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Summit League

American college athletic conference

Summit League

American college athletic conference

FieldValue
nameSummit League
color#003494;
font_color#FFFFFF
logoSummit League logo.svg
logo_size200
founded
associationNCAA
divisionDivision I
subdivisionnon-football
teams9 full (8 in 2026)
(7 associates)
sports19
mens9
womens10
region{{plainlist
formerlyAssociation of Mid-Continent Universities (1982–1989)
Mid-Continent Conference (1989–2007)
headquartersSioux Falls, South Dakota
commissionerJosh Fenton
since2021
TVMidco Sports
website
mapThe Summit League map.svg
map_size250

(7 associates)

  • Midwestern United States
  • Western United States
  • Southern United States}} Mid-Continent Conference (1989–2007)

The Summit League, or The Summit, is an NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletic conference with its membership mostly located in the Midwestern United States, from Minnesota in the east, to the Dakotas, Nebraska and Colorado to the West, and Missouri and Oklahoma to the South. Founded as the Association of Mid-Continent Universities in 1982, then again as the Summit League on June 1, 2007. The league headquarters are in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The membership currently consists of nine full members plus six associate members. The most recent change in the core conference membership is the 2021 arrival of the University of St. Thomas, which began an unprecedented transition from NCAA Division III to Division I. A year earlier, the University of Missouri–Kansas City returned as a full member after a seven-year absence with the new athletic identity of the Kansas City Roos, while Purdue University Fort Wayne left for the Horizon League. A total of 32 schools have been full members; the last charter member remaining in the league, Western Illinois University, left for the Ohio Valley Conference on July 1, 2023, in most sports, with men's soccer playing one more season before leaving at the conclusion of the fall 2023 season.

The Summit does not sponsor football, but five of its members play the sport in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), and since 2025 the Summit has had a formal relationship with the single-sport Missouri Valley Football Conference, the football home of four of those five schools.

History

| mark-coord = |mark-size=10 |label=Denver |label-pos = right | mark = Red pog.svg | label-color = black | mark-coord1 = |mark-size1=10 |label1=Kansas City |label-pos1 = left | mark1 = Blue pog.svg | label-color1 = black | mark-coord2 = |mark-size2=10 |label2=Omaha |label-pos2 = left | mark2 = Blue pog.svg | label-color2 = black | mark-coord3 = |mark-size3=10 |label3=North Dakota |label-pos3 = left | mark3 = Blue pog.svg | label-color3 = black | mark-coord4 = |mark-size4=10 |label4=North Dakota State |label-pos4 = left | mark4 = Blue pog.svg | label-color4 = black | mark-coord5 = |mark-size5=10 |label5=Oral Roberts |label-pos5 = top | mark5 = Blue pog.svg | label-color5 = black | mark-coord6 = |mark-size6=10 |label6=South Dakota |label-pos6 = left | mark6 = Blue pog.svg | label-color6 = black | mark-coord7 = |mark-size7=10 |label7=South Dakota State |label-pos7 = left | mark7 = Blue pog.svg | label-color7 = black | mark-coord8 = |mark-size8=10 |label8=St. Thomas |label-pos8 = top | mark8 = Blue pog.svg | label-color8 = black | mark-coord10 = |mark-size10=10 |label10=Eastern Illinois |label-pos10 = left | mark10 = Orange pog.svg | label-color10 = black | mark-coord11 = |mark-size11=10 |label11=Drake |label-pos11 = top | mark11 = Orange pog.svg | label-color11 = black | mark-coord12 = |mark-size12=10 |label12=Illinois State |label-pos12 = top | mark12 = Orange pog.svg | label-color12 = black | mark-coord13 = |mark-size13=10 |label13=Northern Colorado |label-pos13 = right | mark13 = Orange pog.svg | label-color13 = black | mark-coord15 = |mark-size15=10 |label15=Southern Indiana |label-pos15 = left | mark15 = Orange pog.svg | label-color15 = black Not shown: current affiliates Delaware and UMass

Early Days

The conference can trace its roots back to 1978, when the Mid-Continent Athletic Association was founded as a football-only conference playing in Division II at the time. Its inaugural members were the University of Akron, Eastern Illinois University, University of Northern Iowa, Northern Michigan University, Western Illinois University, and Youngstown State University; Wayne State University had also expressed interest in joining, but ultimately never did. Akron left after the 1979 season, while Northern Michigan and Youngstown State left the following year; they were replaced by Southwest Missouri State (now known as Missouri State University) in 1981. The 1981 season also saw the conference as a whole move from Division II to Division I-AA; this would be the conference's final season under the name of the Mid-Continent Athletic Association.

Foundation

The new association was officially created on June 18, 1982, at the O'Hare Hilton Hotel in Chicago, Illinois as the Association of Mid-Continent Universities (or AMCU or AMCU-8, pronounced Am-cue), which it was known as until 1989. Covering all men's sports now in addition to football, the new conference consisted of current MCAA members Eastern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Southwest Missouri State, and Western Illinois, along with non-football sponsoring Cleveland State University, University of Illinois Chicago, Valparaiso University and University of Wisconsin–Green Bay. The conference continued to sponsor football at the Division I-AA level, now under the new AMCU name, from 1982 until 1984, when the football sponsoring members of the Missouri Valley Conference joined with the football sponsoring members of the AMCU to form the beginnings of what is now the Missouri Valley Football Conference; current members University of North Dakota, North Dakota State University, University of South Dakota, and South Dakota State University continue to house their FCS football programs there to this day.

Mid-Continent Conference logo, 1982–2007

Changes and the addition of women's sports

The conference saw its first changes in the early 1990s. Southwest Missouri State departed for membership in the Missouri Valley Conference as the University of Akron and Northern Illinois University joined in 1990. Then Wright State University joined in 1991 as Northern Iowa followed Southwest Missouri State to the MVC.

