Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference

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Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
NACC
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference logo
Established2006
AssociationNCAA
DivisionDivision III
Members14
Sports fielded
  • 21
    • men's: 11
    • women's: 10
RegionUpper Midwest
Former namesNorthern Athletics Conference
HeadquartersMilwaukee, Wisconsin
CommissionerJeff Ligney (since 2020)
Websitenaccsports.org/
Locations
Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference locations

The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC), formerly the Northern Athletics Conference (NAC), is a college athletic conference. It participates in the NCAA's Division III and began its first season in the fall of 2006.

The NACC sponsors 21 sports. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, and volleyball. Women's squads are fielded in basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field and volleyball. The newest NACC sports are men's volleyball, added in the 2017–18 school year,[1] and men's and women's lacrosse, added in the 2020-21 school year.[2]

The NACC became eligible for automatic NCAA postseason berths in 2008–09.

History[]

The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference began its first season of competition in the fall of 2006 as the Northern Athletics Conference. The name change took place at the beginning of the 2013–14 academic year. The NACC consists of 13 colleges and universities from the shared-border states of Illinois and Wisconsin. Many have shared traditional rivalries dating back to the NACC's predecessor conferences: the Lake Michigan Conference and the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference.

Charter members include: Alverno College, Aurora University, Benedictine University, Concordia University Chicago, Concordia University Wisconsin, Dominican University, Edgewood College, Lakeland College, Maranatha Baptist University, Marian University, Rockford College and Wisconsin Lutheran College.

Just three changes to the league's core membership have occurred, as the Milwaukee School of Engineering joined the NAC in the fall of 2007, and Maranatha withdrew from the league in the summer of 2013.[3] In 2017, the Illinois Institute of Technology announced that they would be joining the NACC for the 2018 athletic season, coinciding with their acceptance as a full NCAA Division III member.[4]

Also in 2017, Benedictine, which had been contemplating a move to NCAA Division II, was formally invited to join the D-II Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), pending NCAA approval of its entry into the D-II transition process. Benedictine formally applied to begin this transition in advance of a February 1, 2018 deadline, and was officially approved to enter the transition process in July of that year. In October 2018, Benedictine reversed course and rescinded its request to withdraw from the NACC.[5]

The most recent membership change was announced on April 3, 2019, when St. Norbert College, already slated to become an associate member in men's volleyball (and, subsequently, men's and women's golf) in 2019–20, was upgraded to full NACC membership effective in 2021–22.[6]

Member schools[]

Current members[]

Institution Location Nickname Colors Founded Type Undergraduate
enrollment 		Joined
North Division
Alverno College† Milwaukee, Wisconsin Inferno Red, White, & Black 1887 Private/Catholic 1,664 2006
Concordia University Wisconsin Mequon, Wisconsin Falcons Blue & White 1880 Private/Lutheran Missouri Synod 2,473 2006
Edgewood College Madison, Wisconsin Eagles Black, White, & Red 1927 Private/Catholic 1,570 2006
Lakeland University Plymouth, Wisconsin Muskies Navy Blue & Gold 1862 Private/United Church of Christ 1,023 2006
Marian University Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Sabres Royal Blue, Scarlet, & White 1936 Private/Catholic 1,497 2006
St. Norbert College De Pere, Wisconsin Green Knights Green and Gold 1898 Private/Catholic 2,180 2021[a]
Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee, Wisconsin Warriors Forest Green & White 1973 Private/Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod 917 2006
South Division
Aurora University Aurora, Illinois Spartans Royal Blue & White 1893 Private/Non-sectarian 2,309 2006
Benedictine University Lisle, Illinois Eagles Cardinal & White 1887 Private/Catholic 2,740 2006
Concordia University Chicago River Forest, Illinois Cougars Maroon & Gold 1864 Private/Lutheran Missouri Synod 1,361 2006
Dominican University River Forest, Illinois Stars Royal Blue, Black, & White 1901 Private/Catholic 1,697 2006
Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee, Wisconsin Raiders Cardinal & White 1903 Private/Non-sectarian 2,122 2007
Rockford University Rockford, Illinois Regents Purple & White 1847 Private/Non-sectarian 765 2006
Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, Illinois Scarlet Hawks Red & Black 1890 Private/Non-sectarian 2,977 2018
Note
  1. ^ St. Norbert was an affiliate member for men's volleyball, men's golf and women's golf during its final two years as a member of the Midwest Conference (2019–2021).[6]

† - Women's college, therefore not competing in men's sports

Associate members[]

Institution Location Nickname Colors Founded Type Undergraduate enrollment Joined Primary conference NACC sport
Eureka College Eureka, Illinois Red Devils Maroon and Gold 1855 Private/Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 680 2018 SLIAC football
Mount Mary University Milwaukee, Wisconsin Blue Angels Blue and White 1913 Private/Catholic 529 2015 C2C women's cross country

Former associate members[]

Institution Location Nickname Colors Founded Type Undergraduate
enrollment 		Joined Primary conference NACC sport
Bethany Lutheran College Mankato, Minnesota Vikings Red & White 1927 Private/Lutheran (ELS) 550 2011 UMAC women's golf
Martin Luther College New Ulm, Minnesota Knights Red, Black, & White 1995 Private/Lutheran (WELS) 800 2011 UMAC women's golf
University of Minnesota Morris Morris, Minnesota Cougars Maroon & Gold 1960 Public 1,900 2011 UMAC women's golf
Northland College Ashland, Wisconsin LumberJacks (men's)
LumberJills (women's) 		Orange & Blue 1906 Private/United
Church of Christ 		700 2011 UMAC women's golf
University of Northwestern – St. Paul Roseville, Minnesota Eagles Purple & Gold 1902 Private/
Non-denominational 		2,944 2011 UMAC women's golf

Former member[]

Institution Location Nickname Colors Founded Type Undergraduate
enrollment 		Joined Left New conference
Maranatha Baptist University Watertown, Wisconsin Sabercats Navy Blue, Gold, & Crimson 1968 Private/Baptist 765 2006 2013 Independent

Membership timeline[]

St. Norbert CollegeIllinois Institute of TechnologyMilwaukee School of EngineeringWisconsin Lutheran CollegeRockford UniversityMarian University (Wisconsin)Maranatha Baptist UniversityLakeland College (Wisconsin)Edgewood CollegeDominican University (Illinois)Concordia University WisconsinConcordia University ChicagoBenedictine UniversityAurora UniversityAlverno College

Sports[]

Fall[]

Winter[]

See also: Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Men's Basketball Tournament

Spring[]

References[]

  1. ^ "NACC To Add Men's Volleyball In 2018" (Press release). Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. January 10, 2017. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  2. ^ "NACC Announces Addition of Men's and Women's Lacrosse in 2021". NACC. August 6, 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2020. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ "About the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ^ "Illinois Tech Joins Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference". 3 May 2017. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ^ "Benedictine University to Stay in NCAA Division III - Eagles eligible to compete in postseason competition" (Press release). Benedictine University. October 25, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  6. ^ a b "NACC Welcomes St. Norbert College as Full Member in 2020-21" (Press release). Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference. April 3, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019.

External links[]

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