American Midwest Conference

Last updated
American Midwest Conference
American Midwest Conference logo.svg
FormerlyShow-Me Conference (1986–1994)
Association NAIA
Founded1986
CommissionerWill Wolper
Sports fielded
  • 17
    • men's: 8
    • women's: 9
No. of teams10 (12 in 2024, 10 in 2025)
Headquarters St. Louis, Missouri
Region Midwest and South
Official website www.amcsportsonline.com
Locations
AMWC conference map.png

The American Midwest Conference (AMC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) with 10 member institutions located in Arkansas and Missouri in the United States.

Contents

History

American Midwest Conference
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Mapscaleline.svg
150km
100miles
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Columbia
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Haskell
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Mission
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Crowley's Ridge
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Cottey
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Central Baptist
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UHSP
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Stephens
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Williams Baptist
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WWU
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MBU
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HSSU
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Hannibal–LaGrange
American Midwest Conference
Location of AMC members: Blue pog.svg current, Red pog.svg associate, Black pog.svg departing, Green pog.svg future

The conference began as the Show-Me Conference in 1986, then changed to its current name in 1994, reflecting that its footprint had expanded beyond Missouri.

Chronological timeline

Member schools

Current members

The American Midwest currently has ten full members, all but one are private schools.

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [lower-alpha 1]
Central Baptist College Conway, Arkansas 1952 Baptist Missionary 739 Mustangs 2015
Columbia College Columbia, Missouri 1851 Nonsectarian 4,000 Cougars 1986
Cottey College [lower-alpha 2] Nevada, Missouri 1884Nonsectarian300 Comets 2022 [2]
Hannibal–LaGrange University Hannibal, Missouri 1858 Southern Baptist 494 Trojans 1986
Harris–Stowe State University St. Louis, Missouri 1857 Public 1,084 Hornets 1986
Missouri Baptist University Creve Coeur, Missouri 1828Southern Baptist5,231 Spartans 1986
Stephens College [lower-alpha 2] Columbia, Missouri 1833Nonsectarian590 Stars 2008
University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis St. Louis, Missouri 1864Nonsectarian1,260 Eutectics 2014
William Woods University [lower-alpha 3] Fulton, Missouri 1870 Disciples of Christ 2,300 Owls 1993
Williams Baptist University Walnut Ridge, Arkansas 1941 Southern Baptist 584 Eagles &
Lady Eagles
2001
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. 1 2 This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not field men's sports.
  3. This institution is a former women's college, which has eventually turned into a co-educational college (William Woods since 1997–98).

Future members

The American Midwest will have two future full member, which are both also private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoining [lower-alpha 1] Current
conference
Crowley's Ridge College Paragould, Arkansas 1964 Churches
of Christ
225 Pioneers 2024 Continental
Mission University Springfield, Missouri 1950 BBFI 227Patriots2024 NCCAA Independent
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

Associate members

The American Midwest currently has one associate member, which is also a public school:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [lower-alpha 1] AMC
sport(s)
Primary
conference
Haskell Indian Nations University Lawrence, Kansas 1884 Public tribal 958 Fighting Indians 2023men's indoor track & field
men's outdoor track & field
women's indoor track & field
women's outdoor track & field
Continental
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

