Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Explained

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Color:
  1. 003F5F
Font Color:white
Founded:1890
Association:NAIA
Teams:14
Sports:21
Mens:10
Womens:11
Formerly:Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Kansas College Athletic Conference
Headquarters:Wichita, Kansas
Commissioner:Scott Crawford
Since:2007
Map:KCAC-USA-states.PNG
Map Size:250

The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The KCAC is the oldest conference in the NAIA and the second-oldest in the United States, tracing its history to 1890.

History

On February 15, 1890, the Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Association was formed; it was the first successful attempt to organize Kansas colleges for the purposes of promoting and regulating amateur intercollegiate athletics. In addition to the private universities and colleges, the conference also included Kansas State Agriculture College (now Kansas State University), the University of Kansas, and Washburn University. In November of that year, the first college football game in Kansas was played between the Kansas Jayhawks and Baker University.[1]

About 1902 the association allied with the Kansas College Athletic Conference, the first group to adopt a definite set of rules and regulations. By the 1920s the conference had changed its name to Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and had grown to include 17 regular members and 2 allied members (no longer including the University of Kansas or Kansas State). In 1923 seven colleges withdrew to form the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

On December 1, 1928, the Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was formally disbanded and replaced by a new Kansas College Athletic Conference which included six members and formed the present legal entity. It was commonly referred to as the "Little Six", in contrast to the Big Six Conference that eventually became the current Big 12. By 1968 the conference grew to include 12 members. It was organized into Northern and Southern divisions until 1970 when three colleges withdrew to join Missouri-based conferences. In the mid-1970s the name was changed to its current form.[2]

1905 night game

See 1905 Cooper vs. Fairmount football game

In the 1905 season, the Coleman Company set up temporary gas-powered lighting for a night game against Cooper College (now called the Sterling Warriors). It was the first night football game played west of the Mississippi River.[3] Fairmount (now Wichita State University) won the game 24–0.[4]

1905 "experimental" game

See 1905 Washburn vs. Fairmount football game

On December 25, 1905, Fairmount played a game against the Washburn Ichabods using a set of experimental rules. The game was officiated by then Washburn head coach John H. Outland.

The experiment was considered a failure. Outland commented, "It seems to me that the distance required in three downs would almost eliminate touchdowns, except through fakes or flukes."[5] The Los Angeles Times reported that there was much kicking and that the game was considered much safer than regular play, but that the new rule was not "conducive to the sport."[6]

In his history of the sport of football, David M. Nelson concluded that "the first forward passes were thrown at the end of the 1905 season in a game between Fairmount and Washburn colleges in Kansas."[7] According to Nelson, Washburn completed three passes, and Fairmount completed two.

Chronological timeline

Member schools

Current members

The KCAC currently has fourteen full members, all are private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoined
Avila UniversityKansas City, Missouri1916Catholic
1,676Eagles2018
Bethany CollegeLindsborg, Kansas1881Lutheran ELCA500Swedes1902
Bethel CollegeNorth Newton, Kansas1887Mennonite500Threshers1902;
1939
Evangel UniversitySpringfield, Missouri1955Assemblies of God1,511 Valor2023
Friends UniversityWichita, Kansas1898Nondenominational3,000Falcons1902;
1953
Kansas Wesleyan UniversitySalina, Kansas1886United Methodist1,000Coyotes1902
McPherson CollegeMcPherson, Kansas1887Brethren844Bulldogs1902
Oklahoma Wesleyan UniversityBartlesville, Oklahoma1972Wesleyan Church1,103Eagles2015
Ottawa UniversityOttawa, Kansas1865Baptist726Braves1902;
1982
Leavenworth, Kansas1859Catholic
1,280Spires1999
Southwestern CollegeWinfield, Kansas1885United Methodist1,650Moundbuilders1902;
1958
Sterling CollegeSterling, Kansas1887Evangelical Christian750Warriors1902;
1958
Tabor CollegeHillsboro, Kansas1908Mennonite Brethren600Bluejays1968
York UniversityYork, Nebraska1890Churches of Christ459Panthers2016
Notes:

