American Midwest Conference

In this article, we will explore all aspects related to American Midwest Conference. From its origin to its impact on today's society, through its applications in different areas, American Midwest Conference has become a topic of growing interest in recent years. Through a detailed and rigorous analysis, we will examine its evolution over time, as well as its relevance today. Additionally, we will address the opinions of experts in the field, who will offer their perspectives and reflections on American Midwest Conference. By comparing different points of view and evaluating empirical evidence, this article aims to provide a comprehensive and complete view of American Midwest Conference.

American Midwest Conference
FormerlyShow-Me Conference (1986–1994)
AssociationNAIA
Founded1986
CommissionerWill Wolper
Sports fielded
  • 17
    • men's: 8
    • women's: 9
No. of teams12 (10 in 2025)
HeadquartersSt. Louis, Missouri
RegionMidwest and South
Official websitewww.amcsportsonline.com
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

The American Midwest Conference (AMC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) with 12 member institutions located in Arkansas and Missouri in the United States.

History

American Midwest Conference
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
110km
68miles
Columbia
Haskell
Mission
Crowley's Ridge
Cottey
Central Baptist
UHSP
Stephens
Williams Baptist
WWU
MBU
HSSU
Hannibal–LaGrange
Location of AMC members: current, associate, departing

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

  • 1986 – The American Midwest Conference was founded as the Show-Me Conference. Charter members included Columbia College of Missouri, Hannibal–LaGrange College (now Hannibal–LaGrange University), Harris-Stowe State College (now Harris-Stowe State University), Missouri Baptist College (now Missouri Baptist University) and Park College (now Park University), beginning the 1986–87 academic year.
  • 1987 – McKendree College (now McKendree University) joined the Show-Me in the 1987–88 academic year.
  • 1990 – Fontbonne left the Show-Me and the NAIA to fully align with the Division III ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) after the 1989–90 academic year.
  • 1993 – Iowa Wesleyan College (later Iowa Wesleyan University), Lindenwood College (now Lindenwood University) and William Woods College (now William Woods University) joined the Show-Me in the 1993–94 academic year.
  • 1994 – Park left the Show-Me to join the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC) for most sports, while its men's basketball team had become an NAIA Independent after the 1993–94 academic year.
  • 1994 – The Show-Me Conference was rebranded as the American Midwest Conference in the 1994–95 academic year.
  • 1995 – Iowa Wesleyan left the American Midwest to join the Midwest Classic Conference (MCC) after the 1994–95 academic year.
  • 1996 – Lindenwood left the American Midwest to join the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) after the 1995–96 academic year.
  • 2001 – Williams Baptist College (now Williams Baptist University) joined the American Midwest in the 2001–02 academic year.
  • 2003 – The University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) joined the American Midwest in the 2003–04 academic year.
  • 2008 – Stephens College joined the American Midwest in the 2008–09 academic year.
  • 2009 – Illinois–Springfield (UIS) left the American Midwest and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) after the 2008–09 academic year.
  • 2009 – Park rejoined the American Midwest in the 2009–10 academic year.
  • 2011 – McKendree left the American Midwest and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent (which would later join the GLVC beginning the 2012–13 academic year) after the 2010–11 academic year.
  • 2011 – Benedictine University at Springfield joined the American Midwest in the 2011–12 academic year.
  • 2012 – Lyon College joined the American Midwest in the 2012–13 academic year.
  • 2013 – Freed–Hardeman University and Mid-Continent University joined the American Midwest in the 2013–14 academic year.
  • 2014 – Mid-Continent left the American Midwest after spending one season, as the school ceased operations after the 2013–14 academic year.
  • 2014 – Lindenwood University at Belleville and the St. Louis College of Pharmacy (now the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, a.k.a. UHSP) joined the American Midwest in the 2014–15 academic year.
  • 2015 – Benedictine–Springfield left the American Midwest, as the school ceased operations after the 2014–15 academic year.
  • 2015 – Central Baptist College joined the American Midwest in the 2015–16 academic year.
  • 2017 – Calumet College of St. Joseph and Marian University joined the American Midwest as associate members for men's wrestling in the 2017–18 academic year.
  • 2019 – Lincoln College of Illinois joined the American Midwest as an associate member for men's wrestling in the 2019–20 academic year.
  • 2020 – Three institutions left the American Midwest to join their respective new home primary conferences, all effective after the 2019–20 academic year:
  • 2020 – Marian (Ind.) left the American Midwest as an associate member for men's wrestling after the 2019–20 academic year.
  • 2022 – Lincoln (Ill.) left the American Midwest as an associate member for men's wrestling as the school announced that it would close after the 2021–22 academic year.
  • 2022 – Cottey College joined the American Midwest from the AII/Continental ranks in the 2022–23 academic year.
  • 2023 – Lyon left the American Midwest and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the SLIAC after the 2022–23 academic year.[1]
  • 2023 – Haskell Indian Nations University joined the American Midwest as an associate member for men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field in the 2023–24 academic year.
  • 2024 – Mission University (formerly Baptist Bible College) and Crowley's Ridge College both joined the American Midwest in the 2024–25 academic year.
  • 2025 – Missouri Baptist and William Woods will both leave the American Midwest to join the HAAC after the 2024–25 academic year.

