Heartland Conference
 | |
| Association | NCAA |
|---|---|
| Ceased | 2019 |
| Commissioner | Tony Stigliano (final) (since 1999) |
| Sports fielded |
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| Division | Division II |
| Region | South Central United States |
| Official website | heartlandsports |
| Locations | |
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The Heartland Conference was a collegiate athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division II level, which was founded in 1999. The majority of members were in Texas, with additional members in Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. The conference office was located in Waco, Texas.
History
The conference was formed in 1999 by founding members Drury University, University of the Incarnate Word, Lincoln University, Rockhurst University, St. Edward's University, St. Mary's University and Texas Wesleyan University. Oklahoma Panhandle State University and Dallas Baptist University joined in 2002. Founding members Drury and Rockhurst left the Heartland Conference to join the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) in 2005. Western New Mexico University and Montana State University - Billings joined in 2005. However, WNMU re-joined the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in 2006 and MSUB joined the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in 2007. Newman University, Texas A&M International University and the University of Texas of the Permian Basin joined the conference in 2006, making the transition from NAIA to NCAA Division II.[1] The University of Arkansas – Fort Smith joined the conference in the Fall of 2009 after transitioning from the NJCAA.[2] In the fall of 2010, Lincoln left for the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association[3] and Incarnate Word left for the Lone Star Conference.[4] In July 2011, McMurry University announced that it had been accepted as candidate for D-II membership and would join the Heartland Conference in the fall of 2012.[5] In February 2012, Oklahoma Christian University announced its intention to seek membership in NCAA Division II.[6] In Spring 2012, Rogers State University, a member of the NAIA Sooner Athletic Conference, applied for membership.[7] The conference confirmed in July 2012 that Oklahoma Christian's teams would play full conference schedules starting in Fall 2012 and that Rogers State and Lubbock Christian University would begin conference play in 2013-14.[8]
On August 30, 2017, the Lone Star Conference announced that eight of the nine members of the Heartland Conference would join in fall 2019;[9] the remaining member, Newman, announced it would seek other affiliation at that time.[10] On February 8, 2018, Newman announced that it would become an associate member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association beginning in the 2019–20 season.[11] On October 18, 2018 Rogers State decided to join the MIAA instead of the Lone Star.[12]
Member schools
Final members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors | Joined | Left | Current primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas – Fort Smith | Fort Smith, Arkansas | 1928 | 6,713 | Lions | 2009 | 2019 | Lone Star | |
| Dallas Baptist University | Dallas, Texas | 1898 | 5,500 | Patriots | 2002 | |||
| Lubbock Christian University | Lubbock, Texas | 1957 | 2,100 | Chaparrals & Lady Chaps | 2013 | |||
| Newman University | Wichita, Kansas | 1933 | 2,700 | Jets | 2006 | Mid-America | ||
| Oklahoma Christian University | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 1950 | 2,479 | Eagles & Lady Eagles | 2012 | Lone Star | ||
| Rogers State University | Claremore, Oklahoma | 1909 | 4,227 | Hillcats | 2013 | Mid-America | ||
| St. Edward's University | Austin, Texas | 1885 | 5,500 | Hilltoppers | 1999 | Lone Star | ||
| St. Mary's University | San Antonio, Texas | 1852 | 4,500 | Rattlers | 1999 | |||
| Texas A&M International University | Laredo, Texas | 1969 | 4,298 | Dustdevils | 2006 |
Final affiliate members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors | Joined | Left | Heartland sport(s) |
Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern New Mexico University | Portales, New Mexico | 1934 | 5,574 | Greyhounds | 2016–17 | 2018–19 | Men's soccer | Lone Star | |
| Midwestern State University | Wichita Falls, Texas | 1922 | 6,093 | Mustangs | |||||
| University of Texas of the Permian Basin[a] | Odessa, Texas | 1973 | 3,600 | Falcons | |||||
| West Texas A&M University | Canyon, Texas | 1910 | 8,389 | Buffaloes |
- Notes
- ^ Texas–Permian Basin was a full member in the Heartland from 2006–07 to 2015–16.
Prior full members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Nickname | Joined | Left | Current conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drury University | Springfield, Missouri | 1873 | Panthers | 1999 | 2005 | GLVC |
| University of the Incarnate Word | San Antonio, Texas | 1881 | Cardinals | 1999 | 2010 | Southland (NCAA D-I) (WAC in 2022) |
| Lincoln University (MO) | Jefferson City, Missouri | 1866 | Blue Tigers | 1999 | 2010 | Mid-America |
| McMurry University | Abilene, Texas | 1923 | War Hawks | 2012 | 2014 | American Southwest (NCAA D-III) |
| Montana State University Billings | Billings, Montana | 1927 | Yellowjackets | 2005 | 2007 | Great Northwest |
| Oklahoma Panhandle State University | Goodwell, Oklahoma | 1909 | Aggies | 2002 | 2017 | Sooner (NAIA) |
| Rockhurst University | Kansas City, Missouri | 1910 | Hawks | 1999 | 2005 | GLVC |
| Texas Wesleyan University | Fort Worth, Texas | 1890 | Rams | 1999 | 2001 | Sooner (NAIA) |
| Western New Mexico University | Silver City, New Mexico | 1893 | Mustangs | 2005 | 2006 | Lone Star |
Membership timeline
Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football) Associate member (football-only) Associate member (sport)
Sports
Dallas Baptist's baseball team competed in NCAA Division I for much of its Heartland Conference tenure. At the time the league disbanded, the Patriots were single-sport members of the Missouri Valley Conference.