Associate members

The KCAC currently has 15 associate members, all are private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedKCAC
sport
Primary
conference
Benedictine CollegeAtchison, Kansas1858Catholic
2,189Ravens2015
2015
men's lacrosse
women's lacrosse
Heart of America (HAAC)
Bethel UniversityMishawaka, Indiana1947Missionary1,964Pilots2020
2020
men's swimming
women's swimming
Crossroads
Clarke UniversityDubuque, Iowa1843Catholic
1,075Pride2015
2015
men's lacrosse
women's lacrosse
Heart of America (HAAC)
Columbia College of MissouriColumbia, Missouri1851Nonsectarian4,000Cougars2017
2021
men's lacrosse
eSports
American Midwest
Cottey CollegeNevada, Missouri1884Nonsectarian300Comets2020women's flag footballAmerican Midwest
Culver–Stockton CollegeCanton, Missouri1853Disciples of Christ1,066Wildcats2019women's lacrosseHeart of America (HAAC)
Hastings CollegeHastings, Nebraska1882Presbyterian
1,150Broncos2017women's wrestlingGreat Plains (GPAC)
Jamestown, North Dakota1883Presbyterian
1,000Jimmies2017
2021
women's wrestling
women's swimming
Great Plains (GPAC)
Midland UniversityFremont, Nebraska1883Lutheran ELCA1,394Warriors2019
2015
2020
2019
2019
2020
men's lacrosse
women's lacrosse
women's wrestling
men's swimming
women's swimming
women's flag football
Great Plains (GPAC)
Missouri Baptist UniversityCreve Coeur, Missouri1957Southern Baptist5,309Spartans2019
2019
men's lacrosse
women's lacrosse
American Midwest
Missouri Valley CollegeMarshall, Missouri1889Presbyterian
1,728Vikings2015
2015
men's lacrosse
women's lacrosse
Heart of America (HAAC)
Morningside UniversitySioux City, Iowa1894United Methodist2,824Mustangs2019
2019
2020
2020
men's lacrosse
women's lacrosse
men's swimming
women's swimming
Great Plains (GPAC)
St. Ambrose UniversityDavenport, Iowa1882Catholic
3,607Fighting Bees2016
2017
men's lacrosse
women's lacrosse
Chicagoland (CCAC)
Omaha, Nebraska1923Catholic
1,070Flames2022women's swimming & divingGreat Plains (GPAC)
William Penn UniversityOskaloosa, Iowa1873Quakers1,550Statesmen2019
2019
men's lacrosse
women's lacrosse
Heart of America (HAAC)
Notes:

Former members

The KCAC had 12 former full members, all but five were private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftSubsequent
conference(s)
Current
conference
Baker UniversityBaldwin City, Kansas1858United Methodist989Wildcats19021971Heart of America (HAAC)
(1971–present)
Emporia, Kansas1882PresbyterianN/AFighting Presbies1902;
1933
1923;
1971
variousClosed in 1974
Fairmont CollegeWichita, Kansas1895Public15,778Shockers19021923variousThe American
(2017–present)
Kansas City UniversityKansas City, Kansas1896MethodistN/ACowboys19021923Independent
(1923–33)
Closed in 1933
Kansas State Teachers College of EmporiaEmporia, Kansas1863Public5,887Hornets &<br>Lady Hornets19021923variousMid-America (MIAA)
(1991–present)
Kansas State Teachers College of HaysHays, Kansas1902Public14,658Tigers19021923variousMid-America (MIAA)
(2006–present)
Kansas State Teachers College of PittsburgPittsburg, Kansas1903Public7,102Gorillas19021923variousMid-America (MIAA)
(1989–present)
Kansas State Agricultural CollegeManhattan, Kansas1863Public
20,229Wildcats19021913variousBig 12
(1996–present)
Atchison, Kansas1858Catholic
2,189Ravens19021928variousHeart of America (HAAC)
(1991–present)
Winfield, Kansas1893Lutheran LCMSN/AEagles19021923Independent
(1923–86)
Closed in 1986
Dodge City, Kansas1913Catholic
N/ACavaliers &<br>Saints19681992Closed in 1992
St. Marys, Kansas1848Catholic
N/AKnights19021931N/A
Washburn UniversityTopeka, Kansas1865Public7,971Ichabods19021923variousMid-America (MIAA)
(1989–present)
Notes:

Former associate members

The KCAC had four former associate members, all were private schools:

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftKCAC
sport
Primary
conference
Johnson & Wales University–ColoradoDenver, Colorado1914Nonsectarian1,291Wildcats20152018women's lacrosseN/A
Lincoln CollegeLincoln, Illinois1865Nonsectarian800Lynx2019
2019
2021
2021
men's swimming
women's swimming
N/A
Missouri Baptist UniversityCreve Coeur, Missouri1957Southern Baptist5,309Spartans20172020women's wrestlingAmerican Midwest
St. Gregory's UniversityShawnee, Oklahoma1914Catholic
692Cavaliers20152016men's lacrosseN/A
Notes:

