)
bar:12 color:Full from:2003 till:end
bar:13 color:Full from:2003 till:end text: Morningside (2003–present)
bar:14 shift:(-20) color:FullxF from:2015 till:end text: Saint Mary (Neb.) (2015–present)
bar:15 shift:(-40) color:Full from:2018 till:end text: Jamestown (2018–present)
bar:16 shift:(-40) color:AssocOS from:2018 till:end text:Presentation
A presentation conveys information from a speaker to an audience. Presentations are typically demonstrations, introduction, lecture, or speech meant to inform, persuade, inspire, motivate, build goodwill, or present a new idea/product. Presenta ...
(2018–present)
bar:17 shift:(-90) color:AssocOS from:2020 till:end text: Central Christian (2020–present)
bar:18 shift:(-50) color:AssocOS from:2020 till:end text:Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
(2020–present)
bar:19 shift:(-110) color:AssocOS from:2021 till:end text: Kansas Wesleyan (2021–present)
bar:N color:red from:1969 till:1992 text:Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
bar:N color:white from:1992 till:2000 text:Nebraska-Iowa
bar:N color:red from:2000 till:end text:Great Plains Athletic Conference
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:5 start:1970
TextData =
fontsize:M
textcolor:black
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text:^"Great Plains 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.
<#
Sponsored sports
Men's sponsored sports by school
*Presentation College is an associate member
Women's sponsored sports by school
*Presentation College is an associate member
Notes
References
External links
*
{{NAIA conference navbox
2000 establishments in the United States
College sports in South Dakota
College sports in Iowa
College sports in Nebraska