Member schools

Current members

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

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[a]
Central Baptist College Conway, Arkansas 1952 Baptist Missionary 739 Mustangs 2015
Columbia College Columbia, Missouri 1851 Nonsectarian 4,000 Cougars 1986
Cottey College[b] Nevada, Missouri 1884 Nonsectarian 300 Comets 2022[2]
Crowley's Ridge College Paragould, Arkansas 1964 Churches
of Christ 		225 Pioneers 2024
Hannibal–LaGrange University Hannibal, Missouri 1858 Southern Baptist 494 Trojans 1986
Harris–Stowe State University St. Louis, Missouri 1857 Public 1,084 Hornets 1986
Mission University[c] Springfield, Missouri 1950 BBFI 227 Patriots 2024
Missouri Baptist University Creve Coeur, Missouri 1828 Southern Baptist 5,231 Spartans 1986
Stephens College[b] Columbia, Missouri 1833 Nonsectarian 590 Stars 2008
University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis St. Louis, Missouri 1864 Nonsectarian 1,260 Eutectics 2014
William Woods University[d] 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. ^ a b This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not field men's sports.
  3. ^ Formerly known as Baptist Bible College until 2024.
  4. ^ This institution is a former women's college, which has eventually turned into a co-educational college (William Woods since 1997–98).


Associate members

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

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[a] AMC
sport(s) 		Primary
conference
Haskell Indian Nations University Lawrence, Kansas 1884 Public tribal 958 Fighting Indians 2023 men'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:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[a] Left[b] Subsequent
conference(s) 		Current
conference
Benedictine University at Springfield Springfield, Illinois 1927 Catholic
(Ursulines) 		N/A Bulldogs 2011[c] 2015 Discontinued athletics Closed in 2018
Fontbonne College[d] Clayton, Missouri 1923 Catholic
(C.S.J.) 		2,900 Griffins 1986 1990 St. Louis (SLIAC)[e]
(1990–2025)
(closing in 2025)
Freed–Hardeman University Henderson, Tennessee 1869 Churches of Christ 2,050+ Lions 2013 2020 Mid-South (MSC)
(2020–present)
University of Illinois at Springfield Springfield, Illinois 1969 Public 2,654 Prairie Stars 2003 2009 Great Lakes Valley (GLVC)[f]
(2009–present)
Iowa Wesleyan College[g] Mount Pleasant, Iowa 1842 United Methodist 570 Tigers 1993 1995 various[h] Closed in 2023[i]
Lindenwood College[j] St. Charles, Missouri 1827 Presbyterian
(PCUSA) 		4,822 Lions 1993 1996 various[k] Ohio Valley (OVC)[l]
(2022–present)
Lindenwood University at Belleville Belleville, Illinois 2003 Presbyterian
(PCUSA) 		N/A Lynx 2014 2020 Closed in 2020
Lyon College Batesville, Arkansas 1872 Presbyterian
(PCUSA) 		700 Scots 2012 2023 St. Louis (SLIAC)[e]
(2023–present)
McKendree University Lebanon, Illinois 1828 United Methodist 1,702 Bearcats 1987 2011 NAIA/NCAA D-II Independent
(2011–12) 		Great Lakes Valley (GLVC)[f]
(2012–present)
Mid-Continent University Mayfield, Kentucky 1949 Southern Baptist N/A Cougars 2013 2014 Closed in 2014
Park University Parkville, Missouri 1875 Nonsectarian 2,340 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. ^ a b c Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  6. ^ a b c d Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  7. ^ Currently known as Iowa Wesleyan University since 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[e] (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[f] (MIAA) from 2012–13 to 2018–19; and the Great Lakes Valley Conference[f] (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:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[a] Left[b] AMC
sport 		Primary
conference
Calumet College of St. Joseph Whiting, Indiana 1951 Catholic
(C.PP.S.) 		1,292 Crimson Wave 2017[c] 2022 men's wrestling Chicagoland (CCAC)
Lincoln College Lincoln, Illinois 1865 Nonsectarian 800 Lynx 2019 2022 Closed in 2022
Marian University Indianapolis, Indiana 1851 Catholic
(S.S.F.) 		3,595 Knights 2017 2020 Crossroads
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. ^ Due to the COVID outbreaks, Calumet opted to not compete during the 2020–21 school year.

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)

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

Sports

Conference sports
Sport Men's Women's
Baseball Green tickY
Basketball Green tickY Green tickY
Cross Country Green tickY Green tickY
Golf Green tickY Green tickY
Soccer Green tickY Green tickY
Softball Green tickY
Track & Field Indoor Green tickY Green tickY
Track & Field Outdoor Green tickY Green tickY
Volleyball Green tickY
Wrestling Green tickY

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.
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