Former members

The American Midwest had eleven former full members, all but one were private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [lower-alpha 1] Left [lower-alpha 2] Subsequent
conference(s)
Current
conference
Benedictine University at Springfield Springfield, Illinois 1927 Catholic
(Ursulines)
N/A Bulldogs 2011 [lower-alpha 3] 2015Discontinued athleticsClosed in 2018
Fontbonne College [lower-alpha 4] Clayton, Missouri 1923Catholic
(C.S.J.)
2,900 Griffins 19861990 St. Louis (SLIAC) [lower-alpha 5]
(1990–present)
Freed–Hardeman University Henderson, Tennessee 1869 Churches of Christ 2,050+ Lions 20132020 Mid-South (MSC)
(2020–present)
University of Illinois at Springfield Springfield, Illinois 1969Public2,654 Prairie Stars 20032009 Great Lakes Valley (GLVC) [lower-alpha 6]
(2009–present)
Iowa Wesleyan University [lower-alpha 7] Mount Pleasant, Iowa 1842 United Methodist 570 Tigers 19931995various [lower-alpha 8] Closed in 2023 [lower-alpha 9]
Lindenwood College [lower-alpha 10] St. Charles, Missouri 1827 Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
4,822 Lions 19931996various [lower-alpha 11] Ohio Valley (OVC) [lower-alpha 12]
(2022–present)
Lindenwood University at Belleville Belleville, Illinois 2003Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
N/A Lynx 20142020Closed in 2020
Lyon College Batesville, Arkansas 1872Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
700 Scots 20122023 St. Louis (SLIAC) [lower-alpha 5]
(2023–present)
McKendree University Lebanon, Illinois 1828United Methodist1,702 Bearcats 19872011 NAIA/NCAA D-II Independent
(2011–12)
Great Lakes Valley (GLVC) [lower-alpha 6]
(2012–present)
Mid-Continent University Mayfield, Kentucky 1949 Southern Baptist N/A Cougars 20132014Closed in 2014
Park University Parkville, Missouri 1875Nonsectarian2,340 Pirates 1986;
2009
1994;
2020
Midlands (MCAC)
(1994–2009)
Heart of America (HAAC)
(2020–present)
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. The Benedictine–Springfield men's and women's basketball teams joined the American Midwest a year after becoming a full member for other sports (2012–13).
  4. Currently known as Fontbonne University since 2002.
  5. 1 2 3 Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  7. Formerly known as Iowa Wesleyan College until 2015.
  8. Iowa Wesleyan had joined the following subsequent conferences: the Midwest Collegiate Conference (MCC) from 1995–96 to 2011–12; as an NAIA Independent during the 2012–13 school year; the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference [lower-alpha 5] (SLIAC) from 2013–14 to 2020–21; and the Continental Athletic Conference from 2021–22 to 2022–23.
  9. Iowa Wesleyan had announced a return to the AMC effective with the 2023–24 academic year, [3] but closed at the end of the 2022–23 academic year. [4]
  10. Currently known as Lindenwood University since 1997.
  11. Lindenwood had joined the following subsequent conferences: the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) from 1996–97 to 2010–11; as an NCAA D-II Independent during the 2011–12 school year; the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association [lower-alpha 6] (MIAA) from 2012–13 to 2018–19; and the Great Lakes Valley Conference [lower-alpha 6] (GLVC) from 2019–20 to 2021–22.
  12. Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.

Former associate members

The American Midwest had two former associate members, both were private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined [lower-alpha 1] Left [lower-alpha 2] AMC
sport
Primary
conference
Calumet College of St. Joseph Whiting, Indiana 1951 Catholic
(C.PP.S.)
1,292 Crimson Wave 2017–182021–22men's wrestling Chicagoland (CCAC)
Lincoln College Lincoln, Illinois 1865Nonsectarian800 Lynx 2020–212021–22Closed in 2022
Marian University Indianapolis, Indiana 1851 Catholic
(S.S.F.)
3,595 Knights 2017–182019–20 Crossroads
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.

Membership timeline

Mission UniversityCrowley's Ridge CollegeHaskell Indian Nations UniversityCottey CollegeLincoln College (Illinois)Marian University (Ind.)Calumet College of St. JosephCentral Baptist CollegeUniversity of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. LouisLindenwood University – BellevilleMid-Continent UniversityMid-South ConferenceFreed–Hardeman UniversitySt. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceLyon CollegeBenedictine University at SpringfieldStephens CollegeGreat Lakes Valley ConferenceUniversity of Illinois SpringfieldWilliams Baptist UniversityHeart of America Athletic ConferenceWilliams Woods UniversityOhio Valley ConferenceGreat Lakes Valley ConferenceMid-America Intercollegiate Athletics AssociationNCAA D-II independent schoolsHeart of America Athletic ConferenceLindenwood UniversityNAIA independent schoolsSt. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceNCAA D-III independent schoolsMidwest Collegiate ConferenceIowa Wesleyan UniversityGreat Lakes Valley ConferenceNCAA D-II independent schoolsMcKendree UniversityHeart of America Athletic ConferenceMidlands Collegiate Athletic ConferencePark UniversityHeart of America Athletic ConferenceMissouri Baptist UniversityHarris–Stowe State UniversityHannibal–La Grange UniversitySt. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceFontbonne UniversityColumbia College (Missouri)American Midwest Conference

 Full member (non-football)  Associate member (sport) 

Sports

Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
Baseball Green check.svg
Basketball Green check.svgGreen check.svg
Cross Country Green check.svgGreen check.svg
Golf Green check.svgGreen check.svg
Soccer Green check.svgGreen check.svg
Softball Green check.svg
Track & Field Indoor Green check.svgGreen check.svg
Track & Field Outdoor Green check.svgGreen check.svg
Volleyball Green check.svg
Wrestling Green check.svg

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References

  1. Lyon College (August 22, 2022). "Lyon College enters NCAA Div. III in SLIAC". GuardOnline.com. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  2. "Cottey College Joins the American Midwest Conference". American Midwest Conference. November 16, 2021. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  3. "Iowa Wesleyan University rejoins the American Midwest Conference". American Midwest Conference. November 16, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  4. "Iowa Wesleyan University Announces Closure". Iowa Wesleyan University. March 28, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.