NAIA independent schools
| Formerly | Association of Independent Institutions (2008–2021) |
|---|---|
| Association | National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) |
| Founded | 2008 (as the AII) |
| Commissioner | Ted Breidenthal |
| Sports fielded |
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| No. of teams | 12 (10 in 2025) |
| Region | United States and Canada (British Columbia) |
| Official website | www |
| Locations | |
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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]
History
[edit]Chronological timeline
[edit]- 2008 – The Association of Independent Institutions (AII) was founded by a select group of independent universities and colleges that do not have formal conference affiliations and provide member services to the institutions and allows them to compete in postseason competition. Charter members included the University of Alberta, Allen University, Ave Maria University, Brescia University, the University of British Columbia, Crichton College (later Victory University), California State University San Marcos (Cal State–San Marcos), Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University at Arizona (Embry–Riddle at Arizona), Fisk University, Holy Cross College (Indiana), the University of Houston–Victoria (Houston–Victoria, UHV), Indiana University–Northwest (Indiana–Northwest), Johnson & Wales University–Denver, Johnson & Wales University–North Miami, Kentucky Christian University, Lambuth University, Life University, Louisiana State University at Alexandria (LSU–Alexandria), Marygrove College, Morris College, Mountain State University, Our Lady of the Lake University, Park University, Patten University, Philander Smith College (now Philander Smith University), the University of Regina, the College of Santa Fe, Simon Fraser University, Soka University of America, Southeastern University of Florida, Southern Virginia University, Southwestern College of Arizona (now Arizona Christian University), the University of St. Thomas of Texas, the State University of New York at Delhi (SUNY Delhi), Talladega College, Thomas University, the University of Victoria, Voorhees College (now Voorhees University), and Walla Walla University beginning in the 2008–09 academic year. Out of those AII member institutions during that time, only three of them competed as partial or affiliate members, while they compete in other athletic conferences for their other sports as their primary home: Brescia and Mountain State for the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC, now the River States Conference), and Park for the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC).
- 2009 – Nine institutions left the AII, seven to join their respective new home primary conferences: Ave Maria, Johnson & Wales–Miami and Southeastern (Fla.) to join the Sun Conference (formerly the Florida Sun Conference), Brescia's basketball teams to join the rest of its athletics program in the KIAC, Holy Cross (Ind.) to join the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC), Our Lady of the Lake to join the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC), and Park to join the American Midwest Conference, all effective after the 2008–09 academic year. The eight and ninth, Santa Fe and Victory, ceased operations. A tenth institution, Mountain State, has its men's basketball team to join the rest of its athletics program in the KIAC, while its women's basketball team remained in the AII.
- 2009 – Northern New Mexico College, Ohio Dominican University, and Truett McConnell College (now Truett McConnell University) joined the AII in the 2009–10 academic year.
- 2010 – Four institutions left the AII to join their respective new home primary conferences: Alberta to realign its athletics program to the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (Canada West) of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS; now the U Sports), Fisk to join the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC), Ohio Dominican to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), and Truett McConnell to join the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC), all effective after the 2009–10 academic year.
- 2010 – Benedictine University at Springfield, Central Baptist College, Lourdes College (now Lourdes University), and Warren Wilson College joined the AII in the 2010–11 academic year.
- 2011 – Nine institutions left the AII, eight to join their respective new home primary conferences: Philander Smith and Talladega to join the GCAC, Regina to realign its athletics program to the CIS, Simon Fraser to realign its athletics program to the NCAA Division II ranks and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC), St. Thomas (Tex.) to join the RRAC, Benedictine–Springfield to join the American Midwest, Central Baptist to join the MCAC, and Lourdes to join the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC), all effective after the 2010–11 academic year. The ninth, Lambuth, ceased operations.
- 2011 – Dakota State University, Dickinson State University, the University of Jamestown, La Sierra University, Lawrence Technological University (Lawrence Tech), Marymount College (later Marymount California University), Mayville State University, Rochester College (now Rochester Christian University), the Atlanta campus of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD Atlanta), and Valley City State University joined the AII in the 2011–12 academic year.
- 2012 – 13 institutions left the AII, 11 to join their respective new home primary conferences: Embry–Riddle at Arizona, Marymount (Cal.) and Soka to join the California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac), Life to join the TranSouth Athletic Conference (TSAC or TranSouth), Marygrove and Lawrence Tech to join the WHAC, Southern Virginia and Warren Wilson to realign within the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) [with Southern Virginia later applying to join the NCAA Division III ranks in the 2013–14 academic year], Arizona Christian to join the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC), Thomas (Ga.) to join the Sun Conference, Dickinson State to join the Frontier Conference, and SCAD Atlanta to join the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC), all effective after the 2011–12 academic year. The twelfth and thirteenth, Mountain State and Patten, ceased operations.