Major changes came to the conference in 1992. First, Akron left for the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and another Ohio school, Youngstown State University, replaced it. More significantly, the Mid-Continent added women's sports by absorbing the North Star Conference (NSC), a women's-only league whose final seven members were in the Mid-Continent. All of the final NSC members except for Akron moved their women's sports into the Mid-Continent. At the same time, Eastern Illinois and Western Illinois moved their women's sports into the Mid-Continent when their former women's sports home, the Gateway Conference, merged into the Missouri Valley Conference. The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee joined the Mid-Continent a year later.

Horizon and ECC transitions

In 1994, charter members Cleveland State, UIC and UWGB, as well as newer members Northern Illinois, Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and Wright State left the conference to join the Midwestern Collegiate Conference, now known as the Horizon League.

The Mid-Continent absorbed Central Connecticut State University, Chicago State University, Northeastern Illinois University, the University at Buffalo, and Troy State University (now Troy University) from the collapsed East Coast Conference in response. None of these institutions remain in the league.

The University of Missouri–Kansas City, formerly an independent, also joined the Mid-Continent Conference in 1994.

Declining membership

Eastern Illinois moved to the Ohio Valley Conference in 1996, reducing membership to nine programs. Troy State departed for the Trans America Athletic Conference while Central Connecticut State joined the Northeast Conference in 1997. Buffalo joined the Mid-American Conference in 1998 while Northeastern Illinois ceased intercollegiate athletics at that time. Oral Roberts University and Southern Utah University replaced the former pair while Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI; its athletic program is now IU Indy) and Oakland University moved into the latter duo's spots a year later.

Youngstown State switched to the Horizon League in 2001, and Centenary College replaced it in 2003. Chicago State University announced in the spring of 2006 that it would withdraw from the conference to compete as an independent starting in the 2006–07 school year. Charter member Valparaiso then moved to the Horizon in 2007.

Renewed expansion and Dakota Schools introduction

Conference expansion was discussed at length at the Mid-Continent Conference annual Presidents Council meeting in 2006, and Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW, now Purdue Fort Wayne), North Dakota State, and South Dakota State were approved for site visits. On August 30, 2006, IPFW accepted an invitation to join the Mid-Continent Conference as a full member starting July 1, 2007. Both North Dakota State and South Dakota State also accepted invitations to join the conference the next day.

The Summit League continued its renewed expansion push with the admission of the University of South Dakota. The Coyotes began conference play in the 2011–12 academic year and become eligible for all championships the following season. Centenary College subsequently announced that it would leave the Summit League following the 2010–2011 campaign.

The University of North Dakota had also been openly rumored to have been courted by the Summit League, but controversy over the Fighting Sioux nickname in all likelihood prevented UND's admission at that time. Expectations that UND would join the Summit League came to an end on November 1, 2010, when North Dakota instead accepted an invitation to join the Big Sky Conference. The University of South Dakota entered into very brief negotiations to join the Big Sky as well, rather than continuing their plans to join the Summit. However, South Dakota chose instead to remain with the more compact Summit League (along with other Dakota schools, NDSU and SDSU). As the University of Nebraska Omaha began the transition to Division I athletics in all sports, it joined the Summit League on July 1, 2012. With the departures of Centenary to Division III at the end of the 2010–11 athletic year, and Oral Roberts (Southland Conference) and Southern Utah (Big Sky Conference) for other Division I conferences at the end of the 2011–12 athletic year, the Summit League continued with nine institutions, all within the Midwest geographical region.

The conference unveiled the University of Denver (DU) as its tenth member on November 27, 2012, and the Pioneers joined in July 2013. While Denver is slightly outside The Summit's current Midwestern base, the city's status as a major air hub seemingly minimized travel issues for the other members. With Denver among the eight of ten Western Athletic Conference (WAC) members switching to other conferences, that league searched for new members. UMKC announced on February 7, 2013, that it would be one of six schools joining the WAC for the 2013–14 season, dropping The Summit League back to nine member schools. Membership fell to eight schools on May 7, 2013, when Oakland announced that it was joining the Horizon League. Eight of the nine then-current Horizon League programs were former Summit League members with Oakland's move (the Horizon has since added two more members that were never in The Summit League, Northern Kentucky and Robert Morris, as well as another former Summit member in Purdue Fort Wayne).

In December 2013, The Summit League office announced that Oral Roberts University would return to the conference in all sports, effective July 1, 2014.

The next changes to the conference's core membership were announced in 2017. First, on January 26, North Dakota, which had resolved its controversy by selecting the new nickname Fighting Hawks, unveiled as a new member beginning in 2018. Then, on June 28, IUPUI announced it would leave the conference to join the Horizon League effective July 1, 2017.

Rare transition and Rumored expansion

For much of 2018, speculation involving further league expansion focused on Augustana University, a Division II school located in the Summit's headquarters city of Sioux Falls. Many of the school's boosters have ties to Sanford Health, a hospital company that has long been a major league sponsor and also owns the office complex that houses the league headquarters. The university announced on December 14 that it would start a transition to Division I, though stating at the time that no such move would take place until at least 2021. However, on May 22, 2020, the Summit League commissioner, Tom Douple, informed Augustana president Stephanie Herseth Sandlin that the conference would not be adding more new teams "at this time." The conference expanded anyway, announcing in June 2019 that UMKC would return in 2020 after a seven-year absence. However, shortly thereafter, Purdue Fort Wayne announced its 2020 departure for the Horizon League, maintaining the full-time conference membership at nine schools. St. Thomas eventually received a waiver of an NCAA rule mandating that Division III schools can only transition to Division II, allowing the school to move directly to D-I on the originally announced schedule.

