Midwest Conference
Encyclopedia
The Midwest Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA
's Division III. Member institutions are located in the Midwestern United States
in the states of Illinois
, Iowa
, and Wisconsin
. The Midwest Conference was created in 1994 with the merger of the Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference, which had been sponsoring men's sports since 1921, and the Midwest Athletic Conference for Women, which was formed in 1977.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
's Division III. Member institutions are located in the Midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
in the states of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. The Midwest Conference was created in 1994 with the merger of the Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference, which had been sponsoring men's sports since 1921, and the Midwest Athletic Conference for Women, which was formed in 1977.
Current members
| School | Location | Nickname | Color | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Year Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beloit College Beloit College Beloit College is a liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin, USA. It is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest, and has an enrollment of roughly 1,300 undergraduate students. Beloit is the oldest continuously operated college in Wisconsin, and has the oldest building of any college... |
Beloit, Wisconsin Beloit, Wisconsin Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, Beloit had a population of 36,966. The greater Beloit area is home to more than 91,000 residents.-Claim to fame:... (37,710) |
Buccaneers | College Blue & Vegas Gold | 1846 | Private | 1,288 | 1921 |
| Carroll University | Waukesha, Wisconsin Waukesha, Wisconsin Waukesha is a city in and the county seat of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, in the Upper Midwest region of the United States. The population was 70,718 at the 2010 census, making it the largest community in the county and 7th largest in the state. The city is located adjacent to the Town of Waukesha... (68,008) |
Pioneers/Lady Pioneers | Orange & White | 1846 | Private/Presbyterian | 2,493 | 1992 |
| Grinnell College Grinnell College Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College.... |
Grinnell, Iowa Grinnell, Iowa Grinnell is a city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,218 at the 2010 census. Grinnell was named after Josiah Bushnell Grinnell and is the home of Grinnell College.- History :... (9,105) |
Pioneers | Scarlet & Black | 1846 | Private | 1,636 | 1940 |
| Illinois College Illinois College Illinois College is a private, liberal arts college, affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church , and located in Jacksonville, Illinois. It was the second college founded in Illinois, but the first to grant a degree . It was founded in 1829 by the Illinois Band,... |
Jacksonville, Illinois Jacksonville, Illinois Jacksonville is a city in Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18,940 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Morgan County.... (18,904) |
Blueboys/Lady Blues | Blue & White | 1829 | Private/UCC & Presbyterian | 864 | 1982 |
| Knox College | Galesburg, Illinois Galesburg, Illinois Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County.... (33,706) |
Prairie Fire | Purple & Gold | 1837 | Private | 1,355 | 1921 |
| Lake Forest College Lake Forest College Lake Forest College, founded in 1857, is a private liberal arts college in Lake Forest, Illinois. The college has 1,500 students representing 47 states and 78 countries.... |
Lake Forest, Illinois Lake Forest, Illinois Lake Forest is an affluent city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The city is south of Waukegan along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded around Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in... (21,300) |
Foresters | Red & Black | 1857 | Private | 1,342 | 1974 |
| Lawrence University Lawrence University Lawrence University is a selective, private liberal arts college with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, in Appleton, Wisconsin. Lawrence University is known for its rigorous academic environment. Founded in 1847, the first classes were held on November 12, 1849... |
Appleton, Wisconsin Appleton, Wisconsin Appleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census... (72,085) |
Vikings | Blue & White | 1847 | Private | 1,415 | 1921 |
| Monmouth College Monmouth College Monmouth College is a four-year coeducational private liberal arts college located in Monmouth, Illinois, United States.-History:Monmouth College was founded on April 18, 1853 by the Second Presbytery of Illinois, a frontier arm of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church... |
Monmouth, Illinois Monmouth, Illinois Monmouth is a city in and the county seat of Warren County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the home of Monmouth College and contains Monmouth Park, Harmon Park, North Park, Warfield Park, West Park, South Park, Garwood Park, Buster White Park and the Citizens Lake & Campground. It is the host... (9,841) |
Fighting Scots | Red & White | 1853 | Private/Presbyterian | 1,314 | 1924 |
| Ripon College Ripon College (Wisconsin) Ripon College is a liberal arts college in Ripon, Wisconsin, USA. It offers small class sizes and intensive mentoring to students. Ripon has a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa--one of the nation's most prestigious honor societies. Alumni have high rates of success in the workforce as well as acceptance... |
Ripon, Wisconsin Ripon, Wisconsin Ripon is a city in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,828. The City of Ripon's official website claims the city's current population to be 7,701. The city is surrounded by the Town of Ripon.... (6,828) |
Red Hawks | Red & White | 1851 | Private | 1,036 | 1923 |
| St. Norbert College St. Norbert College St. Norbert College is a private Catholic liberal arts college in De Pere, Wisconsin. Founded in October 1898 by Abbot Bernard Pennings, a Norbertine priest and educator, the school was named after Saint Norbert of Xanten. In 1952, the college became coeducational and today enrolls about 2,175... |
De Pere, Wisconsin De Pere, Wisconsin De Pere is a city located in Brown County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 20,559 at the 2000 census. De Pere is a suburb of Green Bay and is part of the Green Bay Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Registered historic places:... (20,559) |
Green Knights | Dartmouth Green & Old Gold | 1898 | Private/Catholic | 2,019 | 1982 |
Former members
