Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective

NAIA independent schools

Informal athletic conference member schools From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

NAIA independent schools
Remove ads

NAIA independent schools are four-year institutional members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) that do not have formal conference affiliations.[1] NAIA schools that are not members of any other athletic conference are members of the Continental Athletic Conference (CAC), formerly the Association of Independent Institutions (AII), which provides member services to the institution and allows members to compete in postseason competition. The CAC has one member institution in Canada's British Columbia. It provides services to the member institutions that are not fitting in any other NAIA conference and allows members to compete in postseason competition. The AII renamed itself the Continental Athletic Conference at the end of June 2021, citing the need to identify as a proper conference.[2]

Quick Facts Formerly, Association ...
Remove ads

History

Chronological timeline

Remove ads

Member schools

Summarize
Perspective

Note:Schools that compete as independents in some certain sports that their own primary conferences home don't sponsor compete in the CAC as affiliate members (except football).

Current full members

Departing members are highlighted in pink.

More information Institution, Location ...
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Also sponsors football.
  3. This institution held dual membership with the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA).
  4. Florida College had sponsored women's basketball until after the 2020–21 school year.
  5. School competed as a full Independent within the NAIA prior the inception of the AII/Continental beginning the 2008–09 school year.
  6. UVic is the only full member within the AII/Continental who competes in partial status, with men's and women's golf as the only sponsored sports; while some of their other sports compete in their primary home conference at the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (Canada West) of U Sports, where it doesn't sponsor golf.


Current partial members

More information Institution, Location ...
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Fisk was a partial member for men's soccer from the 2021 to 2023 fall seasons (2021–22 to 2023–24 school years).
  3. Oakwood was a partial member for softball during the 2024 spring season (2023–24 school year).
  4. Our Lady of the Lake (OLLU) was a partial member for men's golf for the 2022 spring season (2021–22 school year).
  5. Talladega was a partial member for softball for the 2024 spring season (2023–24 school year).
  6. Tougaloo was a partial member for baseball for the 2022 spring season (2021–22 school year); and for men's and women's golf from the 2022 to 2023 spring seasons (2021–22 to 2022–23 school years).

Former full members

School names and nicknames listed here reflect those used in the final school year each institution was a member as an NAIA independent.

