The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC), formerly the Northern Athletics Conference (NAC), is an intercollegiate 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, and men's and women's lacrosse, added in the 2020-21 school year.
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 University, Lakeland University, Maranatha Baptist University, Marian University, Rockford University and Wisconsin Lutheran College.
Just three changes to the league's core membership have occurred, as the Milwaukee School of Engineering joined the NACC in the fall of 2007, and Maranatha withdrew from the league in the summer of 2013. 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.
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 In October 2018, Benedictine reversed course and rescinded its request to withdraw from the NACC.
The most recent membership change was announced on April 3, 2019, when St. Norbert College, already slated to become an affiliate 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.
On April 17, 2024, four institutions joined the NCAA as affiliate members for lacrosse, effective in the 2025 spring season of the 2024-25 academic year). The following schools were Cornell College, Lake Forest College and Lawrence University for men's and women's lacrosse, and the University of Dubuque for only men's lacrosse. Lawrence was introducing both sports, while Cornell, Dubuque, and Lake Forest had been members of the Midwest Lacrosse Conference / Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference.
Chronological timeline 2006 – The NACC was founded as the Northern Athletics Conference (NAC). Charter members include: Alverno College, Concordia University Wisconsin, Dominican University, Edgewood College (now Edgewood University), Lakeland College (now Lakeland University), Maranatha Baptist Bible College (now Maranatha Baptist University), Marian University and Wisconsin Lutheran College [from the Lake Michigan Conference (LMC)], and Aurora University, Benedictine University, Concordia University Chicago and Rockford College [now Rockford University; from the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference (NIIC)], beginning the 2006–07 academic year. 2007 – The Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSoE) (also a former member from the defunct Lake Michigan Conference) joined the NAC after spending a season as an NCAA D-III Independent school in the 2007–08 academic year. 2011 – Bethany Lutheran College, Martin Luther College, the University of Minnesota Morris, University of Northwestern – St. Paul and Presentation College joined the NAC as affiliate members for women's golf in the 2012 spring season (2011–12 academic year). 2012 – Presentation left the NAC as an affiliate member for women's golf to return to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) after the 2012 spring season (2011–12 academic year). 2013: Maranatha Baptist left the NAC to become an NCAA D-III Independent school after the 2012–13 academic year. The NAC was rebranded as the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC), beginning the 2013–14 school year. Northland College joined the NACC as an affiliate member for women's golf in the 2014 spring season (2013–14 academic year). 2015: Bethany Lutheran, Minnesota–Morris, Northwestern (Minn.) and Northland left the NACC as affiliate members for women's golf after the 2015 spring season (2014–15 academic year). Mount Mary University joined the NACC as an affiliate member for women's cross country in the 2015 fall season (2015–16 academic year). 2018: The Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) joined the NACC in the 2018–19 academic year. Eureka College joined the NACC as an affiliate member for football in the 2018 fall season (2018–19 academic year). 2019 – St. Norbert College joined the NACC as an affiliate member for men's volleyball, men's golf and women's golf in the 2019–20 academic year. 2021: St. Norbert had upgraded to join the NACC for all sports in the 2021–22 academic year. Beloit College joined the NACC as an affiliate member for men's and women's lacrosse in the 2022 spring season (2021–22 academic year). 2024 – Four institutions joined the NACC as affiliate members, all effective in the 2025 spring season (2024–25 academic year): Cornell College, Lake Forest College and Lawrence University for men's and women's lacrosse and the University of Dubuque for men's lacrosse 2026 – Alverno left the NACC to join the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference (C2C), beginning the 2026–27 academic year. 2027 – Concordia–Wisconsin will leave the NACC to join the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW), beginning the 2027–28 academic year.
Member schools Current members The NACC currently has 13 full members, all are private schools:
Member departing for the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin on July 1, 2027.
