The Heartland Conference was a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division II level, which was founded in 1999. The majority of members were in Texas, with additional members in Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. The conference office was located in Waco, Texas.
The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is a private, Catholic university with its main campus in San Antonio and Alamo Heights, Texas. Founded in 1881 by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word, the university's main campus is located on 154 acres (0.6 km2). It is the largest Catholic university in Texas.
Sullivan Field is a baseball park located in San Antonio, Texas, United States. It is the home of the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals baseball team of the NCAA Division I Southland Conference. It opened on April 8, 1989, with a 5–2 win over their cross-town rival, the St. Mary's Rattlers. Lights were added before the 2004 season so that night baseball would be possible.
The Incarnate Word Cardinals, also known as UIW Cardinals, are composed of 23 teams representing the University of the Incarnate Word in intercollegiate athletics, including men and women's basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, and track and field. Men's sports include baseball and football. Women's sports include softball, synchronized swimming, and volleyball. The Cardinals compete in NCAA Division I and are members of the Southland Conference. UIW has sent multiple fencers to compete in multiple NCAA Fencing Championships. On November 12, 2021, Incarnate Word accepted their invitation to join the Western Athletic Conference in 2022. However, on June 24, 2022, just one week before the change of conferences was scheduled to take place, Incarnate Word announced that it would remain in the Southland Conference.
The Incarnate Word Cardinals football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) located in San Antonio, Texas. The program began in 2009 and originally competed in NCAA Division II as members of the Lone Star Conference. In 2013, the school moved to Division I. For the 2013 season, UIW competed as a member of the Southland Conference for all sports except football. Football competed with an 11-game schedule as an Independent. UIW began playing Southland football in the 2014 season. The team plays its home games at the 6,000 seat Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium.
The Incarnate Word Cardinals men's basketball team represents the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, United States. They are currently led by first-year head coach Shane Heirman. Beginning in 2013, the Cardinals made the jump to NCAA Division I and joined the Southland Conference. As part of their transition from Division II to Division I, they were not eligible for postseason play until 2018. They play their home games at the McDermott Convocation Center.
The 2013 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team represented the University of the Incarnate Word in the 2013 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Cardinals played their first season of a transition to the FCS level. However, they were not considered a FCS team for scheduling purposes until 2014. They were led by second-year head coach Larry Kennan. Home games were played at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium. This was a transition season for the Cardinals. As a transitioning school from D2 to D1, the Cardinals were ineligible for the FCS Playoffs and the D2 playoffs. They played a mixed schedule of schools from the FCS, NAIA, and D-II. The Cardinals joined the Southland Conference for football in the 2014 season, and it counted as the 2nd year in a 4-year transition into the D1 level that will make them eligible for the FCS Playoffs in 2017–18. They finished the season 6–5.
The Incarnate Word Cardinals baseball team represents The University of the Incarnate Word in NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's baseball competition. The Cardinals currently compete in the Southland Conference. The Cardinals play home games at Sullivan Field. The team is led by first-year head coach Ryan Shotzberger.
The 2013–14 Incarnate Word Cardinals women's basketball team represented the University of the Incarnate Word during the 2013–14 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by first year head coach Kate Henderson, acting as Interim head coach, and played their home games at McDermott Convocation Center. They were new members of the Southland Conference.
The 2014–15 Incarnate Word Cardinals men's basketball team represented the University of the Incarnate Word during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by ninth year head coach Ken Burmeister and played their home games at McDermott Convocation Center. They were members of the Southland Conference.
The Incarnate Word Cardinals women's basketball team is the women's basketball team that represents University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. The team currently competes in the Southland Conference. The Cardinals are coached by Jeff Dow.
The 2015 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team represented the University of the Incarnate Word in the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Cardinals were in their third transition season of collegiate football at the FCS level. They were led by fourth-year head coach Larry Kennan. This was the Cardinals second season with a full Southland Conference schedule since becoming members of the conference. They played their home games at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium. They finished the season 6–5, 5–4 in Southland play to finish in fourth place.
The 2016 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team represented the University of the Incarnate Word in the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. This was the Cardinals' final transition season of collegiate football at the FCS level. They were led by fifth-year head coach Larry Kennan. They played their home games at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium. They finished the season 3–8, 3–6 in Southland play to finish in a tie for eighth place.
The 2017 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team represented the University of the Incarnate Word in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Cardinals were in their first full season of FCS and Southland Conference eligibility, as they had completed their four-year transition to Division I from Division II. They were led by sixth-year head coach Larry Kennan. They played their home games at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium. They finished the season 1–10, 1–7 in Southland play to finish in ninth place.
The 2017–18 Incarnate Word Cardinals men's basketball team represented the University of the Incarnate Word during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by 12th-year head coach Ken Burmeister and played their home games at McDermott Convocation Center in San Antonio, Texas as members of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals finished the season 7–21, 2–16 in Southland play to finish in a tie for 11th place. They failed to qualify for the Southland tournament.
The 2018 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team represented the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals played their home games at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium in San Antonio, Texas. They were led by first year head coach Eric Morris. They finished the season 6–5, 6–2 in Southland play to win a share of the Southland Conference championship. They received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs, where they lost in the first round to Montana State. The Cardinals were set to play the Iowa State Cyclones during the first weekend in December, but the game was cancelled.
The 2019 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team represented the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) in the 2019 NCAA Division I FCS football season as a member of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals played their home games at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium in San Antonio, Texas. They were led by second-year head coach Eric Morris. They finished the season 5–7, 4–5 in Southland play to finish in a tie for 6th place.
The 2022 Incarnate Word Cardinals softball team represented the University of the Incarnate Word during the 2022 NCAA Division I softball season. The Cardinals played their home games at H-E-B Field and were led by first-year head coach Kimberly Dean. They were members of the Southland Conference.
The 2023 Incarnate Word Cardinals football team represented the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) as a member of the Southland Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Cardinals played their home games at Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium in San Antonio, Texas. They were led by first-year head coach Clint Killough.
The 2023 Incarnate Word Cardinals softball team represented the University of the Incarnate Word during the 2023 NCAA Division I softball season. The Cardinals played their home games at H-E-B Field and were led by second-year head coach Kimberly Dean. They are members of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals compiled an overall record of 16–30–1, and a conference record of 8–16. Finishing in eighth place in conference play, the Cardinals did not qualify for the conference tournament.
2024 Incarnate Word Cardinals softball team 