- 2012 – Ashford University, Fisher College, Iowa Wesleyan University, the West Virginia Institute of Technology (WVU Tech), Wilberforce University, Georgia Gwinnett College, Indiana University–Kokomo (Indiana–Kokomo or IU Kokomo), and Lindenwood University–Belleville joined the AII in the 2012–13 academic year.
- 2013 – Eight institutions left the AII to join their respective new home primary conferences: La Sierra to join the Cal Pac, Voorhees to join the GCAC, Dakota State, Jamestown, Mayville State and Valley City State to join the newly created North Star Athletic Association (NSAA), Indiana–Kokomo to join the KIAC, and Iowa Wesleyan to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC), all effective after the 2012–13 academic year.
- 2013 – Dalton State College and the University of Antelope Valley joined the AII (with Life re-joining after one season in the recently defunct TranSouth) in the 2013–14 academic year.
- 2014 – Four institutions left the AII to join their respective new home primary conferences: Lindenwood–Belleville to join the American Midwest, Life to join the Mid-South Conference, LSU–Alexandria to join the RRAC, and Dalton State to join the SSAC, all effective after the 2013–14 academic year.
- 2014 – Texas A&M University–Texarkana, Lincoln Christian University, Washington Adventist University, the University of Winnipeg, and Trinity Lutheran College joined the AII in the 2014–15 academic year.
- 2015 – Four institutions left the AII to join their respective new home primary conferences: Cal State–San Marcos to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), Houston–Victoria (UHV) to join the RRAC, Walla Walla to join the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC), and Antelope Valley to join the Cal Pac, all effective after the 2014–15 academic year.
- 2015 – Central Christian College of Kansas, Clarke University, the College of the Ozarks (CofO), Governors State University, Haskell Indian Nations University, Mount Mercy University, York College of Nebraska (now York University of Nebraska), and Providence Christian College (with Voorhees re-joining) joined the AII in the 2015–16 academic year. Out of those AII member institutions during that time, only one competed in other athletic conferences for other sports as their primary home: Providence Christian for the Cal Pac.
- 2016 – Nine institutions left the AII, six to join their respective new home primary conferences: Allen to join the AAC, Governors State to join the CCAC, Texas A&M–Texarkana to join the RRAC, Winnipeg to realign its athletics program to the CIS, Clarke and Mount Mercy to join the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC), and York (Neb.) to join the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, all effective after the 2015–16 academic year. The eighth and ninth, Ashford and Trinity Lutheran, ceased operations.
- 2016 – Crowley's Ridge College, Silver Lake College of the Holy Family (later Holy Family College), Stillman College, and the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) joined the AII in the 2016–17 academic year.
- 2017 – Two institutions left the AII to join their respective new home primary conferences: Rochester to join the WHAC, and Central Christian to join the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC), both effective after the 2016–17 academic year.
- 2017 – Cleary University, Florida College, the University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK), Rust College, and the College of St. Joseph joined the AII in the 2017–18 academic year.
- 2018 – Eight institutions left the AII to join their respective new home primary conferences: British Columbia to realign its athletics program to the U Sports, Johnson & Wales–Denver to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), SUNY Delhi to fully realign to the NCAA Division III ranks and join the North Atlantic Conference (NAC), Cleary to join the WHAC, Stillman and Florida College to join the SSAC, Rust to join the GCAC, and Maine–Fort Kent (UMFK) to realign its athletics program with the USCAA, all effective after the 2017–18 academic year.
- 2018 – Florida Memorial University, Green Mountain College, Cottey College, Lincoln College, Pennsylvania State University Schuylkill, and Villa Maria College joined the AII in the 2018–19 academic year.
- 2019 – Five institutions left the AII, three to join their respective new home primary conferences: Indiana–Northwest (IU Northwest) to join the CCAC, Kentucky Christian to join the AAC, and Villa Maria to realign its athletics program with the USCAA, all effective after the 2018–19 academic year. The fourth and fifth, Green Mountain and St. Joseph (Vt.), ceased operations.
- 2019 – Bacone College joined the AII in the 2019–20 academic year.
- 2020 – Two institutions left the AII, one to join its respective new home primary conference: Lincoln (Ill.) to join the CCAC after the 2019–20 academic year. The other, Holy Family ceased operations.
- 2021 – Two institutions left the AII to join their respective new home primary conferences: Fisk to re-join the GCAC, and the CofO to fully align with the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), both effective after the 2020–21 academic year.
