The Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC or The Heart) is a

college athletic conference In college athletics in the United States, institutions typically join in Athletic conference, conferences for regular play under different governing bodies. Varsity sports There are several national and regional associations governing the var ...

affiliated with the

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for higher education, colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic schola ...

(NAIA). Member institutions are located in

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

, and

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

History

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 The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Its fourteen me ...

or MIAA) split in two. The old MIAA's private schools formed the

Athletic Union An athletic union, athletics union (AU) or sports union usually refers to the group of student sports clubs within a university or other higher education institution in the United Kingdom. General information Sports clubs affiliate to their athl ...

, while the state teachers' colleges stayed in the MIAA. 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 William Penn University is a private university in Oskaloosa, Iowa, United States. It was founded by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in 1873 as Penn College. In 1933, the name was changed to William Penn College, and fina ...

were announced as members for the 2015–16 school year. In April 2015,

Clarke University Clarke University is a Private university, private Catholic university in Dubuque, Iowa, United States. It was founded in 1843 as St. Mary's Female Academy by Mother Mary Frances Clarke, foundress of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin ...

and Mount Mercy University were also announced as members for the 2016–17 school year. In October 2019,

Park University Park University is a private university in Parkville, Missouri, United States. It was founded in 1875. In the fall of 2023, Park had an enrollment of 6,389 students. History The school which was originally called Park College was founded in ...

was approved for HAAC membership and joined in the 2020–21 school year. On February 10, 2022, long-serving

Evangel University Evangel University is a private Christian university and seminary in Springfield, Missouri, United States. It is affiliated with the Assemblies of God Christian denomination, which is also headquartered in Springfield. The campus sits on that ...

accepted its invitation to join the

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The KCAC is the oldest conference in the NAIA and the second-oldest in the United St ...

, also Kansas-based, in 2023. 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."William Woods football joins Heart of America conference"
''ABC 17 News''. Retrieved 2023-07-26. The current commissioner of the conference is Lori Thomas. Thomas, the first female commissioner in NAIA history, began her term in 2014, succeeding Larry Lady who retired after 22 years as commissioner.

Chronological timeline

* 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 William Jewell College is a private liberal arts college in Liberty, Missouri, United States. It was founded in 1849 by members of the Missouri Baptist Convention and endowed with $10,000 by William Jewell. It was associated with the Missouri ...

, 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

(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 The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...

(NCAA), both effective after the 2010–11 academic year: ** Lindenwood as an NCAA D-II Independent (which would later join the

(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

(both coming from the defunct Midwest Collegiate Conference (MCC)) joined the HAAC in the 2015–16 academic year. * 2016 –

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 Dickinson State University (DSU) is a public university in Dickinson, North Dakota, United States. It is part of the North Dakota University System. It was founded in 1918 as Dickinson State Normal School and granted full university status in ...

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 –

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 The University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis is a Private university, private university focused on the health sciences that is located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It was founded in 1864 as the St. Louis College of Ph ...

(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 St. Ambrose University (SAU) is a private university, private Catholic university in Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was founded as a school of commerce for young men in 1882. History Foundation St. Ambrose was founded as a seminary and scho ...

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 Central Christian College of Kansas is a private evangelical Christian college in McPherson, Kansas, United States. Central Christian is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church. Athletics The Central Christian athletic teams are called the T ...

, 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 schools

Current members

The HAAC currently has thirteen full members, all but one 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 recorded ...

schools: All but one of the private schools are religiously affiliated. ;Notes:

Future members

The HAAC will have two new members, both are

schools as well as current HAAC affiliate members. ;Notes:

Affiliate members

The HAAC currently has fourteen affiliate members, all but one are

schools: ;Notes:

Former members

The HAAC has seven former full members, all were

schools: ;Notes:

Former affiliate members

The HAAC has three former affiliate members; which all were

schools: ;Notes:

Membership 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 A baker is a tradesperson who baking, bakes and sometimes Sales, sells breads and other products made of flour by using an oven or other concentrated heat source. The place where a baker works is called a bakery. History Ancient histo ...

(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 Graceland is a mansion on a estate in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, once owned by American singer Elvis Presley. Presley is buried there, as are his parents Vernon and Gladys, paternal grandmother Minnie Mae, grandson Benjamin, and daugh ...

(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 Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

(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 The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...

(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 William Penn ( – ) was an English writer, religious thinker, and influential Quakers, Quaker who founded the Province of Pennsylvania during the British colonization of the Americas, British colonial era. An advocate of democracy and religi ...

(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 A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...

(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:

(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. <#

History

Chronological timeline

Member schools

Current members

Future members

Affiliate members

Former members

Former affiliate members

Membership timeline

Sports

See also

Notes

References

External links