The Heartland Conference sponsored 13 sports, seven for women and six for men.
| A divisional format was used for soccer (M). | ||
North
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South
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West
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| 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 |
| |
| Tennis | |
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| Volleyball |
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Men's sponsored sports by school
| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross Country |
Golf | Soccer | Tennis | Total HC Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas–Fort Smith |
|
|
|
|
|
5 | |
| Dallas Baptist |
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|
|
|
|
5 | |
| Lubbock Christian |
|
|
|
|
|
5 | |
| Newman |
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|
|
|
|
|
6 |
| Oklahoma Christian |
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|
|
|
|
5 | |
| Rogers State |
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|
|
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|
5 | |
| St. Edward's |
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|
|
|
|
|
6 |
| St. Mary's |
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|
|
|
|
5 | |
| Texas A&M International |
|
|
|
|
|
5 | |
| Totals | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 47 |
| Affiliate members | |||||||
| Eastern New Mexico |
|
1 | |||||
| Midwestern State |
|
1 | |||||
| Texas–Permian Basin |
|
1 | |||||
| West Texas A&M |
|
1 | |||||
Women's sponsored sports by school
| School | Basketball | Cross Country |
Golf | Soccer | Softball | Tennis | Volleyball | Total HC Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas–Fort Smith |
|
|
|
|
|
5 | ||
| Dallas Baptist |
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|
|
|
|
5 | ||
| Lubbock Christian |
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|
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|
6 | |
| Newman |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
7 |
| Oklahoma Christian |
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|
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|
5 | ||
| Rogers State |
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|
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|
5 | ||
| St. Edward's |
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|
7 |
| St. Mary's |
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|
|
6 | |
| Texas A&M International |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 | |
| Totals | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 52 |
Other sponsored sports by school
| School | Men | Women | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseball ‡ | Swimming & Diving |
Track & Field Indoor |
Track & Field Outdoor |
Wrestling | Swimming & Diving |
Track & Field Indoor |
Track & Field Outdoor | |||
| Dallas Baptist | MVC | IND | IND | IND | IND | |||||
| Newman | MIAA | |||||||||
| Oklahoma Christian | RMAC | IND | GAC | RMAC | IND | GAC | ||||
| Rogers State | GAC | GAC | ||||||||
- ‡ — D-I sport
National championships
| Sport | School | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Men's Basketball | Arkansas-Fort Smith | 1981 |
| Baseball | St. Mary's | 2001 |
| Softball | St. Mary's | 2002 |
| Men's Golf (Individual) | Jamie Amoretti (StMU) | 2006 |
| Women's Basketball | Lubbock Christian | 2016, 2019 |
Arkansas-Fort Smith (as Westark Junior College) won the 1981 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJACC) men's basketball national championship.
St. Mary's won NAIA national championships in Softball (1986) and Men's Basketball (1989).[13]
St. Mary's Men's Golf team was named the Golf Coaches Association of America 2008-2009 Academic National Champions, which St. Mary's treats as a fifth team national.
Dallas Baptist won the 2003 National Christian College Athletic Association Baseball national championship.
Lubbock Christian won NAIA national championships in Baseball (1983 & 2009) and Softball (2008).
References
- ^ "- About the Heartland Conference". Archived from the original on 2009-03-21. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
- ^ University of Arkansas at Fort Smith Accepts Invitation to Join Heartland Conference - arkansasbusiness.com - March 2, 2009
- ^ Lincoln returns to MIAA - St. Joseph News-Press - February 2, 2009[permanent dead link]
- ^ "LSC to add Incarnate Word in 2010 - www.lonestarconference.org - January 20, 2009". Archived from the original on 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2009-03-11.
- ^ "NCAA accepts McMurry's application to transition to Division II - www.mcmurrysports.com - July 12, 2011". Archived from the original on 2012-04-23. Retrieved 2011-07-14.
- ^ King, Kevin (February 7, 2012). "Oklahoma Christian To Seek NCAA Division II Membership". KTUL TV. Archived from the original on 2014-03-01. Retrieved February 7, 2012.
- ^ Adame, Tony (June 23, 2012). "Newman athletics continues to make progress". Wichita Eagle. Archived from the original on 2014-03-02. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ "Heartland Conference - Oklahoma Christian, Lubbock Christian, and Rogers State Earn Right to Join NCAA DII and Heartland Conference". Heartlandsports.org. 2012-07-14. Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-08-04.
- ^ "Lone Star Conference to Add Eight Schools in 2019" (Press release). Lone Star Conference. 2017-08-30. Archived from the original on 2017-08-31. Retrieved 2017-08-31.
- ^ "Newman To Explore New Conference Affiliation" (Press release). Newman University Athletics. 2017-08-30. Archived from the original on 2017-08-31. Retrieved 2017-08-31.
- ^ "Newman To Compete In MIAA As Associate Member In 2019-20" (Press release). Newman University Athletics. February 8, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
- ^ "Hillcats to join MIAA Conference for 2019-2020 season". RSU Hillcats. October 18, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-10-19. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ "Rattler Athletics Timeline". Archived from the original on 2010-02-27. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