Shortly before St. Thomas' future conference membership was confirmed, the University of Northern Colorado was announced as a baseball-only member effective in 2021–22. In late March 2023, the OVC announced that it would begin sponsoring men's soccer that fall, leading to Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood, and Southern Indiana moving that sport to their full-time home. Eastern Illinois and Southern Indiana remain swimming & diving affiliates, while Lindenwood dropped both of its swimming & diving programs after the 2023–24 season.

Associate membership growth and Declining full-time membership

In early May 2023, it was announced that founding member Western Illinois would be leaving the Summit League in all sports and would join the Ohio Valley Conference beginning in fall 2023. In mid-June, Western Illinois announced that its men's soccer team would remain in the Summit League for the fall 2023 season, and depart for the OVC after that.

On April 4, 2024, both entities announced that Delaware would be joining the conference as an associate member in men's soccer starting in 2025.

On May 7, 2024, the league announced that Northern Colorado, who is also an affiliate in baseball, and Weber State would be joining the league for men's golf starting in the fall of 2024.

On December 23, 2024, the league announced that UMass would be joining the conference as an affiliate in men's soccer starting in the 2025 season.

In May 2025, the Missouri Valley Football Conference, a football-only league that competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision, adopted a new governing structure that created a formal relationship between it and the Summit League, and also formalized the MVFC's decades-long ties with the Missouri Valley Conference. At the time, four of the five Summit members that sponsored football housed those teams in the MVFC.

On October 31, 2025, it was announced that Denver would be leaving the Summit League for the West Coast Conference in all the sports it plays in the former league, beginning on July 1, 2026.

Member schools

Current full members

InstitutionLocationFoundedJoinedTypeEnrollmenttitle=U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2011 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2010 to FY 2011 (Table Revised and Updated on March 19, 2012)url=http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/research/2011NCSEPublicTablesEndowmentMarketValues319.pdfurl-status=deadarchive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20120915211940/http://www.nacubo.org/Documents/research/2011NCSEPublicTablesEndowmentMarketValues319.pdfarchive-date=2012-09-15access-date=2017-03-20website=Nacubo.org}}NicknameColors
Denver, Colorado18642013Private14,130$900,300,000Pioneers
Kansas City, Missouri19331994;
2020Public16,017$152,800,000Roos
Omaha, Nebraska19082012Public15,328$110,000,000Mavericks
Grand Forks, North Dakota18832018Public15,844$422,100,000Fighting Hawks
North Dakota State UniversityFargo, North Dakota18902007Public11,952$457,000,000Bison
Oral Roberts UniversityTulsa, Oklahoma19631997;
2014Private5,051$45,000,000Golden Eagles
Saint Paul, Minnesota18852021Private9,347$653,300,000Tommies{{color box#663399
Vermillion, South Dakota18622011Public10,619$328,500,000Coyotes
South Dakota State UniversityBrookings, South Dakota18812007Public12,065$213,000,000Jackrabbits

;Notes:

Current associate members

InstitutionLocationFoundedJoinedTypeEnrollmentNicknamePrimary
conferenceSummit
sport(s)
Newark, Delaware17432025Public23,774Blue HensCUSAMen's soccer
Drake UniversityDes Moines, Iowa18812017Private4,875BulldogsMVCurl=http://www.thesummitleague.org/sports/mten/2016-17/releases/20170410ora34jtitle=Summit League Adds Drake and Illinois State as Men's Tennis Affiliate Memberspublisher=The Summit Leaguedate=April 11, 2017access-date=April 20, 2017}}
Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston, Illinois18952005Public8,608PanthersOVCSwimming & diving
Illinois State UniversityNormal, Illinois18572017Public20,233RedbirdsMVCMen's tennis
Greeley, Colorado18892021Public10,348BearsBig Skyurl=https://thesummitleague.org/news/2020/7/14/northern-colorado-to-join-the-summit-league-as-a-baseball-affiliate.aspxtitle= Northern Colorado to join The Summit League as a baseball affiliatepublisher=The Summit Leaguedate=July 14, 2020access-date=July 17, 2020}}
****Evansville, Indiana19652022Public7,938Screaming EaglesOVCSwimming & diving
Amherst, Massachusetts18632025Public28,635MinutemenMACMen's soccer

Former members

All institutional names and nicknames used reflect those in the final school year of conference membership.

Former full members

The Summit League has 23 former members.

InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeEnrollmentJoinedLeftNicknameSubsequent
conferenceCurrent
conference
Akron, Ohio1870Public29,25119901992ZipsMid-American (MAC)
Buffalo, New York1846Public28,60119941998BullsMid-American (MAC)
Centenary College of LouisianaShreveport, Louisiana1825Private78720032011Gentlemen (men's)
Ladies (women's)American SouthwestSCAC
Central Connecticut State UniversityNew Britain, Connecticut1849Public11,36019941997Blue DevilsNortheast (NEC)
Chicago State UniversityChicago, Illinois1867Public3,57819942006CougarsNCAA D-I IndependentNortheast (NEC)
Cleveland State UniversityCleveland, Ohio1964Public17,20419821994VikingsHorizon
Eastern Illinois UniversityCharleston, Illinois1895Public11,65119821996PanthersOVC
Chicago, Illinois1858Public28,09119821994FlamesHorizonMissouri Valley
Indianapolis, Indiana1969Public27,18419982017JaguarsHorizon
Northeastern Illinois UniversityChicago, Illinois1867Public11,14919941998Golden EaglesDiscontinued intercollegiate athletics
Northern Illinois UniversityDeKalb, Illinois1895Public25,31319901994HuskiesHorizonMid-American (MAC)
(Horizon in 2026)
Cedar Falls, Iowa1876Public11,14719821991PanthersMissouri Valley
url=http://www.horizonleague.org/blog/oakland-university-to-join-horizon-league-in-july.htmltitle=Oakland University to Joinpublisher=Horizon Leaguedate=May 7, 2013access-date=July 2, 2013url-status=deadarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629122545/http://horizonleague.org/blog/oakland-university-to-join-horizon-league-in-july.htmlarchive-date=June 29, 2013 }}Rochester, Michigan1957Public19,37919982013Golden GrizzliesHorizon
Fort Wayne, Indiana1964Public10,13920072020MastodonsHorizon
Southern Utah UniversityCedar City, Utah1897Public8,29719972012ThunderbirdsBig SkyWAC
(Big Sky in 2026)
Springfield, Missouri1905Public21,05919821990Bears (men's)
Lady Bears (women's)Missouri ValleyCUSA
Troy State UniversityTroy, Alabama1887Public29,68919941997TrojansTAACSun Belt
Valparaiso UniversityValparaiso, Indiana1859Private4,06119822007CrusadersHorizonMissouri Valley
Western Illinois UniversityMacomb, Illinois1899Public7,64319822023LeathernecksOVC
Green Bay, Wisconsin1965Public6,70019821994PhoenixHorizon
Milwaukee, Wisconsin1885Public30,50219931994PanthersHorizon
Wright State UniversityDayton, Ohio1967Public17,78919911994RaidersHorizon
Youngstown State UniversityYoungstown, Ohio1908Public15,19419922001PenguinsHorizon