Membership timeline

DateFormat = yyyy

ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20

Period = from:1902 till:2027

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PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:40 top:5

Colors = id:line value:black id:bg value:white id:Full value:rgb(0.7,0.9,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports id:FullxF value:rgb(0.9,0.8,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football id:AssocF value:rgb(0.9,0.7,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.8,0.9,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for another sport only id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference when the other color has already been used

PlotData = width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:Full from:1902 till:1971 text:Baker (1902–1971) bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:1971 till:end text:HAAC

bar:2 color:Full from:1902 till:end text:Bethany (Ks.) (1902–present)

bar:3 color:Full from:1902 till:1928 text:Bethel (Ks.) (1902–1928) bar:3 color:AssocOS from:1928 till:1929 text: bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:1929 till:1939 text:Ind. bar:3 color:Full from:1939 till:end text:(1939–present)

bar:4 color:Full from:1902 till:1923 text:Coll. of Emporia (1902–1923) bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:1923 till:1933 text:Ind. bar:4 color:Full from:1933 till:1971 text:(1933–1971) bar:4 color:OtherC1 from:1971 till:1974 text:HAAC

bar:5 color:Full from:1902 till:1923 text:Fairmount (1902–1923) bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:1923 till:1940 text:CIC bar:5 color:OtherC2 from:1940 till:1945 text:Ind. bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:1945 till:2017 text:MVC bar:5 color:OtherC2 from:2017 till:end text:The American

bar:6 color:Full from:1902 till:1928 text:Friends (1902–1928) bar:6 color:AssocOS from:1928 till:1929 text: bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:1929 till:1953 text:Ind. bar:6 color:Full from:1953 till:end text:(1953–present)

bar:7 color:Full from:1902 till:end text:Kansas Wesleyan (1902–present)

bar:8 color:Full from:1902 till:1923 text:KSTC–Emporia (1924–1923) bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:1923 till:1968 text:CIC bar:8 color:OtherC2 from:1968 till:1972 text:RMAC bar:8 shift:(10) color:OtherC1 from:1972 till:1976 text:GPAC bar:8 shift:(20) color:OtherC2 from:1976 till:1989 text:CSIC bar:8 shift:(-30) color:OtherC1 from:1989 till:1991 text:D-II Ind. bar:8 color:OtherC2 from:1991 till:end text:MIAA

bar:9 color:Full from:1902 till:1923 text:KSTC–Fort Hays (1902–1923) bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1923 till:1968 text:CIC bar:9 color:OtherC2 from:1968 till:1972 text:RMAC bar:9 shift:(10) color:OtherC1 from:1972 till:1976 text:GPAC bar:9 shift:(20) color:OtherC2 from:1976 till:1989 text:CSIC bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1989 till:2006 text:RMAC bar:9 color:OtherC2 from:2006 till:end text:MIAA

bar:10 color:Full from:1902 till:1923 text:KSTC–Pittsburg (1902–1923) bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1923 till:1968 text:CIC bar:10 color:OtherC2 from:1968 till:1972 text:RMAC bar:10 shift:(10) color:OtherC1 from:1972 till:1976 text:GPAC bar:10 shift:(20) color:OtherC2 from:1976 till:1989 text:CSIC bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1989 till:end text:MIAA

bar:11 color:Full from:1902 till:1913 text:Kansas Agricultural (1902–1913) bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:1913 till:1928 text:MVC bar:11 color:OtherC2 from:1928 till:1996 text:Big 8 bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:1996 till:end text:Big 12

bar:12 color:Full from:1902 till:end text:McPherson (1902–present)

bar:13 color:Full from:1902 till:1971 text:Ottawa (1902–1971) bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1971 till:1982 text:HAAC bar:13 color:Full from:1982 till:end text:(1982–present)

bar:14 color:Full from:1902 till:1928 text:St. Benedict's (Ks.) (1902–1928) bar:14 color:AssocOS from:1928 till:1929 text: bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:1929 till:1937 text:Ind. bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:1937 till:1962 text:CIC bar:14 color:OtherC1 from:1962 till:1991 text:NAIA Ind. bar:14 color:OtherC2 from:1991 till:2015 text:HAAC bar:14 color:AssocOS from:2015 till:end text:(2015–present)

bar:15 color:Full from:1902 till:1931 text:St. Mary's College (1902–1931)

bar:16 color:Full from:1902 till:1928 text:Sterling (1902–1928) bar:16 color:AssocOS from:1928 till:1929 text: bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1929 till:1958 text:Ind. bar:16 color:Full from:1958 till:end text:(1958–present)