- 2021 – The AII was rebranded as the Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) in the 2021–22 academic year.
- 2021 – Arkansas Baptist College (with Iowa Wesleyan re-joining) joined the CAC in the 2021–22 academic year.
- 2022 – Three institutions left the CAC to join their respective new home primary conferences: Wilberforce to join the Mid-South, Lincoln Christian to discontinue its athletics program, and Cottey to join the American Midwest, all effective after the 2021–22 academic year.
- 2022 – The University of South Carolina Beaufort (USC Beaufort), Indiana University–Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC [now Indiana University–Columbus or Indiana–Columbus]), and North American University joined the CAC in the 2022–23 academic year.
- 2023 – Five institutions left the CAC, four to join their respective new home primary conferences: Indiana–Columbus (IU Columbus) to join the River States, North American to join the RRAC, USC Beaufort to fully realign in the NCAA Division II ranks and the Peach Belt Conference (PBC), and Virgin Islands to join the GCAC, all effective after the 2022–23 academic year. The fifth, Iowa Wesleyan, ceased operations; originally they had planned to leave the CAC after the school got an invite to re-join the American Midwest prior to announcing their closure.
- 2023 – The College of the Ozarks (CofO) returned to the NAIA and re-joined the CAC (after two seasons competing as a full member of the NCCAA), alongside Wilberforce re-joining after competing one season in the Mid-South, both effective in the 2023–24 academic year.
- 2024 – Six institutions left the CAC, five to join their respective new home primary conferences: CofO to join the SAC, Crowley's Ridge to join the American Midwest, Voorhees & Wilberforce to join the HBCUAC (formerly known as the GCAC, with the former one re-joining), and Penn State–Schuylkill to fully align with the USCAA and the Pennsylvania State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC), all effective after the 2023–24 academic year. The sixth, Bacone, announced that it would cease all operations.
- 2024 – Spartanburg Methodist College and Carolina University joined the CAC in the 2024–25 academic year.
- 2025 – Two institutions will leave the CAC to join their respective new home primary conferences: Northern New Mexico to join the Cal Pac and Spartanburg Methodist to join the AAC, both effective in the 2025–26 academic year.[3]
Member schools
[edit]Schools that competes as independent in some sports that their own conference doesn't sponsor, competes in the CAC as affiliate members (except football).
Current full members
[edit]Departing members are highlighted in pink.
- Notes
- ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
- ^ Also sponsors football.
- ^ a b Also a Historically black college and university.
- ^ Georgia Gwinnett will add men's and women's basketball, beginning in fall 2025.[4]
- ^ a b School competed as a full Independent within the NAIA prior the inception of the AII/Continental beginning the 2008–09 school year.
- ^ UVic competes some of their sports in their primary home conference at the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (Canada West) of U Sports.
Current partial members
[edit]- Notes
- ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
- ^ a b Also a Historically black college and university.
Former full members
[edit] |
School names and nicknames listed here reflect those used in the final school year each institution was a member as an NAIA independent.
- Notes
- ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
- ^ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
- ^ Abbreviation for basketball.
- ^ a b Alberta's men's sports compete as the Golden Bears; while its women's sports they compete as the Pandas.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac School competed as a full Independent within the NAIA prior the inception of the AII/Continental, which began in the 2008–09 school year.
- ^ a b c Currently an U Sports (formerly the Canadian Interuniversity Sport, or CIS) athletic conference.
- ^ a b c d e f Also a Historically black college and university.
- ^ a b c d e f g Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
- ^ Formerly known as Southwestern College until 2011.
- ^ Former campus location was in Phoenix.
- ^ Formerly affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) until 2018.
- ^ Currently known as Belhaven University since 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
- ^ Part of the California State University System.
- ^ 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).
- ^ Formerly known as Clarke College until 2010.
- ^ Clarke now competes as the Pride since the 2017–18 school year.
- ^ a b Clarke left the Independent/AII/Continental ranks after the 2006–07 school year; before re-joining for only the 2015–16 school year.
- ^ a b This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not field men's sports.
- ^ Part of the South Dakota Board of Regents System.
- ^ Part of the University System of Georgia.
- ^ a b c Part of the North Dakota University System.
- ^ a b Fisk withdrew from the Independent/AII/Continental ranks from 2010–11 to 2013–14.
- ^ Includes online students. Current on-campus enrollment is about 25,300.
- ^ a b c d e Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
- ^ Formerly known as Silver Lake College until 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Part of the Indiana University System.
- ^ Currently known as Indiana University Columbus since 2024.