;Notes

Former associate members

InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeEnrollmentJoinedLeftNicknamePrimary
conference
during associate
membershipCurrent
conference
in former
Summit sportSummit
sport
University of AkronAkron, Ohio1870Public10,37819781980ZipsD-II IndependentMid-American (MAC)football
DePaul UniversityChicago, Illinois1898Private24,41419921999Blue DemonsGreat Midwest,
CUSABig Eastsoftball
Howard UniversityWashington, D.C.1867Private10,00019961999BisonMid-Eastern (MEAC)Northeast (NEC)
Lindenwood University1827Private7,00320222024LionsOVC
C.W. Post of Long Island UniversityBrookville, New York1954Public8,47219941998PioneersEast Coast (ECC)Northeast (NEC)baseball
New York Institute of TechnologyNew York, New York1955Private13,00019941998BearsEast Coast (ECC)TBAbaseball
Greeley, Colorado1889Public10,34820242025BearsBig Skydate=May 7, 2024title=Northern Colorado, Weber State set to join Summit League for Men's Golf in 2024-25url=https://thesummitleague.org/news/2024/5/7/northern-colorado-weber-state-set-to-join-summit-league-for-mens-golf-in-2024-25.aspxaccess-date=May 8, 2024website=thesummitleague.org}}
Northern Michigan UniversityMarquette, Michigan1899Public6,76419781981WildcatsD-II IndependentGreat Lakes (GLIAC)football
Oral Roberts UniversityTulsa, Oklahoma1963Private3,41720122014Golden EaglesSouthlandSummit
Pace UniversityNew York, New York1906Private12,77219941998SettersEast Coast (ECC)
Northeast-10 (NE-10)Northeast-10 (NE-10)baseball
Quincy UniversityQuincy, Illinois1860Private1,26919941996HawksGreat Lakes (GLVC)
(SIU Edwardsville or SIUE)Edwardsville, Illinois1957Public13,85019941996CougarsGreat Lakes (GLVC)Ohio Valley (OVC)
Vermillion, South Dakota1862Public10,15120092011CoyotesGreat West (GWC)Summit
South Dakota State UniversityBrookings, South Dakota1881Public12,85120052007JackrabbitsD-I IndependentSummit
State University of New York at OneontaOneonta, New York1889Public5,85219961998Red DragonsNew York State (SUNYAC)
Valparaiso UniversityValparaiso, Indiana1859Private4,50020172020CrusadersMissouri Valley (MVC)
20172021Missouri Valley (MVC)
Weber State UniversityOgden, Utah1889Public29,91420242025WildcatsBig Skymen's golf
Youngstown State UniversityYoungstown, Ohio1908Public11,29819781981PenguinsD-II IndependentMissouri Valley (MVFC)football

;Notes:

Membership timeline

PlotArea = right:20 left:0 bottom:50 top:5 # to display a count on left side of graph, use "left:20" to suppress the count, use "left:20"

ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20

DateFormat = yyyy

Period = from:1978 till:2028

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal

Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7)

id:line value:black

id:bg value:white id:Full value:rgb(0.792,0.727,0.752) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports id:FullxF value:rgb(0.551,0.824,0.777) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football id:AssocF value:rgb(0.98,0.5,0.445) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.5,0.611,0.824) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in some sports, but not all (consider identifying in legend or a footnote) id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved to another conference where OtherC1 has already been used, to distinguish the two PlotData =

color:FullxF width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:AssocF from:1978 till:1979 text:Akron (1978-1979, 1990-1992) bar:1 shift:(130) color:OtherC1 from:1979 till:1987 text:OVC bar:1 color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1990 text:Independent bar:1 color:FullxF from:1990 till:1992 bar:1 color:OtherC1 from:1992 till:end text:MAC

bar:2 color:AssocF from:1978 till:1982 text:Eastern Illinois (1978–1996) bar:2 color:Full from:1982 till:1985 bar:2 color:FullxF from:1985 till:1996 bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1996 till:2005 text:OVC bar:2 color:AssocOS from:2005 till:end text:(2005–present, swimming & diving; 2011–2023, men's soccer)

bar:3 color:AssocF from:1978 till:1982 text:Northern Iowa (1978–1991) bar:3 color:Full from:1982 till:1985 bar:3 color:FullxF from:1985 till:1991 bar:3 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:end text:MVC

bar:4 color:AssocF from:1978 till:1980 text:Northern Michigan (1978-1980)

