Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) is an College Athletic Conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. As the name implies, member teams are located in the state of Iowa.

History

The Iowa Conference dates back to December 8, 1922, when representatives from 12 colleges got together and formed the “Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association.” Charter members were Buena Vista University, Central College, Ellsworth College, Iowa Wesleyan College, Luther College, Morningside College, Parsons College, St. Ambrose University, Simpson College, Upper Iowa University, Western Union College and William Penn University. Des Moines University was voted into the conference at that meeting as well.

The first Conference constitution was published in January 1923. Also that year, Judge Hubert Utterback of Des Moines, Iowa was named the first conference commissioner and Iowa Teachers (now known as University of Northern Iowa was accepted as a member. Columbia College (now known as Loras College) was admitted in 1926. Ellsworth left the Conference in 1927. That spring the Conference’s name was changed to the “Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.” After a three-year ban, athletics were reinstated at the University of Dubuque in 1928-29, and it joined the conference in 1929. Wartburg College was admitted to the conference in 1936, beginning competition the following year. Morningside College dropped out in 1936 because of inactivity. William Penn was suspended from the Conference in 1949 for using ineligible players. The school was back in the Conference in 1951, though it did not compete in football until later. In 1951, St. Ambrose and Loras dropped from football competition.

The Iowa Conference reorganized in 1953, effective with the 1954-55 school year. Nine schools remained in the Conference: Buena Vista, Central, Dubuque, Iowa Wesleyan, Luther, Parsons, Simpson, Upper Iowa and Wartburg. William Penn was readmitted to the Conference in 1960, effective in the spring of 1962. Parsons left the Conference around 1963, while Iowa Wesleyan left effective June 1, 1965. Loras rejoined the Conference in 1986, increasing the Conference membership to nine schools, which continued until 1997 when Coe and Cornell left the Midwest Conference to join the IIAC. The Conference was at 11 schools until its 80th Anniversary year (2001-02) when William Penn decided to leave and switch its affiliation from the NCAA to the NAIA. The IIAC became a nine school Conference when Upper Iowa reclassified to NCAA Division II prior to the start of the 2003-04 academic year.

Member Schools

ports

Member teams field men's and women's teams in cross country, basketball, track and field, swimming and diving, golf, soccer, tennis. Men's teams are field for baseball, football and wrestling. Women's teams are field for softball and volleyball.

Former member teams

*Morningside College held concurrent membership in the North Central Conference until dropping out of the IIAC in 1935, now a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (and NAIA).
*St. Ambrose University joined the Midwest Classic Conference
*William Penn College joined the Midwest Classic Conference
*Upper Iowa University joined Division II and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
*Iowa Wesleyan College joined the Midwest Classic Conference
*Ellsworth College became a junior college
*Westmar College closed in 1997
*Parsons College closed in 1973
*Des Moines University Dropped Athletics
*Iowa State Teachers College joined the North Central Conference in 1935, eventually joined Division I (now called the University of Northern Iowa)

External links

* [http://www.iowaconference.com IIAC Home Page]