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 their student athletes. $1.3 billion in athletic scholarship financial aid is awarded to student athletes annually. For the 2023–24 season, it had 241 member institutions, of which two are in British Columbia, one in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the rest in the continental United States, with over 83,000 student-athletes participating. The NAIA, whose headquarters is in Kansas City, Missouri, sponsors 28 national championships. CBS Sports Network, formerly called CSTV, serves as the national media outlet for the NAIA. In 2014, ESPNU began carrying the NAIA Football National Championship.
The NCAA Division I men's soccer tournament, sometimes known as the College Cup, is an American intercollegiate soccer tournament conducted by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and determines the Division I men's national champion. The tournament was formally held in 1959, when it was an eight-team tournament. Since then, the tournament has expanded to 48 teams, in which every Division I conference tournament champion is allocated a berth. Among the most successful programs, Saint Louis won 10 titles during dynasty years between 1959 and 1973. Indiana has won 8 titles beginning in 1982, whereas Virginia has won 7 titles beginning in 1989. Syracuse won its first national title in its first appearance in 2022.
The NAIA Men's Soccer Championship is the annual tournament to determine the national champions of NAIA men's college soccer in the United States and Canada. It has been held annually since 1959.
The Southwestern Moundbuilders are the athletic teams that represent Southwestern College, located in Winfield, Kansas, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) since the 1958–59 academic year; which they were a member on a previous stint from 1902–03 to 1922–23. The Moundbinders previously competed in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIC) from 1923–24 to 1957–58.
The Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent Indiana Wesleyan University, located in Marion, Indiana, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Crossroads League since the 1973–74 academic year; while its football team competes in the Mideast League of the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) and its women's swimming team competes in the Mid-South Conference (MSC). They were also a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the Midwest Region of the Division I level.
The Evansville Purple Aces men's basketball team represents the Purple Aces of the University of Evansville, located in Evansville, Indiana, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. They play their home games at the Ford Center. Evansville's athletics teams were originally known as the Pioneers in the early part of the 1900s. In the 1920s, the name Aces arose after a local sports writer wrote in a game story of the men's basketball team, "They played like Aces." The team has been known as the Aces and/or Purple Aces ever since. Evansville has won five Division II national championships.
Slippery Rock University, formally Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, is a public university in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania. SRU is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). The university has been coeducational since its founding in 1889. SRU is fully accredited by the Middle State Commission on Higher Learning.
The Central Methodist Eagles are the athletic teams that represent Central Methodist University, located in Fayette, Missouri, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) since the 1991–92 academic year; which they were a member on a previous stint from 1971–72 to 1985–86. The Eagles previously competed as an NAIA Independent from 1986–87 to 1990–91; and in the Missouri College Athletic Union (MCAU) from 1924–25 to 1970–71.
The Georgetown Tigers are the athletic teams that represent Georgetown College located in Georgetown, Kentucky, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Mid-South Conference (MSC) since the 1995–96 academic year. The Tigers previously competed in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1916–17 to 1994–95.
The 1959 NCAA soccer tournament was the inaugural tournament organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to determine the national champion of men's college soccer among its members in the United States.
The 1960 NCAA soccer tournament was the second annual tournament organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to determine the national champion of men's college soccer among its members in the United States.
The 1972 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship was the inaugural Division II men's college soccer tournament held by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Since 1959, all schools had competed in a single division. The SIU Edwardsville Cougars won their first NCAA title in any sport by defeating the Oneonta Red Dragons in the championship game, 1–0. The final match was played on December 9, 1972, in Edwardsville, Illinois, at SIUE's Cougar Field, which also hosted the Division I College Cup in 1970 and 1975.
The Southeastern Fire are the athletic teams that represents Southeastern University, located in Lakeland, Florida, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Sun Conference since the 2009–10 academic year. The Fire previously competed as a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), primarily competing as an independent in the South Region of both the Division II and Division I levels. The Fire previously competed as an NAIA Independent within the Association of Independent Institutions (AII) during the 2008–09 school year.
The 1960 NAIA Soccer Championship was the second annual tournament held by the NAIA to determine the national champion of men's college soccer among its members in the United States.
The 1961 NAIA Soccer Championship was the third annual tournament held by the NAIA to determine the national champion of men's college soccer among its members in the United States.
The 1964 NAIA Soccer Championship was the sixth annual tournament held by the NAIA to determine the national champion of men's college soccer among its members in the United States.
The 1967 NAIA Soccer Championship was the ninth annual tournament held by the NAIA to determine the national champion of men's college soccer among its members in the United States.
The 1973 NAIA Soccer Championship was the 15th annual tournament held by the NAIA to determine the national champion of men's college soccer among its members in the United States.
The 1975 NAIA Soccer Championship was the 17th annual tournament held by the NAIA to determine the national champion of men's college soccer among its members in the United States.
The 1977 NAIA Soccer Championship was the 19th annual tournament held by the NAIA to determine the national champion of men's college soccer among its members in the United States and Canada.