bar:5 color:AssocF from:1978 till:1982 text:Western Illinois (1978–2023) bar:5 color:Full from:1982 till:1985 bar:5 color:FullxF from:1985 till:2023 bar:5 color:AssocOS from:2023 till:2024 text:(2023, men's soccer) bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:2024 till:end

bar:6 color:AssocF from:1978 till:1980 text:Youngstown State (1978–1980) bar:6 shift:(110) color:OtherC1 from:1980 till:1988 text:OVC bar:6 color:OtherC2 from:1988 till:1992 text:Independent bar:6 color:FullxF from:1992 till:2001 text:(1992–2001) bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:2001 till:end text:Horizon

bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1981 text:MIAA (D-II) bar:7 color:AssocF from:1981 till:1982 text:Southwest Missouri State (1981–1990) bar:7 color:Full from:1982 till:1985 bar:7 color:FullxF from:1985 till:1990 bar:7 color:OtherC1 from:1990 till:2025 text:MVC bar:7 color:OtherC2 from:2025 till:end text:CUSA

bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1982 text:Independent bar:8 color:FullxF from:1982 till:1994 text:Cleveland State (1982–1994) bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:1994 till:2001 text:MCC bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:2001 till:end text:Horizon

bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1981 text:CCAC (NAIA) bar:9 color:OtherC2 from:1981 till:1982 bar:9 color:FullxF from:1982 till:1994 text:UIC (1982–1994) bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:1994 till:2001 text:MCC bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:2001 till:2022 text:Horizon bar:9 color:OtherC2 from:2022 till:end text:MVC

bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1982 text:Independent bar:10 color:FullxF from:1982 till:1994 text:UW–Green Bay (1982–1994) bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:1994 till:2001 text:MCC bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:2001 till:end text:Horizon

bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1982 text:Independent bar:11 color:FullxF from:1982 till:2007 text:Valparaiso (1982–2007) bar:11 color:OtherC1 from:2007 till:2017 text:Horizon bar:11 shift:(-100) color:AssocOS from:2017 till:2021 text:(2017–2021; men's swimming; 2017–2020, men's tennis) bar:11 shift:(90) color:OtherC2 from:2021 till:end text:MVC

bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1986 text:MAC bar:12 color:OtherC2 from:1986 till:1990 text:Independent bar:12 color:FullxF from:1990 till:1994 text:Northern Illinois (1990–1994) bar:12 shift:(70) color:OtherC1 from:1994 till:1997 bar:12 color:OtherC2 from:1997 till:2026 text:MAC bar:12 color:OtherC1 from:2026 till:end text:Horizon

bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1987 text:D-II Independent bar:13 color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1991 text:D-I Independent bar:13 color:FullxF from:1991 till:1994 text:Wright State (1991–1994) bar:13 shift:(70) color:OtherC1 from:1994 till:2001 text:MCC bar:13 color:OtherC1 from:2001 till:end text:Horizon

bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1980 text:D-I Ind. bar:16 color:OtherC2 from:1980 till:1985 text:D-III Independent bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1985 till:1987 text:NAIA Ind. bar:16 shift:(10) color:OtherC2 from:1987 till:1990 text:D-II Indep. bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:1990 till:1993 text:D-I Indep. bar:16 color:FullxF from:1993 till:1994 text:UW–Milwaukee (1993–1994) bar:16 shift:(100) color:OtherC1 from:1994 till:2001 text:MCC bar:16 color:OtherC1 from:2001 till:end text:Horizon

bar:17 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1990 text:Independent bar:17 color:OtherC2 from:1990 till:1992 text:ECC bar:17 shift:(-5) color:OtherC1 from:1992 till:1993 text:Ind. bar:17 shift:(-5) color:OtherC2 from:1993 till:1994 text:ECC bar:17 color:FullxF from:1994 till:1997 text:Central Connecticut State (1994–1997) bar:17 shift:(130) color:OtherC1 from:1997 till:end text:NEC

bar:18 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1991 text:GSC (D-II) bar:18 shift:(-5) color:OtherC2 from:1991 till:1993 text:D-II Ind. bar:18 shift:(-5) color:OtherC1 from:1993 till:1994 text:ECC bar:18 color:FullxF from:1994 till:1997 text:Troy State (1994–1997) bar:18 shift:(60) color:OtherC1 from:1997 till:2005 text:TAAC/A-Sun bar:18 color:OtherC2 from:2005 till:end text:Sun Belt

bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1988 text:SUNYAC (D-III) bar:19 color:OtherC2 from:1988 till:1991 text:D-I Indep. bar:19 color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:1994 text:ECC bar:19 color:FullxF from:1994 till:1998 text:Buffalo (1994–1998) bar:19 shift:(20) color:OtherC1 from:1998 till:end text:MAC

bar:20 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1988 text:NAIA Independent bar:20 shift:(-10) color:OtherC2 from:1988 till:1989 text:D-II Ind. bar:20 shift:(10) color:OtherC1 from:1989 till:1993 text:D-I Indep. bar:20 shift:(-5) color:OtherC2 from:1993 till:1994 text:ECC bar:20 color:FullxF from:1994 till:1998 text:Northeastern Illinois (1994–1998; dropped athletics)

bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1981 text:CCAC (NAIA) bar:21 shift:(10) color:OtherC2 from:1981 till:1984 text:NAIA Indep. bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:1984 till:1993 text:D-I Independent bar:21 shift:(-5) color:OtherC2 from:1993 till:1994 text:ECC bar:21 color:FullxF from:1994 till:2006 text:Chicago State (1994–2006) bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:2006 till:2009 text:Independent bar:21 color:OtherC2 from:2009 till:2013 text:GWC bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2022 text:WAC bar:21 color:OtherC2 from:2022 till:2024 text:Ind. bar:21 color:OtherC1 from:2024 till:end text:NEC

bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1986 text:NAIA Independent bar:22 color:OtherC2 from:1986 till:1994 text:D-I Independent bar:22 color:FullxF from:1994 till:2013 text:UMKC (1994–2013) bar:22 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:2020 text:WAC bar:22 color:FullxF from:2020 till:end text:Kansas City (2020–present)

bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1986 text:RMAC (NAIA) bar:30 color:OtherC2 from:1986 till:1988 text:D-II Ind. bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:1988 till:1994 text:DI-AA Independent bar:30 color:OtherC2 from:1994 till:1996 text:AWC bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:1996 till:1997 text:Ind. bar:30 color:FullxF from:1997 till:2012 text:Southern Utah (1997–2012) bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:2012 till:2022 text:Big Sky bar:30 color:OtherC2 from:2022 till:2026 text:WAC bar:30 color:OtherC1 from:2026 till:end text:Big Sky

bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1979 text:Ind. bar:31 color:OtherC2 from:1979 till:1987 text:MCC bar:31 color:OtherC1 from:1987 till:1989 text:D-I Ind. bar:31 color:OtherC2 from:1989 till:1991 text:NAIA Ind. bar:31 shift:(10) color:OtherC1 from:1991 till:1997 text:D-I Independent bar:31 color:FullxF from:1997 till:2012 text:Oral Roberts (1997–2012) bar:31 shift:(-110) color:AssocOS from:2012 till:2014 text:(2012–2014, men's soccer) bar:31 color:FullxF from:2014 till:end text:(2014–present)

bar:32 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1993 text:NAIA Independent bar:32 color:OtherC2 from:1993 till:1998 text:D-II Independent bar:32 color:FullxF from:1998 till:2017 text:IUPUI (1998–2017) bar:32 color:OtherC1 from:2017 till:end text:Horizon

bar:33 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1997 text:GLIAC (D-II) bar:33 shift:(-20) color:OtherC2 from:1997 till:1998 text:D-II Ind. bar:33 color:FullxF from:1998 till:2013 text:Oakland (1998–2013) bar:33 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:end text:Horizon

bar:34 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1999 text:TAAC bar:34 color:OtherC2 from:1999 till:2003 text:Independent bar:34 color:FullxF from:2003 till:2011 text:Centenary (2003–2011) bar:34 shift:(-10) color:OtherC1 from:2011 till:2012 text:D-III Ind. bar:34 shift:(10) color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:end text:SCAC (D-III)

bar:35 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:2004 text:NCC (D-II) bar:35 color:OtherC2 from:2004 till:2005 text:Ind. bar:35 color:AssocOS from:2005 till:2007 text:South Dakota State (2005–2007, swimming & diving; 2007–present) bar:35 color:FullxF from:2007 till:end text:

bar:36 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:2004 text:NCC (D-II) bar:36 color:OtherC2 from:2004 till:2007 text:Independent bar:36 color:FullxF from:2007 till:end text:North Dakota State (2007–present)

bar:37 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1981 text:D-III Indep. bar:37 color:OtherC2 from:1981 till:1984 text:D-II Indep. bar:37 color:OtherC1 from:1984 till:2001 text:GLVC (D-II) bar:37 color:OtherC2 from:2001 till:2007 text:Independent bar:37 color:FullxF from:2007 till:2018 text:IPFW (2007–2018) bar:37 color:FullxF from:2018 till:2020 text:Purdue Fort Wayne (2018–2020) bar:37 shift:(120) color:OtherC1 from:2020 till:end text:Horizon

bar:38 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:2008 text:NCC (D-II) bar:38 shift:(-10) color:OtherC2 from:2008 till:2009 text:GWC bar:38 color:AssocOS from:2009 till:2011 text:South Dakota (2009–2011, swimming & diving; 2011–present) bar:38 color:FullxF from:2011 till:end

bar:39 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:2008 text:NCC (D-II) bar:39 color:OtherC2 from:2008 till:2011 text:MIAA (D-II) bar:39 color:OtherC1 from:2011 till:2012 text:Ind. bar:39 color:FullxF from:2012 till:end text:Omaha (2012–present)

bar:40 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:1980 text:D-I Ind. bar:40 color:OtherC2 from:1980 till:1990 text:NAIA Independent bar:40 color:OtherC1 from:1990 till:1998 text:D-II Independent bar:40 shift:(-10) color:OtherC2 from:1998 till:1999 text:D-I Ind. bar:40 color:OtherC1 from:1999 till:2012 text:Sun Belt bar:40 shift:(-10) color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:2013 text:WAC bar:40 color:FullxF from:2013 till:2026 text:Denver (2013–2026) bar:40 color:OtherC1 from:2026 till:end text:WCC

bar:43 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:2008 text:NCC (D-II) bar:43 color:OtherC2 from:2008 till:2012 text:GWC bar:43 color:OtherC1 from:2012 till:2018 text:Big Sky bar:43 color:FullxF from:2018 till:end text:North Dakota (2018–present)

bar:44 color:OtherC1 from:1978 till:2021 text:MIAC (D-III) bar:44 color:FullxF from:2021 till:end text:St. Thomas (2021–present)

bar:N color:powderblue from:1978 till:1982 text:MCAA bar:N color:yellow from:1982 till:1989 text:AMCU bar:N color:red from:1989 till:2007 text:Mid-Continent Conference bar:N color:blue from:2007 till:end text:Summit League

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:2 start:1980 TextData = fontsize:L textcolor:black pos:(0,30) tabs:(400-center) text:^"The Summit League membership history"

  1. If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following six 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.
  • IUPUI was dissolved in 2024 and replaced by separate institutions affiliated with the Indiana University and Purdue University systems. The IUPUI athletic program transferred to Indiana University Indianapolis and is now known as IU Indy.
  • Purdue Fort Wayne joined the league as IPFW. The athletic branding was changed to "Fort Wayne" in 2016, and to Purdue Fort Wayne shortly before the dissolution of IPFW on July 1, 2018.
  • Southwest Missouri State adopted its current name of Missouri State University in 2005.
  • The two former members that are part of the University of Wisconsin System, namely UW–Green Bay and UW–Milwaukee, now brand themselves for athletic purposes as "Green Bay" and "Milwaukee".
  • Troy State adopted its current name of Troy University in 2004.
  • UMKC rebranded its athletic program as "Kansas City" in 2019, a year before its return to the league.

