 | |
| Association | NAIA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1971 |
| Commissioner | Nik Rule (since 2024) |
| Sports fielded |
|
| No. of teams | 13 (15 in 2025) |
| Headquarters | Overland Park, Kansas |
| Region | West North Central |
| Official website | www |
| Locations | |
 | |
The Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC or The Heart) [1] 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.
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. [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 also announced as members for the 2016–17 school year. [4] In October 2019, Park University was approved for HAAC membership and joined in the 2020–21 school year. [5] On February 10, 2022, long-serving Evangel University accepted its invitation to join the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, also Kansas-based, in 2023–24. [6]
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 academic year). The expansion made it NAIA's largest football conference with 14 teams playing in two divisions. [7]
The current commissioner of the conference is Lori Thomas. Thomas, the first female commissioner in NAIA history, began her term in 2014, [8] succeeding Larry Lady who retired after 22 years as commissioner.[ citation needed ]
The HAAC currently has thirteen full members, all but one are private schools: All but one of the private schools are religiously affiliated.
The HAAC will have two new members, both are private schools as well as current HAAC affiliate members.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joining [lower-alpha 1] | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri Baptist University | Creve Coeur, Missouri | 1957 | Baptist | 5,309 | Spartans | 2025 | American Midwest |
| William Woods University | Fulton, Missouri | 1870 | Disciples of Christ | 2,300 | Owls |
The HAAC currently has ten affiliate members, all but one are private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | HAAC sport | Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia College | Columbia, Missouri | 1851 | Nonsectarian | 4,000 | Cougars | 2024m.lac. | men's lacrosse | American Midwest |
| Dickinson State University | Dickinson, North Dakota | 1918 | Public | 1,392 | Blue Hawks | 2017m.wr. 2023w.wr. | men's wrestling; women's wrestling | North Star (NSAA) |
| Midland University | Fremont, Nebraska | 1883 | Lutheran ELCA | 1,394 | Warriors | 2024m.lac. 2024w.lac. | men's lacrosse; women's lacrosse | Great Plains (GPAC) |
| Missouri Baptist University | Creve Coeur, Missouri | 1957 | Baptist | 5,309 | Spartans | 2020m.vb. 2023fb 2024m.lac. 2024w.lac. | men's volleyball; football; men's lacrosse; women's lacrosse | American Midwest |
| Mount Vernon Nazarene University | Mount Vernon, Ohio | 1964 | Nazarene | 2,622 | Cougars | 2023m.lac. | men's lacrosse | Crossroads |
| Ottawa University | Ottawa, Kansas | 1865 | Baptist | 726 | Braves | 2024m.lac. 2024w.lac. | men's lacrosse; women's lacrosse | Kansas (KCAC) |
| St. Ambrose University | Davenport, Iowa | 1882 | Catholic (Diocese of Davenport) | 3,607 | Fighting Bees | 2021m.wr. 2023m.lac. 2023w.lac. 2024fb. | men's wrestling; men's lacrosse; women's lacrosse; football | Chicagoland (CCAC) |
| University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis | St. Louis, Missouri | 1864 | Nonsectarian | 1,350 | Eutectics | 2020m.vb. 2024w.lac. | men's volleyball women's lacrosse | American Midwest |
| Waldorf University | Forest City, Iowa | 1903 | For-profit [lower-alpha 1] | 4,500 | Warriors | 2020m.wr. 2020w.wr. | men's wrestling; women's wrestling | North Star (NSAA) |
| William Woods University | Fulton, Missouri | 1870 | Disciples of Christ | 2,300 | Owls | 2024fb. 2024m.lac. | football; men's lacrosse | American Midwest |
The HAAC has seven former full members, all were private schools:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | Subsequent conference | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avila University | Kansas City, Missouri | 1916 | Catholic (C.S.J.) | 1,676 | Eagles | 2000 | 2018 | Kansas (KCAC) (2018–present) | |
| College of Emporia | Emporia, Kansas | 1882 | Presbyterian | N/A | Fighting Presbies | 1971 | 1974 | Closed in 1974 | |
| Evangel University | Springfield, Missouri | 1955 | Assemblies of God | 1,511 | Valor | 1987 | 2023 | Kansas (KCAC) (2023–present) | |
| Lindenwood University | St. Charles, Missouri | 1827 | Presbyterian (PCUSA) | 4,822 | Lions | 1996 | 2011 | various [lower-alpha 2] | Ohio Valley (OVC) [lower-alpha 3] (2022–present) |
| Ottawa University | Ottawa, Kansas | 1865 | American Baptist | 726 | Braves | 1971 | 1982 | Kansas (KCAC) (1982–present) | |
| Tarkio College | Tarkio, Missouri | 1883 | Presbyterian (UPCUSA) | N/A | Owls | 1971 | 1992 | Closed in 1992 | |
| William Jewell College | Liberty, Missouri | 1849 | Nonsectarian | 738 | Cardinals | 1971 | 2011 | Great Lakes Valley (GLVC) [lower-alpha 1] (2011–present) |
The HAAC had one former affiliate member; which was also a private school:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Nickname | Joined | Left | HAAC sport | Current primary conference | Conference in former HAAC sport |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa Wesleyan University | Mount Pleasant, Iowa | 1842 | United Methodist | Tigers | 2021 | 2023 | men's wrestling; women's wrestling | N/A [lower-alpha 1] | |
Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football) Associate member (football) Associate member (sport)
The conference also sponsors co-ed varsity sports of dance and cheer.
| A divisional format is used for baseball, men's and women's basketball, football, and women's volleyball. | |
North
| South
|
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball |  | |
| Basketball | | |
| Bowling | | |
| Cross Country | | |
| Football | | |
| Golf | | |
| Lacrosse | | |
| Soccer | | |
| Softball | | |
| Tennis | | |
| Track & Field Indoor | | |
| Track & Field Outdoor | | |
| Volleyball | | |
| Wrestling | | |
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