- ^ 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 closed the doors.
- ^ Currently known as the University of Jamestown since 2013.
- ^ Currently known as King University since 2013.
- ^ a b Life left the Independent/AII/Continental ranks after the 2011–12 school year, re-joining for only the 2013–14 school year.
- ^ a b c This institution held dual membership with the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).
- ^ Lincoln Christian discontinued its athletics program after the 2021–22 school year.
- ^ a b c This institution held dual membership with the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA).
- ^ Part of the University of Maine System.
- ^ 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.[5]
- ^ Part of the University of Missouri System.
- ^ UMKC rebranded its athletics as Kansas City and competes as the Roos since the 2019–20 school year.
- ^ 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.
- ^ This institution also sponsors football.
- ^ Currently known as Bushnell University since 2020.
- ^ a b Northwestern Ohio competed as an Independent while transitioning to join the American Mideast Conference as an associate (provisional) member.
- ^ Oral Roberts competes as the Golden Eagles since the 1993–94 school year.
- ^ College of the Ozarks left the Independent/AII/Continental ranks after the 2020–21 school year before re-joining in 2023–24
- ^ Patten dropped its athletic program after the 2011–12 school year.
- ^ Currently a United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) conference.
- ^ Formerly known as Philander Smith College until 2023.
- ^ a b Regina competes in all sports as the Cougars; with the exception of its football team, who compete as the Rams.
- ^ Currently known as Rochester Christian University since 2024.
- ^ Savannah A&D had sponsored men's or women's basketball until after the 2008–09 school year.
- ^ This institution held dual membership with the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
- ^ 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.
- ^ Part of the State University of New York System.
- ^ Formerly known as Crichton College until 2010.
- ^ Crichton (as Victory) re-instated its athletics program in fall 2010; until the university ceased operations after spring 2014.
- ^ Formerly known as Voorhees College until 2022.
- ^ Voorhees left the Independent/AII/Continental ranks after the 2012–13 school year before re-joining in the 2015–16 school year.
- ^ Part of the West Virginia University System.
- ^ Wilberforce left the Independent/AII/Continental ranks after the 2021–22 school year before re-joining in the 2023–24 school year.
- ^ At the time of its tenure in the NAIA, Winnipeg competed some of their sports in their primary home conference at the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (Canada West) of U Sports.
- ^ Currently known as York University since 2022.
Former partial members
[edit]| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined[a] | Left[b] | Current primary conference |
AII/CAC sport(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brescia University | Owensboro, Kentucky | 1925 | Catholic (Ursulines) |
2,252 | Bearcats | 1984? | 2009[c] | River States (RSC) | men's basketball women's basketball |
| Mountain State University | Beckley, West Virginia | 1933 | Nonsectarian | N/A | Cougars | 1977?m.bsk. 1980w.bsk. |
2009m.bsk.[d] 2012w.bsk.[d] |
Closed in 2012 | men's basketball women's basketball |
| Park University | Parkville, Missouri | 1875 | Nonsectarian | 2,340 | Pirates | 1994 | 2009[e] | Heart of America (HAAC) | men's basketball women's basketball |
| State University of New York at Delhi[f][g] (SUNY Delhi) |
Delhi, New York | 1913 | Public[h] | 3,088 | Broncos | 2010m.glf. 2012w.glf. |
2018m.glf. 2018w.glf. |
North Atlantic (NAC)[i] | men's golf women's golf |
- Notes
- ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
- ^ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
- ^ Brescia's basketball teams moved into the River States Conference (RSC) alongside its other sports after the 2008–09 school year.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ This institution held dual membership with the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
- ^ 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.
- ^ Part of the State University of New York System.
- ^ Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball |  |
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| Basketball | |
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| Cross Country | |
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| Golf | |
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| Soccer | |
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| Softball |
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| Track & Field Outdoor | |
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| Volleyball |
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See also
[edit]- NAIA independent football schools
- NCAA Division I independent schools
- NCAA Division II independent schools
- NCAA Division III independent schools
References
[edit]- ^ "NAIA Member Schools". NAIA. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ "Athletics' Conference, Association of Independent Institutions Re-brands to Continental Athletic Conference". Haskell Indians. June 26, 2021.
- ^ "Spartanburg Methodist College to Join AAC as Full Member in 2025-26" (Press release). July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
- ^ "Georgia Gwinnett College to Add Men's and Women's Basketball" (Press release). Georgia Gwinnett Athletics. April 18, 2024. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
- ^ "What you need to know about the closing of Marygrove College". model D. October 29, 2019.
External links
[edit]Continental Athletic Conference | ||
| All-sports |  | |