| School | Location | Nickname | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Year Joined | Year Left | Current Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton College Carleton College Carleton College is an independent non-sectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, USA. The college enrolls 1,958 undergraduate students, and employs 198 full-time faculty members. In 2012 U.S... |
Northfield, Minnesota Northfield, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile... |
Knights | 1866 | Private | 1,750 | 1921 | 1983 | Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. As the name implies, member schools are located in the state of Minnesota... |
| Coe College Coe College Coe College is a private, four-year, liberal arts college in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Founded in 1851, the institution is historically affiliated with the Presbyterian Church . Its current president is James R. Phifer. It is one of the smaller universities to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa... |
Cedar Rapids, Iowa Cedar Rapids, Iowa Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city... |
Kohawks | 1851 | Private/Presbyterian | 1,355 | 1921 | 1997 | Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 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:... |
| Cornell College Cornell College Cornell College is a private liberal arts college in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Originally called the Iowa Conference Seminary, the school was founded in 1853 by Reverend Samuel M. Fellows... |
Mount Vernon, Iowa Mount Vernon, Iowa Mount Vernon is a city in Linn County, Iowa, United States, adjacent to the city of Lisbon. The city's population was 3,390 when the 2000 census figures were released, but that number was later revised to 3,808 because the Census Bureau had incorrectly reported that 418 residents of a Cornell... |
Rams | 1853 | Private/Methodist | 1,155 | 1921 | 1997 | Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference 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:... |
| Hamline University Hamline University -Red Wing location :Hamline was named in honor of Leonidas Lent Hamline, a bishop of the Methodist Church whose interest in the frontier led him to donate $25,000 toward the building of an institution of higher learning in what was then the territory of Minnesota. Today, a statue of Bishop Hamline... |
St. Paul, Minnesota | Pipers | 1854 | Private/Methodist | 1,944 | 1922 | 1930 | Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. As the name implies, member schools are located in the state of Minnesota... |
| Millikin University Millikin University Millikin University is an American co-educational, comprehensive, private, four-year university with traditional undergraduate programs in arts and sciences, business, fine arts, and professional studies, as well as non-traditional, adult degree-completion programs and graduate programs in... |
Decatur, Illinois Decatur, Illinois Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,... |
Big Blue | 1901 | Private/Presbyterian | 2,200 | 1922 | 1925 | College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin is a college athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. Its member teams are located in Illinois and Wisconsin. CCIW schools have won 35 Division III national championships since 1973. The conference was founded in 1946 as the... |
| St. Olaf College St. Olaf College St. Olaf College is a coeducational, residential, four-year, private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota, United States. It was founded in 1874 by a group of Norwegian-American immigrant pastors and farmers, led by Pastor Bernt Julius Muus. The college is named after Olaf II of Norway,... |
Northfield, Minnesota Northfield, Minnesota As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,452.2 people per square mile . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of 732.1 per square mile... |
Oles | 1874 | Private/Lutheran (ELCA) | 2,900 | 1952 | 1974 | Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. As the name implies, member schools are located in the state of Minnesota... |
| University of Chicago University of Chicago The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890... |
Chicago, Illinois | Maroons | 1890 | Research University | 13,400 | 1976 | 1987 | University Athletic Association University Athletic Association The University Athletic Association is an American athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III. Member teams are located in Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, and New York... |
Fall
- men's & women's cross countryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- men's footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
- women's golfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- men's & women's soccer
- women's tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- women's volleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
Winter
- men's & women's basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- men's & women's indoor track and fieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- men's & women's swimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
Spring
- men's baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- men's golfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- men's & women's outdoor track and fieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- women's softballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
- men's tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
Conference facilities
| School | Football Field | Capacity | Basketball Arena | Capacity | Baseball Field | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beloit College | Strong Stadium | 3,500 | Flood Arena | 2,500 | Ballpark at Strong Stadium | |||
| Carroll University | Schneider Stadium | 4,200 | Van Male Arena | 1,100 | Frame Park | |||
| Grinnell College | Rosenbloom Field | 5,000 | Darby Gym | 1,250 | Grinnell Baseball Diamond | |||
| Illinois College | England Stadium | 3,000 | Sherman Gymnasium | 1,600 | Joe Brooks Field | |||
| Knox College | Knosher Bowl | 4,000 | Memorial Gym | 3,000 | Blodgett Field | |||
| Lake Forest College | Farwell Field | 1,000 | Lake Forest Sports Center | No Baseball Team | ||||
| Lawrence University | Banta Bowl | 5,255 | Alexander Gym | 1,280 | Whiting Field | |||
| Monmouth College | Bobby Woll Memorial Field | 2,000 | Glennie Gymnasium | 1,600 | Glasgow Field | |||
| Ripon College | Ingalls Field | 3,500 | Storzer Gymnasium | 1,000 | Francis Field | |||
| St. Norbert College | Minaham Stadium | 3,100 | Schuldes Center | 2,000 | Mel Nichols Sports Complex |