List of college athletic conferences in the United States
In college athletics in the United States , institutions typically join in conferences for regular play under different governing bodies.
Varsity sports
There are several national and regional associations governing the varsity teams of colleges and universities . Varsity teams are typically funded by an institution's athletic department, and under some governing bodies players are eligible for athletic scholarships .
Multi-sport conferences
Football-only conferences
Ice hockey conferences
Other single-sport conferences
This list also includes conferences in sports that the NCAA does not split into divisions.
Single-sport conferences
Appalachian Swimming Conference
New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference
Pacific Coast Swim Conference
Single-sport conferences
Football-only conference
Central Region
Mid-East Region
Mid-West Region
North Region
North Central Region
South Region
Southwest Region
West Region
Northern Region
Southern Region
Eastern Region
Western Region
Independent conferences
Other collegiate sports associations
Boxing
Cycling
ACCC: Atlantic Collegiate Cycling Conference
RMCCC: Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cycling Conference
ECCC: Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference
SCCCC: South Central Collegiate Cycling Conference
MWCCC: Midwestern Collegiate Cycling Conference
SECCC: Southeastern Collegiate Cycling Conference
NCCCC: North Central Collegiate Cycling Conference
SWCCC: Southwestern Collegiate Cycling Conference
NWCCC: Northwestern Collegiate Cycling Conference
WCCC: Western Collegiate Cycling Conference
Fencing
Baltimore-Washington Collegiate Fencing Conference (BWCFC)
Northern California Intercollegiate Fencing League (NCIFL)
Southern Atlantic Conference (SAC)
Southwestern Intercollegiate Fencing Association (SWIFA)
Gymnastics
Lacrosse
See: Category:College lacrosse leagues in the United States
Rowing
Volleyball
Water polo
Wrestling
National Collegiate Wrestling Association
Mid-Atlantic – Teams from Tennessee, the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware
North Central – Teams from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin
Northeast – Teams from New York, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont
Northwest – Teams from Washington and British Columbia
Southeast – Teams from Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi
Southwest – Teams from Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Kansas
West – Teams from California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona
List of oldest college sports conferences
The following table is a sortable listing of the oldest college sports conferences (organizations of athletic teams at the collegiate level) in the United States of America. This includes U.S. collegiate sports organizations of NCAA Divisions I, II, and III; as well as various sports including Rowing, Cricket, Basketball, Hockey, Wrestling, Football, Basketball, Track, and more.
Conference
Alias
Founded
Defunct
Type
Predecessor
Successor
Rowing Association of American Colleges [ 1]
RAAC
1870
1894
Rowing
Intercollegiate Rowing Association
Intercollegiate Rowing Association [ 2]
IRA
1895
Rowing
Rowing Association of American Colleges
Intercollegiate Cricket Association [ 3]
ICA
1881
1924
Cricket
Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League [ 4]
Ivy League
1901
1955
Basketball
Ivy League
Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association [ 5]
EIWA
1903
Wrestling
Ivy League [ 6]
Ivies
1954
NCAA
Rowing Association of American Colleges , Intercollegiate Cricket Association , Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League , Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association
Big Ten Conference [ 7]
B1G
1896
NCAA
Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives, Western Conference, Big Nine, does not retain legacy of Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the Northwest
Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the Northwest [ 8]
IAAN
1892
1893
Football, Baseball, Track
Big Ten Conference
Southwest Conference [ 9]
SWC
1914
1996
NCAA
Southwest Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Big 12 Conference , Western Athletic Conference , Conference USA
Big 12 Conference [ 10]
Big 12
1994*
NCAA
Southwest Conference , Big Eight Conference , but does not retain legacy of either*
Pac-12 Conference [ 11]
Pac-12
1915
NCAA
Pacific Coast Conference,[ a] Athletic Association of Western Universities, Pacific-8, Pacific-10
Missouri Valley Conference [ 12]
MVC / Valley
1907
NCAA
Shares founding members with Big Eight Conference
Big Eight Conference [ 13]
Big 8
1907
1996
NCAA
Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Big Six Conference, Big Seven Conference, Big Eight Conference
Big 12 Conference
Border Conference [ 14]
1931
1962
NCAA
Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Western Athletic Conference , Pac-12 Conference , Big 12 Conference
Skyline Conference [ 15]
Skyline Eight
1938
1962
NCAA
Mountain States Athletic Conference, Big Seven, Skyline Six
Western Athletic Conference , Mountain West