More information Institution, Location ...
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. Abbreviation for basketball.
  4. Alberta's men's sports compete as the Golden Bears; while its women's sports they compete as the Pandas.
  5. School competed as a full Independent within the NAIA prior the inception of the AII/Continental, which began in the 2008–09 school year.
  6. Currently an U Sports (formerly the Canadian Interuniversity Sport, or CIS) athletic conference.
  7. Alberta was one of many few full members within the AII/Continental who competes in partial status, with men's and women's tennis as the only sponsored sports; while some of their other sports compete in their primary home conference at the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (Canada West) of U Sports, where it doesn't sponsor tennis.
  8. Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  9. Formerly known as Southwestern College until 2011.
  10. Former campus location was in Phoenix.
  11. Formerly affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) until 2018.
  12. Currently known as Belhaven University since 2010.
  13. Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  14. Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
  15. British Columbia was one of many few full members within the AII/Continental who competes in partial status, with baseball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, and men's and women's outdoor track and field as the only sponsored sports; while some of their other sports compete in their primary home conference at the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (Canada West) of U Sports, where it doesn't sponsor neither of those previously mentioned sports.
  16. Part of the California State University System.
  17. The Cal State–San Marcos men's and women's basketball teams joined as an Independent 13 years after becoming a full member for other sports (2011–12).
  18. Formerly known as Central State University until 1990.
  19. Formerly known as Clarke College until 2010.
  20. Clarke now competes as the Pride since the 2017–18 school year.
  21. Clarke left the Independent/AII/Continental ranks after the 2006–07 school year; before re-joining for only the 2015–16 school year.
  22. This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not field men's sports.
  23. Later became known as Victory University in 2010.
  24. Crichton (as Victory) re-instated its athletics program in fall 2010; until the university ceased operations after spring 2014.
  25. Part of the South Dakota Board of Regents System.
  26. Fisk withdrew from the Independent/AII/Continental ranks from 2010–11 to 2013–14.
  27. Includes online students. Current on-campus enrollment is about 25,300.
  28. Formerly known as Silver Lake College until 2019.
  29. Currently known as Indiana University–Indianapolis (IU Indy) since 2024.
  30. IU Indy joined the Horizon League as IUPUI, representing the former Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). IUPUI was dissolved in 2024 and replaced by separate institutions affiliated with the Indiana University and Purdue University systems. The athletic program transferred to the new IU Indianapolis[5] with a primary branding as IU Indy.
  31. IU Indy did not exist until 2024, but inherited its athletic program from IUPUI, founded in 1969.
  32. Part of the Indiana University System.
  33. Currently known as Indiana University–Columbus since 2024.
  34. Iowa Wesleyan left the Independent/AII/Continental ranks after the 2012–13 school year before re-joining in 2021–22 school year and left once again after 2022–23 since the school ceased operations.
  35. Currently known as the University of Jamestown since 2013.
  36. The KSU campus has a Kennesaw mailing address, but is located in unincorporated Cobb County.
  37. Currently known as King University since 2013.
  38. Life left the Independent/AII/Continental ranks after the 2011–12 school year, re-joining for only the 2013–14 school year.
  39. This institution held dual membership with the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).
  40. Lincoln Christian discontinued its athletics program after the 2021–22 school year.
  41. This institution held dual membership with the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA).
  42. Marygrove announced that all athletics would cease after the 2017 fall season (with men's & women's soccer and volleyball remaining) of the 2017–18 academic year; with their August 2017 announcement of the closing of school's undergraduate programs.[6]
  43. UMKC rebranded its athletics as Kansas City and competes as the Roos since the 2019–20 school year.
  44. UMKC's men's basketball team left the NAIA after the 1985–86 school year, but its women's basketball team remained in the association until 1993–94.
  45. This institution also sponsors football.
  46. While in their only season in the NAIA, North Florida began competing as a member of the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and joined the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) as a provisional member during the 1992–93 school year.
  47. Currently known as Bushnell University since 2020.
  48. Northwestern Ohio competed as an Independent while transitioning to join the American Mideast Conference as an associate (provisional) member.
  49. Formerly known as Northwestern State College until 1974.
  50. Oral Roberts competes as the Golden Eagles since the 1993–94 school year.
  51. The College of the Ozarks (CofO) left the Independent/AII/Continental ranks after the 2020–21 school year before re-joining for only the 2023–24 school year.
  52. Patten dropped its athletic program after the 2011–12 school year.
  53. Currently a United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) athletic conference.
  54. Currently known as Philander Smith University since 2023.
  55. URegina competes in all sports as the Cougars; with the exception of its football team, who compete as the Rams.
  56. URegina was one of many few full members within the AII/Continental who competes in partial status, with men's and women's wrestling; while some of their other sports compete in their primary home conference at the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (Canada West) of U Sports, where it doesn't sponsor wrestling.
  57. Later known as Rochester University in 2019; now currently known as Rochester Christian University since 2024.
  58. Savannah A&D had sponsored men's or women's basketball until after the 2008–09 school year.
  59. Nickname was used until spring 2020. Since fall 2022, its current nickname is Red Leafs.
  60. Simon Fraser was one of many few full members within the AII/Continental who competes in partial status, with men's and women's cross country, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's swimming and diving, softball and wrestling as the only sponsored sports; while some of their other sports compete in their primary home conference at the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (Canada West) of U Sports, where it doesn't sponsor neither of those previously mentioned sports (although the CWUAA also sponsors soccer).
  61. Initially a non-basketball core member school, until South Carolina–Beaufort (USC Beaufort) began sponosoring men's and women's basketball in the 2023–24 school year.
  62. This institution held dual membership with the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
  63. At the time of its tenure within the NAIA, SUNY Delhi was also a member of the Mountain Valley Athletic Conference (MVAC) within the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) until after the 2014–15 school year.
  64. Tennessee Temple was merged into Piedmont International University (now known as Carolina University) after spring 2015.
  65. Currently known as Truett McConnell University since 2016.
  66. Formerly known as Voorhees College until 2022.
  67. Voorhees left the Independent/AII/Continental ranks after the 2012–13 school year before re-joining in the 2015–16 school year.
  68. Part of the West Virginia University System.
  69. Wilberforce left the Independent/AII/Continental ranks after the 2021–22 school year before re-joining for only the 2023–24 school year.
  70. UWinnipeg was one of many few full members within the AII/Continental who competes in partial status, with baseball as the only sponsored sport; while some of their other sports compete in their primary home conference at the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (Canada West) of U Sports, where it doesn't sponsor baseball.
  71. Currently known as York University since 2022.

Former partial members

More information Institution, Location ...
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. Brescia's basketball teams moved into the River States Conference (RSC) alongside its other sports after the 2008–09 school year.
  4. This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not field men's sports.
  5. Formerly known as Edward Waters College until 2021.
  6. Edward Waters remained in its primary conference home (the HBCUAC, then known as the GCAC) to compete in conference tournaments for all sponsored sports during the provisional transition until after the 2021–22 school year.
  7. Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  8. Fisk remains as a partial member for men's and women's golf.
  9. Mountain State's men's basketball team moved into the River States Conference (RSC) alongside its other sports after the 2008–09 school year; while its women's basketball team remained in the AII until the school closed after spring 2012.
  10. Oakwood remains as a partial member for men's and women's soccer.
  11. Our Lady of the Laker (OLLU) remains as a partial member for women's golf.
  12. Park's basketball teams, alongside its other sports, moved into the American Midwest Conference from its previous primary conference home, the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC), after the 2008–09 school year.
  13. This institution held dual membership with the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
  14. At the time of its tenure within the NAIA, SUNY Delhi was also a member of the Mountain Valley Athletic Conference (MVAC) within the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) until after the 2014–15 school year.
  15. Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  16. Talladega remains as a partial member for men's and women's soccer and men's golf.
  17. Tougaloo remains as a partial member for men's and women's soccer.
  18. Formerly known as Waldorf College until 2016.
Remove ads

Sports

More information Sport, Men's ...

See also

References

Loading related searches...

Wikiwand - on

Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.

Remove ads