Football

Main article: Association of Mid-Continent Universities football

Men's basketball

Men's basketball in the NCAA tournament

YearTeamSeedResults
1983none
1984none
1985none
1986Cleveland State14*defeated Indiana
defeated Saint Joseph's
lost to Navy
1987Southwest Missouri State13defeated Clemson
lost to Kansas
1988Southwest Missouri State13lost to UNLV
1989Southwest Missouri State14lost to Seton Hall
1990Southwest Missouri State9*lost to North Carolina
Northern Iowa14defeated Missouri
lost to Minnesota
1991Green Bay12lost to Michigan State
Northern Illinois13*lost to St. John's
1992Eastern Illinois15lost to Indiana
1993Wright State16lost to Indiana
1994Green Bay12defeated California
lost to Syracuse
1995none
1996Valparaiso14lost to Arizona
1997Valparaiso12lost to Boston College
1998Valparaiso13defeated Ole Miss
defeated Florida State
lost to Rhode Island
1999Valparaiso15lost to Maryland
2000Valparaiso16lost to Michigan State
2001Southern Utah14lost to Boston College
2002Valparaiso13lost to Kentucky
2003IUPUI16lost to Kentucky
2004Valparaiso15lost to Gonzaga
2005Oakland16defeated Alabama A&M**
Lost to North Carolina
2006Oral Roberts16lost to Memphis
2007Oral Roberts14lost to Washington State
2008Oral Roberts13lost to Pittsburgh
2009North Dakota State14lost to Kansas
2010Oakland14lost to Pittsburgh
2011Oakland13lost to Texas
2012South Dakota State14lost to Baylor
2013South Dakota State13lost to Michigan
2014North Dakota State12defeated Oklahoma
lost to San Diego State
2015North Dakota State15lost to Gonzaga
2016South Dakota State12lost to Maryland
2017South Dakota State16lost to Gonzaga
2018South Dakota State12lost to Ohio State
2019North Dakota State16defeated NCCU**
lost to Duke
2021Oral Roberts15defeated Ohio State
defeated Florida
lost to Arkansas
2022South Dakota State13lost to Providence
2023Oral Roberts12lost to Duke
2024South Dakota State15lost to Iowa State
2025Omaha15lost to St. John's
  • At-large bid

** First Four game

Summit League championships won per school

SchoolConferenceTournamentTitlesLast
titleTitlesLast
title
Valparaiso92003–0482004
South Dakota State92023–2472024
Oral Roberts72022–2352023
Missouri State41989–9021989
North Dakota State42019–2052020
Oakland32010–1132011
Cleveland State31992–9311986
Western Illinois22012–1311984
Green Bay21993–9421994
Purdue Fort Wayne12015–160N/A
South Dakota12016–170N/A
IUPUI12005–0612003
Illinois-Chicago11983–840N/A
Northern Illinois11990–910N/A
Omaha12024–2512025
Southern Utah12000–0112001
Eastern Illinois0N/A21992
Wright State0N/A11993
Northern Iowa0N/A11990

Italics indicate a school no longer a part of the Summit League.

Women's Basketball

Summit League championships won per school

SchoolConferenceTournamentTitlesLast
titleTitlesLast
title
South Dakota State112024–25122025
Western Illinois62016–1722017
Youngstown State51998–9932000
South Dakota52021–2242022
Oakland32006–0722006
Northern Illinois21993–9411993
Valparaiso22001–0222004
Oral Roberts22010–1152008
Buffalo11994–950N/A
Troy11996–9711997
Green Bay0N/A11994

Italics indicate a school no longer a part of the Summit League.

Facilities

UMass Minutemen}}"[](umass-minutemen-men-s-soccer)Rudd Field800Men's soccer-only member}}

;Notes

Media rights

On August 10, 2023, the Summit League announced the signing of a new three-year media rights deal that would tie the league with CBS Sports Network and even closer ties with Midco Sports through the 2025–26 academic year. The new deal transfers the Summit League's men's/women's basketball championship game rights over to CBS Sports Network from ESPN, and adds a guaranteed six regular-season men's basketball games on the network with an option of six more men's or women's basketball games during the season. For the 2024 tournament, CBS Sports Network will also broadcast the women's basketball tournament semifinal. In 2025 and 2026 there will remain an option to have the men's and women's tournaments semifinals on CBS Sports Network if scheduling allows.

The Midco contract will now expand to the creation of a new all-league media platform called The Summit League Network. It will provide access to all nine member institutions' live streams of every home game, both non-conference and in-conference, as well as interviews and other league info. This expansion will preserve the local media rights given out at select institutions, as the provider for the university will supply Midco with that broadcast/live stream to be simulcast on the Summit League Network.