Western Athletic Conference [ 16]
WAC
1962
NCAA
Border Conference , Skyline Conference , Pac-12 Conference
Pac-12 Conference , Mountain West , Conference USA
Metro Conference [ 17]
Metro
1975
1995
NCAA
Conference USA , Big East , American Athletic Conference
American Athletic Conference [ 18]
The American / AAC
1979
NCAA
Big East
Big East Conference [ 19]
Big East
1979
NCAA
Atlantic 10 Conference
American Athletic Conference , Atlantic Coast Conference , Big East Conference
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association [ 20]
SIAA
1892
1947
NCAA
Southeastern Conference , Atlantic Coast Conference , Big 12 Conference , Conference USA , Ohio Valley Conference , Southern Athletic Association , and others
Southern Conference [ 21]
SoCon
1921
NCAA
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Southeastern Conference , Atlantic Coast Conference , Metro Conference , Atlantic 10 Conference , Coastal Athletic Association , Conference USA
Southeastern Conference [ 22]
SEC
1932
NCAA
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association , Southern Conference , Big 12 Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference [ 23]
ACC
1953
NCAA
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association , Southern Conference , Metro Conference , Big East
Mid-American Conference [ 24]
MAC
1946
NCAA
Southwestern Athletic Conference [ 25]
SWAC
1920
NCAA
Big West Conference [ 26]
BWC
1968
NCAA
Pacific Coast Athletic Association
Western Athletic Conference , Mountain West
West Coast Conference [ 27]
WCC
1952
NCAA
California Basketball Association, West Coast Athletic Conference
Big West Conference , Western Athletic Conference , Mountain West
Atlantic 10 Conference [ 28]
A-10
1976
NCAA
Eastern Collegiate Basketball League, Eastern Athletic Association, Eastern 8
Big East , American Athletic Conference
Yankee Conference [ 29]
1947[ b]
1997
NCAA
New England Conference
Atlantic 10 Conference , CAA Football [ c]
Coastal Athletic Association Football Conference [ 30]
CAA Football
2007
NCAA
New England Conference ,[ d] Yankee Conference ,[ e] Atlantic 10 Conference
Coastal Athletic Association [ 30]
CAA
1979
NCAA
ECAC
New England Conference [ 31]
1923
1947
NCAA
New England College Conference of Intercollegiate Athletics
Yankee Conference
Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference [ 32]
IIAC
1908
1970
NCAA
Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Western Collegiate Hockey Association [ 33]
WCHA
1951
Hockey
Midwest Collegiate Hockey League, Western Intercollegiate Hockey League
ECAC Hockey [ 34]
ECAC
1961
Hockey
Eastern College Athletic Conference, ECAC Hockey League
North Central Conference [ 35]
NCC
1922
2008
Division II
Northern Sun , Summit
Northern California Athletic Conference [ 36]
NCAC
1925
1996
Division II
Far Western Conference
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association [ 37]
CIAA
1912
Division II
Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Conference Carolinas [ 38]
CVAC
1930
Division II
North State Conference, Carolinas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference
California Collegiate Athletic Association [ 39]
CCAA
1938
Division II
Lone Star Conference [ 40]
LSC
1931
Division II
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association [ 41]
MIAA
1912
Division II
Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference [ 42]
NSIC
1932
Division II
Northern Teachers Athletic Conference, State Teacher's College Conference of Minnesota, Northern Intercollegiate Conference, Northern Sun Conference
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference [ 43]
RMAC
1909
Division II
Colorado Faculty Athletic Conference, Rocky Mountain Faculty Athletic Conference
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference [ 44]
SIAC
1913
Division II
West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference [ 45]
WVIAC
1924
2013
Division II
Mountain East , Great Midwest
American Rivers Conference [ 46]
ARC
1922
Division III
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Middle Atlantic Conferences [ 47]
MAC
1912
Division III
Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletics Association, Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Conference
Midwest Conference [ 48]
MWC
1921
Division III
Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference, Midwest Athletic Conference for Women
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference [ 49]
MIAC
1920
Division III
Northwest Conference [ 50]
NWC
1926
Division III
Ohio Athletic Conference [ 51]
OAC
1902
Division III
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference [ 52]
SCIAC
1915
Division III
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference [ 53]
WIAC
1913
Division III
Inter-Normal Athletic Conference of Wisconsin, Wisconsin State Teachers College Conference, Wisconsin State College Conference, Wisconsin State University Athletic Conference
^ The Pacific Coast Conference operated under a separate charter from the conference now known as the Pac-12. While the PCC dissolved in 1959, the Pac-12 claims that conference's history as its own.