bar:17 color:Full from:1902 till:1923 text:Southwestern (Ks.) (1902–1923) bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:1923 till:1958 text:CIC bar:17 color:Full from:1958 till:end text:(1958–present)

bar:18 color:Full from:1902 till:1923 text:Washburn (1902–1923) bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1923 till:1933 text:CIC bar:18 color:OtherC2 from:1933 till:1940 text:Ind. bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1940 till:1968 text:CIC bar:18 color:OtherC2 from:1968 till:1972 text:RMAC bar:18 shift:(10) color:OtherC1 from:1972 till:1976 text:GPAC bar:18 shift:(20) color:OtherC2 from:1976 till:1989 text:CSIC bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1989 till:end text:MIAA

bar:19 color:Full from:1902 till:1923 text:St. John's (Ks.) (1902–1923) bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:1923 till:1986 text:Ind.

bar:20 color:Full from:1902 till:1923 text:Kansas City (1902–1923) bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:1923 till:1933 text:Ind.

bar:21 color:Full from:1968 till:1992 text:St. Mary of the Plains (1968–1992)

bar:22 color:Full from:1968 till:end text:Tabor (Ks.) (1968–present)

bar:23 color:Full from:1999 till:end text:Saint Mary (1999–present)

bar:24 shift:(-120) color:FullxF from:2015 till:end text:Oklahoma Wesleyan (2015–present)

bar:25 shift:(-120) color:AssocOS from:2015 till:end text:Clarke (2015–present)

bar:26 shift:(-120) color:AssocOS from:2015 till:2018 text:Johnson & Wales–Colorado (2015–2018)

bar:27 shift:(-120) color:AssocOS from:2015 till:end text:Midland (2015–present)

bar:28 shift:(-120) color:AssocOS from:2015 till:end text:Missouri Valley (2015–present)

bar:29 shift:(-120) color:AssocOS from:2015 till:2016 text:St. Gregory's (Okla.) (2015–2016)

bar:30 shift:(-100) color:FullxF from:2016 till:end text:York (Neb.) (2016–present)

bar:31 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2016 till:end text:St. Ambrose (2016–present)

bar:32 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2017 till:end text:Midland (2017–present)

bar:33 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2017 till:end text:Hastings (2017–present)

bar:34 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2017 till:end text:Jamestown (2017–present)

bar:35 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2017 till:end text:Missouri Baptist (2017–present)

bar:36 shift:(-100) color:Full from:2018 till:end text:Avila (2018–present)

bar:37 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2019 till:end text:Culver–Stockton (2019–present)

bar:38 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2019 till:2021 text:Lincoln (Ill.) (2019–2021)

bar:39 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2019 till:end text:Morningside (2019–present)

bar:40 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2019 till:end text:William Penn (2019–present)

bar:41 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2020 till:end text:Bethel (Ind.) (2020–present)

bar:42 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2020 till:end text:Cottey (2020–present)

bar:43 shift:(-80) color:Full from:2023 till:end text:Evangel (2023–present)

bar:N color:red from:1902 till:1923 text:KCAC bar:N color:blue from:1923 till:1928 text:KIAC bar:N color:red from:1928 till:1970 text:Kansas College Athletic Conference bar:N color:blue from:1970 till:end text:Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

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TextData = fontsize:M textcolor:black pos:(0,25) tabs:(400-center) text:^"Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference membership history"

  1. > If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space.

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Sports

Men'sWomen's

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See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: College Football in Kansas. Kansas Historical Quarterly. Harold. Evans. August 1940. 285–311. September 11, 2012.
  2. http://naia.cstv.com/member-services/conferences/profiles/NAIA_ConferenceProfile_Kansas.pdf National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
  3. Web site: First Light (1900–1929). . November 24, 2012.
  4. Web site: Wichita State Yearly Results (1905). College Football Data Warehouse. April 4, 2011. David. DeLassus.
  5. Web site: Ten Yard Rule a Failure. New York Times. December 26, 1905.
  6. Web site: New Football Rules Tested. https://web.archive.org/web/20120302033628/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/349469012.html?dids=349469012:349469012&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Dec+26%2C+1905&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=NEW+FOOTBALL+RULES+TESTED.&pqatl=google. dead. March 2, 2012. Los Angeles Times. December 26, 1905.
  7. Book: Nelson, David M.. The Anatomy of a Game: Football, the Rules, and the Men Who Made the Game. University of Delaware Press. 1994. 0-87413-455-2. registration., p. 128