References

References

  1. "Home".
  2. Wigness, Mitch. (August 14, 2018). "Moving to the Summit Series: Tennis".
  3. Sun, Chhun. (May 15, 2007). "Mid-Continent Conference changing name to the Summit League". The Salt Lake Tribune.
  4. "St. Thomas gets approval from NCAA to go Division I".
  5. (July 1, 2019). "UMKC Athletics Completes New Brand Identity". Kansas City Athletics.
  6. (August 5, 2019). "Purdue University Fort Wayne to Join Horizon League". Horizon League.
  7. (May 12, 2023). "Western Illinois to depart Summit League beginning next season".
  8. (19 June 1977). "Northern Iowa gets okay to shift to new athletic conference for 1978". The Telegraph-Herald.
  9. (29 April 1977). "New league is proposed". The Daily Sentinel.
  10. (19 June 1982). "Valpo to join Conference". The Rochester Sentinel.
  11. (March 2017)
  12. link. (2016-03-05 '', Mid-Continent Conference, August 30, 2006.)
  13. link. (2016-03-03 '', Mid-Continent Conference, August 31, 2006.)
  14. link. (2007-03-11 '', Mid-Continent Conference, August 31, 2006.)
  15. "University of South Dakota Official Athletic Site - University of South Dakota". Usdcoyotes.com.
  16. (July 21, 2009). "Centenary Board Votes to Reposition Centenary Athletics". Centenary College of Louisiana.
  17. (November 1, 2010). "Big Sky Conference expands". [[ESPN]].
  18. (November 27, 2012). "Denver Becomes The Summit League's Newest Member". The Summit League.
  19. (February 7, 2013). "UMKC Heading to the Western Athletic Conference". kcroos.com.
  20. "Oral Roberts University Joins". The Summit League.
  21. (January 26, 2017). "The Summit League Adds The University of North Dakota". The Summit League.
  22. (June 28, 2017). "IUPUI to Join Horizon League". Horizon League.
  23. Gaskins, John. (May 23, 2018). "Summit League Chief: Sanford-tied Augustana boosters lobbying for move to Div. I". [[KELO-TV]].
  24. Kolpack, Jeff. (July 28, 2018). "Kolpack: All vital signs pointing to Augustana joining Summit League". [[Grand Forks Herald]].
  25. (December 14, 2018). "Augustana moving to NCAA Division I". [[KSFY-TV]].
  26. Whitney, Stu. (June 29, 2020). "Summit League snub sends Augustana back to reality". Sioux Falls Argus Leader.
  27. (October 4, 2019). "Athletics Conference Update". University of St. Thomas (Minnesota).
  28. (July 15, 2020). "NCAA Ruling Allows D-III St. Thomas to Make Unprecedented Leap to D-I". St. Thomas Tommies.
  29. (May 11, 2022). "Lindenwood, Southern Indiana added as affiliate members for men's soccer and swimming and diving". The Summit League.
  30. (March 28, 2023). "OVC Adds Men's Soccer as Championship Sport". Ohio Valley Conference.
  31. (May 12, 2023). "Leatherneck Athletics Moving to Ohio Valley Conference for All Sports".
  32. (June 15, 2023). "WIU Men's Soccer to play in Summit League this Fall".
  33. (April 4, 2024). "Delaware set to join Summit League for Men's Soccer in 2025".
  34. (December 23, 2024). "UMass set to join Summit League for Men's Soccer in 2025". The Summit League.
  35. (May 5, 2025). "Missouri Valley Football Conference, Summit League Forge Partnership". Missouri Valley Football Conference.
  36. Newman, Kyle. (October 31, 2025). "University of Denver moving to West Coast Conference in 2026, sources says". Denver Post.
  37. (October 31, 2025). "Summit League Statement on Membership". The Summit League.
  38. (October 31, 2025). "West Coast Conference Expands Footprint With Addition of the University of Denver". West Coast Conference.
  39. (October 31, 2025). "University of Denver Accepts Invitation to Join West Coast Confernce in 2026-27". Denver Pioneers.
  40. "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2011 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2010 to FY 2011 (Table Revised and Updated on March 19, 2012)".
  41. (June 20, 2019). "Summit League welcomes back UMKC". The Summit League.
  42. "Facts & Figures {{!}} University of Delaware".
  43. (April 4, 2024). "Delaware set to join Summit League for Men's Soccer in 2025". The Summit League.
  44. (April 11, 2017). "Summit League Adds Drake and Illinois State as Men's Tennis Affiliate Members". The Summit League.
  45. "The Summit League". The Summit League.
  46. (July 14, 2020). "Northern Colorado to join The Summit League as a baseball affiliate". The Summit League.
  47. Burbrink, Jacob. (August 12, 2022). "IU, Purdue split IUPUI into separate academic organizations". WXIN.
  48. (May 7, 2013). "Oakland University to Join". Horizon League.
  49. (April 21, 2017). "Goodbye IPFW, hello Purdue Fort Wayne". Journal & Courier, a division of Gannett Company, Inc..
  50. "One LIU: Frequently Asked Questions". Long Island University.
  51. (May 7, 2024). "Northern Colorado, Weber State set to join Summit League for Men's Golf in 2024-25".
  52. (November 20, 2019). "Valpo Announces Discontinuation of Men's Soccer, Men's Tennis Programs". Valparaiso University.
  53. (June 27, 2013). "The Summit League". The Summit League.
  54. MSU was known as Southwest Missouri State University until 2005.
  55. Kerkhoff, Blair. (January 5, 2019). "A campus setting brings victory, energy to UMKC basketball team". The Kansas City Star.
  56. (28 October 2013). "Caniglia Field - Omaha Athletics".
  57. "Baxter Arena".
  58. "Omaha 2013–14 Division I Softball". National Collegiate Athletic Association.
  59. "Albrecht Field". North Dakota Fighting Hawks.
  60. "North Dakota State Bison - Dacotah Field".
  61. "North Dakota State University 2014 Women's SOCCER Quick Facts".
  62. (September 27, 2019). "North Dakota State University 2019-20 Men's Basketball Quick Facts". North Dakota State Bison.
  63. "North Dakota State University Athletics - Tharaldson Park".
  64. "South Dakota 2013–14 Division I Softball". National Collegiate Athletic Association.
  65. (August 10, 2023). "Summit League unveils an expansion of media rights through agreements with CBS Sports Network and Midco Sports".
  66. (August 10, 2023). "Summit League announces media expansion with CBS Sports". Keloland Media Group.
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