^ The Yankee Conference was an all-sports conference until 1976, when it became a football-only league.
^ CAA Football is technically separate from the all-sports Coastal Athletic Association, though administered by the latter.
^ Despite significant continuity between the New England Conference and Yankee Conference, CAA Football does not recognize the former as an ancestor.
^ The all-sports CAA and CAA Football consider the latter's history to have started with the formation of the Yankee Conference.
See also
References
^ "IRA – Friends of Rowing History" . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "IRA Regatta" . May 17, 2008. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "The Home of CricketArchive" . cricketarchive.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Ivy League Index" . College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association" .
^ "About the Ivy League" . ivyleague.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "About the Conference" . Big Ten Conference . Archived from the original on August 20, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Welcome cfbdatawarehouse.com - BlueHost.com" . www.cfbdatawarehouse.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "TSHA | Southwest Conference" . www.tshaonline.org . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Big 12 Biography" . big12sports.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "About the Pac-12" . pac-12.com . Archived from the original on April 25, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "This is The Valley" . mvc-sports.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Big Eight Conference - Athletic History Site" . October 12, 2013. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Conference Champions" . February 13, 2010. Archived from the original on February 13, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "New League Is Established" . The Daily Inter Lake . October 12, 1961. p. 6. Retrieved February 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Western Athletic Conference" .
^ "History lesson: Super-conference concept rooted in 1990 proposal" . www.sportsbusinessjournal.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "American Athletic Conference" . theamerican.org . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "BIG EAST Conference History" . www.bigeast.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Prospects for Sport: The Southern Inter-Collegiate Association Organized" . Richmond Times-Dispatch . 29 Dec 1892. p. 2. Retrieved February 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "The History of the Southern Conference" . soconsports.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "SEC History" . www.secsports.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "2022 ACC Annual Report (PDF) - Atlantic Coast Conference" (PDF) . theacc.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "History of the MAC" . getsomemaction.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "SWAC History" . swac.org . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "About The Big West" . bigwest.org . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "West Coast Conference History" . wccsports.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "About the Atlantic 10 Conference" . atlantic10.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "N.E. Conference Formed Among Six Colleges" . The Berkshire Eagle . December 18, 1946. p. 20. Retrieved February 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ a b "THE CAA & CAA FOOTBALL" . caasports.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "New England Schools Begin Organization" . Pittsburgh Daily Post . January 30, 1923. p. 12. Retrieved February 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Home" . Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Mission, Purpose, and History" . wcha.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "History and Records" . ecachockey.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "North Central Conference" . northcentral.prestosports.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Conference Champions" . February 13, 2010. Archived from the original on February 13, 2010. Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "About The CIAA" . theciaa.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Conference Carolinas History & Roots" . conferencecarolinas.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "CCAA Champions" . goccaa.org . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Lone Star Conference History" . lonestarconference.org . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "About The Association" . themiaa.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "History of the NSIC" . northernsun.org . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "RMAC History" . rmacsports.org . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "SIAC HISTORY" . thesiac.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ MetroNews (June 19, 2012). "A Break Up For WVIAC" . WV MetroNews . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Conference History" . rollrivers.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "Conference Champions" . gomacsports.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "MWC History" . midwestconference.org . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "The MIAC Story: Collegiate Athletics at its Best" . miacathletics.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "NWC History" . nwcsports.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
^ "About the OAC" .
^ "SCIAC" .
^ "History" . wiacsports.com . Retrieved February 4, 2023 .
External links