Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference - History

History

The Iowa Conference dates back to December 8, 1922, when representatives from 12 colleges got together and formed the “Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association.” Charter members were Buena Vista College, Central University of Iowa, Ellsworth College, Iowa Wesleyan College, Luther College, Morningside College, Parsons College, St. Ambrose College, Simpson College, Upper Iowa College, Western Union College and Penn College. Des Moines University was voted into the conference at that meeting as well.

The first Conference constitution was published in January 1923. Also that year, Judge Hubert Utterback of Des Moines, Iowa was named the first conference commissioner and Iowa Teachers (now known as University of Northern Iowa) was accepted as a member. Columbia College (now known as Loras College) was admitted in 1926. Ellsworth left the Conference in 1927. That spring the Conference’s name was changed to the “Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.” After a three-year ban, athletics were reinstated at the University of Dubuque in 1928-29, and it joined the conference in 1929. Wartburg College was admitted to the conference in 1936, beginning competition the following year. Morningside College dropped out in 1936 because of inactivity. William Penn was suspended from the Conference in 1949 for using ineligible players. The school was back in the Conference in 1951, though it did not compete in football until later. In 1951, St. Ambrose and Loras dropped from football competition.

The Iowa Conference reorganized in 1953, effective with the 1954-55 school year. Nine schools remained in the Conference: Buena Vista, Central, Dubuque, Iowa Wesleyan, Luther, Parsons, Simpson, Upper Iowa and Wartburg. William Penn was readmitted to the Conference in 1960, effective in the spring of 1962. Parsons left the Conference around 1963, while Iowa Wesleyan left effective June 1, 1965. Loras rejoined the Conference in 1986, increasing the Conference membership to nine schools, which continued until 1997 when Coe and Cornell left the Midwest Conference to join the IIAC. The Conference was at 11 schools until its 80th Anniversary year (2001-02) when William Penn decided to leave and switch its affiliation from the NCAA to the NAIA. The IIAC became a nine school Conference when Upper Iowa reclassified to NCAA Division II prior to the start of the 2003-04 academic year and fell back to eight schools with Cornell's return to the Midwest Conference following the 2011-2012 academic year.