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Undergraduateenrollment Nickname Joined Colors Football? Aurora University Aurora, Illinois 1893 Nonsectarian 2,309 Spartans 2006 Royal Blue & White Yes Benedictine University Lisle, Illinois 1887 Catholic 3,123 Eagles 2006 Cardinal & White Yes Concordia University Chicago River Forest, Illinois 1864 Lutheran LCMS 1,361 Cougars 2006 Maroon & Gold Yes Concordia University Wisconsin Mequon, Wisconsin 1880 Lutheran LCMS 2,473 Falcons 2006 Blue & Gold Yes Dominican University River Forest, Illinois 1901 Catholic 1,697 Stars 2006 Royal Blue, Black, & White No Edgewood University Madison, Wisconsin 1927 Catholic 1,570 Eagles 2006 Black, White, & Red No Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago, Illinois 1890 Nonsectarian 3,135 Scarlet Hawks 2018 Red, Gray & Black No Lakeland University Plymouth, Wisconsin 1862 United Church of Christ 1,023 Muskies 2006 Navy Blue & Gold Yes Marian University Fond du Lac, Wisconsin 1936 Catholic 1,497 Sabres 2006 Royal Blue & Gold No Milwaukee School of Engineering Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1903 Nonsectarian 2,122 Raiders 2007 Cardinal & White No Rockford University Rockford, Illinois 1847 Nonsectarian 1,181 Regents 2006 Purple & White Yes De Pere, Wisconsin 1898 Catholic 2,180 Green Knights 2021 Green & Gold Yes Wisconsin Lutheran College Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1973 Lutheran WELS 917 Warriors 2006 Forest Green & White Yes
Notes
Affiliate members The NACC currently has six affiliate members, all are private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Undergraduateenrollment Nickname Joined Colors NACCsport(s) Primaryconference Beloit College Beloit, Wisconsin 1846 Nonsectarian 1,358 Buccaneers 2021 College Blue & Vegas Gold Men's lacrosse Midwest (MWC) 2021 Women's lacrosse Cornell College Mount Vernon, Iowa 1853 UnitedMethodist 1,176 Rams 2024 Purple & White Men's lacrosse Midwest (MWC) 2024 Women's lacrosse University of Dubuque Dubuque, Iowa 1852 Presbyterian 1,361 Spartans 2024 Navy Blue & White Men's lacrosse American Rivers (A-R-C) Eureka College Eureka, Illinois 1855 Disciplesof Christ 680 Red Devils 2018 Maroon & Gold Football St. Louis (SLIAC) Lake Forest College Lake Forest, Illinois 1857 Nonsectarian 1,395 Foresters 2024 Red & Black Men's lacrosse Midwest (MWC) 2024 Women's lacrosse Lawrence University Appleton, Wisconsin 1847 Nonsectarian 1,489 Vikings 2024 Blue & Grey & White Men's lacrosse Midwest (MWC) 2024 Women's lacrosse
Notes
Former member The NACC had two former full members, both private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Undergraduateenrollment Nickname Joined Left Colors Currentconference Alverno College Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1887 Catholic 1,664 Inferno 2006 2026 Red, White, & Black Coast to Coast (C2C) Maranatha Baptist University Watertown, Wisconsin 1968 Baptist 765 Sabercats 2006 2013 Navy Blue, Gold, & Crimson D-III Independent
Notes
Former affiliate members The NACC had seven former affiliate members, all were private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Undergraduateenrollment Nickname Joined Left NACCsport(s) Primaryconference Bethany Lutheran College Mankato, Minnesota 1927 Lutheran ELS 550 Vikings 2011 2015 Women's golf Upper Midwest (UMAC) Martin Luther College New Ulm, Minnesota 1995 Lutheran WELS 800 Knights 2011 2012 Women's golf Upper Midwest (UMAC) University of Minnesota Morris Morris, Minnesota 1960 Public 1,900 Cougars 2011 2015 Women's golf Upper Midwest (UMAC) Mount Mary University Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1913 Catholic 529 Blue Angels 2015 2016 Women's tennis Chicagoland (CCAC) 2015 2025 Women's cross country Northland College Ashland, Wisconsin 1906 UCC & Cong. 700 LumberJacks &LumberJills 2013 2015 Women's golf Closed in 2025 University of Northwestern – St. Paul Roseville, Minnesota 1902 Nondenominational 2,944 Eagles 2011 2015 Women's golf Upper Midwest (UMAC) Presentation College Aberdeen, South Dakota 1951 Catholic 786 Saints 2011 2012 Women's golf Closed in 2023
Notes
Membership timeline
Sports
A divisional format is used for baseball, basketball (M / W), softball, and volleyball (W) from 2008–09 to 2012–13 and during 2020–21. Concordia–Wisconsin Edgewood Lakeland Marian MSOE St. Norbert Wisconsin Lutheran Alverno Aurora Benedictine Concordia–Chicago Dominican Illinois Tech Rockford
+ Teams in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference competitionSportMen'sWomen'sBaseball13Basketball1314Cross Country1314Football9Golf1010Lacrosse1110Soccer1314Softball13Tennis79Track & Field (Indoor)1313Track & Field (Outdoor)1313Volleyball1314
Men's sponsored sports by school School Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football Golf Lacrosse Soccer Tennis Track & Field (Indoor) Track & Field (Outdoor) Volleyball Total NACC Sports Aurora 10 Benedictine 10 CUC 9 CUW 11 Dominican 8 Edgewood 10 IIT 9 Lakeland 10 Marian 9 MSOE 10 Rockford 8 St. Norbert 10 Wisconsin Lutheran 10 Associate Members Beloit 1 Cornell (IA) 1 Eureka 1 Lake Forest 2 Lawrence 1 Totals 13 13 13 8+1 10 7+4 13 7 13 13 13+1 124+6
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference which are played by NACC schools: School Ice Hockey Rowing Swimming & Diving Wrestling Aurora NCHA CCIW CUW NCHA CCIW IIT LAC Lakeland IND Marian NCHA MSOE NCHA IND MWC CCIW St. Norbert NCHA MWC
Women's sponsored sports by school