Great Plains Athletic Conference
| Great Plains Athletic Conference | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1969 |
| Association | NAIA |
| Members | 11 |
| Sports fielded | 19 (men's: 10; women's: 9) |
| Region | Central United States |
| Former names |
Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1969–1992) Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference (1992–2000) |
| Headquarters | Sioux City, Iowa |
| Commissioner | Corey Westra (since 2003) |
| Website |
www |
| Locations | |
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The Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Member institutions are located in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. The conference was founded in 1969 as the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, later becoming the Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference (1992) before being renamed the Great Plains Athletic Conference (2000).
History
The Great Plains Athletic Conference was founded in 1969 as the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The six charter members were Concordia University, Dana College, Doane College, Hastings College, Midland Lutheran College, and Nebraska Wesleyan University.[1] With the addition of Northwestern College in 1992, the NIAC was renamed the Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference. The NIAC became the Great Plains Athletic Conference in 2000 with the addition of Dakota Wesleyan University, Dordt College, Mount Marty College, and University of Sioux Falls. Later, Briar Cliff University and Morningside College joined the GPAC in 2002 and 2003 respectively. All former members of the NIAC remain affiliated with the GPAC except for Dana College, which closed in 2010, and Nebraska Wesleyan University, which left the conference in 2016. Corey Westra in Sioux City, Iowa, is the commissioner of the league.[2]
Member schools
Current members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briar Cliff University | Sioux City, Iowa | 1930 | 1,150 | Chargers | 2002 |
| Concordia University, Nebraska | Seward, Nebraska | 1894 | 2,200 | Bulldogs | 1969 |
| Dakota Wesleyan University | Mitchell, South Dakota | 1885 | 780 | Tigers | 2000 |
| Doane University | Crete, Nebraska | 1872 | 1,000 | Tigers | 1969 |
| Dordt College | Sioux Center, Iowa | 1955 | 1,400 | Defenders | 2000 |
| Hastings College | Hastings, Nebraska | 1882 | 1,150 | Broncos | 1969 |
| Midland University | Fremont, Nebraska | 1883 | 1,394 | Warriors | 1969 |
| Morningside College | Sioux City, Iowa | 1894 | 1,272 | Mustangs | 2003 |
| Mount Marty College | Yankton, South Dakota | 1936 | 1,100 | Lancers | 2000 |
| Northwestern College | Orange City, Iowa | 1882 | 1,200 | Red Raiders | 1992 |
| College of Saint Mary | Omaha, Nebraska | 1923 | 1,070 | Flames | 2015 |
- College of Saint Mary — women's institution, does not field men's sports.
Future member
| Institution | Location | Founded | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Current Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Jamestown[3] | Jamestown, North Dakota | 1883 | 967 | Jimmies | 2018 | North Star |
Former members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Nickname | Joined | Left | Current Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dana College | Blair, Nebraska | 1884 | Vikings | 1969 | 2010 | Closed in 2010 |
| Nebraska Wesleyan University | Lincoln, Nebraska | 1887 | Prairie Wolves | 1969 | 2016 | Iowa (NCAA D-III) |
| University of Sioux Falls | Sioux Falls, South Dakota | 1883 | Cougars | 2000 | 2011 | Northern Sun (NCAA D-II) |
Membership timeline
Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football)
Sponsored sports
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball |  | |
| Basketball | | |
| Cross Country | | |
| Football | | |
| Golf | | |
| Soccer | | |
| Softball | | |
| Tennis | | |
| Track & Field Indoor | | |
| Track & Field Outdoor | | |
| Volleyball | | |
| Wrestling | |