Heart of America Athletic Conference
| Heart of America Athletic Conference (The Heart) |
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|---|---|
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| Established | 1971 |
| Association | NAIA |
| Division | Division I |
| Members | 14 |
| Sports fielded | 19 (men's: 10; women's: 9) |
| Headquarters | Overland Park, Kansas |
| Commissioner | Lori Thomas (since 2014) |
| Website | www |
| Locations | |
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The Heart of America Athletic Conference (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.
Contents
History[edit]
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,[citation needed] began her term on July 1, 2014, succeeding Larry Lady who retired after 22 years as commissioner.[5]
Member schools[edit]
Current members[edit]
| Institution | Location | Founded | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avila University | Kansas City, Missouri | 1916 | 1,710 | Eagles | 2000 |
| 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 | Crusaders | 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[edit]
| Institution | Location | Founded | Nickname | Joined | Left | Current Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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[edit]
Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football)
Sports[edit]
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball |  |
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| Basketball | |
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| Cross Country | |
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| Football | |
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| Golf | |
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| Soccer | |
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| Softball | |
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| Tennis | |
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| Track & Field Indoor | |
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| Track & Field Outdoor | |
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| Volleyball | |
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| Wrestling | |
See also[edit]
- Heart of America (college rugby)
- Football seasons: 2011, 2012
References[edit]
- ^ "Heart of America Athletic Conference Athletics News". Haacsports.com. 2015-05-07. Retrieved 2015-08-04.
- ^ MIAA
- ^ "Heart of America Conference adds two Iowa members | The Kansas City Star". Kansascity.com. 2014-01-10. Retrieved 2015-07-20.
- ^ "Heart of America Athletic Conference Athletics News". Haacsports.com. 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-07-20.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Historywas invoked but never defined (see the help page).
