The Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC or The Heart) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (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 (MCAU), which was formed in 1924 when the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association (now the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association or MIAA) split in two. The old MIAA's private schools formed the Athletic Union, while the state teachers' colleges stayed in the MIAA.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 were announced as members for the 2015–16 school year. In April 2015, Clarke University and Mount Mercy University were also announced as members for the 2016–17 school year. In October 2019, Park University was approved for HAAC membership and joined in the 2020–21 school year. On February 10, 2022, long-serving Evangel University accepted its invitation to join the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, 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 (now Missouri Valley University), Ottawa University, Tarkio College and William Jewell College, 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 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (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 (NCAA), both effective after the 2010–11 academic year: Lindenwood as an NCAA D-II Independent (which would later join the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), beginning the 2012–13 school year) 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 William Penn University (both coming from the defunct Midwest Collegiate Conference (MCC)) joined the HAAC in the 2015–16 academic year. 2016 – Clarke University 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 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 – Park University 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 (UHSP) for men's volleyball 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 for only men's wrestling 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 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 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 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, 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 USHP for women's lacrosse William Woods University for football, men's lacrosse, and men's and women's tennis 2025: Missouri Baptist and William Woods joined the HAAC as full members for all sports in the 2025–26 academic year. Three institutions joined the HAAC as affiliate members (and/or added other single sports into their affiliate memberships), all effective in the 2025–26 academic year: Bismarck State College for men's and women's wrestling Hastings College and McPherson College for shotgun sports 2026: St. Ambrose joined the HAAC as a full member for all sports in the 2026–27 academic year. Bellevue University joined the HAAC as an affiliate member for women's wrestling, beginning the 2026–27 academic year.
Member schools Current members The HAAC currently has 16 full members, all but one are private schools. All but one of the private schools are religiously affiliated:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Baker University Baldwin City, Kansas 1858 United Methodist 1,945 Wildcats 1971 Benedictine College Atchison, Kansas 1858 Catholic 2,465 Ravens 1991 Central Methodist University Fayette, Missouri 1854 United Methodist 1,017 Eagles 1971;1991 Clarke University Dubuque, Iowa 1843 Catholic 1,025 Pride 2016 Culver–Stockton College Canton, Missouri 1853 Disciples of Christ 1,069 Wildcats 1980 Graceland University Lamoni, Iowa 1895 Community of Christ 1,195 Yellowjackets 1971 Grand View University Des Moines, Iowa 1896 Lutheran ELCA 1,796 Vikings 2015 MidAmerica Nazarene University Olathe, Kansas 1966 Nazarene 1,539 Pioneers 1980 Missouri Baptist University Creve Coeur, Missouri 1957 Baptist 5,641 Spartans 2025 Missouri Valley University Marshall, Missouri 1889 Presbyterian 1,619 Vikings 1971 Mount Mercy University Cedar Rapids, Iowa 1928 Catholic 1,451 Mustangs 2016 Park University Parkville, Missouri 1875 Nonsectarian 6,634 Pirates 2020 Peru State College Peru, Nebraska 1865 Public 1,638 Bobcats 2011 St. Ambrose University Davenport, Iowa 1882 Catholic 2,703 Fighting Bees 2026 William Penn University Oskaloosa, Iowa 1873 Quakers 1,536 Statesmen 2015 William Woods University Fulton, Missouri 1870 Disciples of Christ 1,729 Owls 2025
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Affiliate members The HAAC currently has fourteen affiliate members, all but two are private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined HAACsport(s) Primaryconference Bellevue University Bellevue, Nebraska 1966 Nonsectarian 14,476 Bruins 2026 Women's wrestling Frontier Bismarck State College Bismarck, North Dakota 1939 Public 4,065 Mystics 2025 Men's wrestling Frontier 2025 Women's wrestling Columbia College Columbia, Missouri 1851 Nonsectarian 6,046 Cougars 2024 Men's lacrosse American Midwest Dickinson State University Dickinson, North Dakota 1918 Public 1,453 Blue Hawks 2017 Men's wrestling Frontier 2023 Women's wrestling Dordt University Sioux Center, Iowa 1955 Christian Reformed 1,929 Defenders 2024 Men's volleyball Great Plains (GPAC) Hastings College Hastings, Nebraska 1882 Presbyterian 1,011 Broncos 2025 Shotgun sports Great Plains (GPAC) John Brown University Siloam Springs, Arkansas 1919 Interdenominational 2,341 Golden Eagles 2024 Men's tennis Sooner (SAC) Women's tennis Kansas Wesleyan University Salina, Kansas 1886 United Methodist 951 Coyotes 2024 Men's volleyball Kansas (KCAC) McPherson College McPherson, Kansas 1887 Brethren 788 Bulldogs 2025 Shotgun sports Kansas (KCAC) Midland University Fremont, Nebraska 1883 Lutheran ELCA 1,557 Warriors 2024 Men's lacrosse Great Plains (GPAC) Women's lacrosse 2025 Shotgun sports Morningside University Sioux City, Iowa 1894 United Methodist 2,158 Mustangs 2024 Men's volleyball Great Plains (GPAC) Ottawa University Ottawa, Kansas 1865 Baptist 1,055 Braves 2024 Men's lacrosse Kansas (KCAC) Women's lacrosse Men's volleyball Texas Wesleyan University Fort Worth, Texas 1890 United Methodist 2,595 Rams 2024 Men's tennis Sooner (SAC) Women's tennis University of Health Sciencesand Pharmacy in St. Louis St. Louis, Missouri 1864 Nonsectarian 631 Eutectics 2020 Men's volleyball American Midwest 2024 Women's lacrosse
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Former members The HAAC has seven former full members, all were private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Subsequentconference Currentconference Avila University Kansas City, Missouri 1916 Catholic 1,733 Eagles 2000 2018 Kansas (KCAC)(2018–present) Emporia, Kansas 1882 Presbyterian N/A Fighting Presbies 1971 1974 Closed in 1974 Evangel University Springfield, Missouri 1955 Assemblies of God 2,157 Valor 1987 2023 Kansas (KCAC)(2023–present) Lindenwood University St. Charles, Missouri 1827 Presbyterian 7,288 Lions 1996 2011 various Ohio Valley (OVC)(2022–present) Ottawa University Ottawa, Kansas 1865 American Baptist 1,055 Braves 1971 1982 Kansas (KCAC)(1982–present) Tarkio College Tarkio, Missouri 1883 Presbyterian N/A Owls 1971 1992 Closed in 1992 William Jewell College Liberty, Missouri 1849 Nonsectarian 886 Cardinals 1971 2011 Great Lakes Valley (GLVC)(2011–present)
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Former affiliate members The HAAC has four former affiliate members; which all were private schools: