The American Midwest Conference (AMC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) with 10 member institutions located in Arkansas and Missouri in the United States.

History

The conference began as the Show-Me Conference in 1986, then changed to its current name in 1994, reflecting that its footprint had expanded beyond Missouri.

Recent events On August 22, 2022, Lyon College announced that it would leave the American Midwest and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) at the end of the 2022–23 academic year.

Chronological timeline 1986 – The American Midwest Conference was founded as the Show-Me Conference. Charter members included Columbia College of Missouri, Hannibal–LaGrange College (now Hannibal–LaGrange University), Harris-Stowe State College (now Harris-Stowe State University), Missouri Baptist College (now Missouri Baptist University) and Park College (now Park University), beginning the 1986–87 academic year. 1987 – McKendree College (now McKendree University) joined the Show-Me in the 1987–88 academic year. 1990 – Fontbonne left the Show-Me and the NAIA to fully align with the Division III ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) after the 1989–90 academic year. 1993 – Iowa Wesleyan College (later Iowa Wesleyan University), Lindenwood College (now Lindenwood University) and William Woods College (now William Woods University) joined the Show-Me in the 1993–94 academic year. 1994: Park left the Show-Me to join the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC) for most sports, while its men's basketball team had become an NAIA Independent after the 1993–94 academic year. The Show-Me Conference was rebranded as the American Midwest Conference in the 1994–95 academic year. 1995 – Iowa Wesleyan left the American Midwest to join the Midwest Classic Conference (MCC) after the 1994–95 academic year. 1996 – Lindenwood left the American Midwest to join the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) after the 1995–96 academic year. 2001 – Williams Baptist College (now Williams Baptist University) joined the American Midwest in the 2001–02 academic year. 2003 – The University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) joined the American Midwest in the 2003–04 academic year. 2008 – Stephens College joined the American Midwest in the 2008–09 academic year. 2009: Illinois–Springfield (UIS) left the American Midwest and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) after the 2008–09 academic year. Park rejoined the American Midwest in the 2009–10 academic year. 2011: McKendree left the American Midwest and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks as an NCAA D-II Independent (which would later join the GLVC beginning the 2012–13 academic year) after the 2010–11 academic year. Benedictine University at Springfield joined the American Midwest in the 2011–12 academic year. 2012 – Lyon College joined the American Midwest in the 2012–13 academic year. 2013 – Freed–Hardeman University and Mid-Continent University joined the American Midwest in the 2013–14 academic year. 2014: Mid-Continent left the American Midwest after spending one season, as the school ceased operations after the 2013–14 academic year. Lindenwood University at Belleville and the St. Louis College of Pharmacy (now the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, a.k.a. UHSP) joined the American Midwest in the 2014–15 academic year. 2015: Benedictine–Springfield left the American Midwest, as the school ceased operations after the 2014–15 academic year. Central Baptist College joined the American Midwest in the 2015–16 academic year. 2017 – Calumet College of St. Joseph and Marian University joined the American Midwest as associate members for men's wrestling in the 2017–18 academic year. 2019 – Lincoln College of Illinois joined the American Midwest as an associate member for men's wrestling in the 2019–20 academic year. 2020: Three institutions left the American Midwest to join their respective new home primary conferences, all effective after the 2019–20 academic year: Freed–Hardeman to join the Mid-South Conference Lindenwood–Belleville to cease operations and Park to join the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) Marian (Ind.) left the American Midwest as an associate member for men's wrestling after the 2019–20 academic year. 2022: Lincoln (Ill.) left the American Midwest as an associate member for men's wrestling as the school announced that it would close after the 2021–22 academic year. Cottey College joined the American Midwest from the AII/Continental ranks in the 2022–23 academic year. 2023: Lyon left the American Midwest and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the SLIAC after the 2022–23 academic year. Haskell Indian Nations University joined the American Midwest as an associate member for men's and women's indoor and outdoor track & field in the 2023–24 academic year. 2024: Mission University (formerly Baptist Bible College) and Crowley's Ridge College both joined the American Midwest in the 2024–25 academic year. Four institutions joined the American Midwest as associate members, all effective in the 2024–25 academic year: St. Ambrose University for competitive cheer and dance Dickinson State University for only competitive cheer and the University of St. Francis and Viterbo University for only competitive dance 2025: Missouri Baptist and William Woods left the American Midwest to join the HAAC after the 2024–25 academic year. Four institutions joined the American Midwest as associate members, all effective in the 2025–26 academic year: Oklahoma City University and Saint Xavier University for competitive cheer and dance Langston University for only competitive cheer and Bismarck State College for only competitive dance 2026 – St. Ambrose will leave the American Midwest as an associate member for competitive cheer and dance to join the HAAC as a full member after the 2025–26 academic year. 2027: UHSP will leave the American Midwest after the 2026–27 academic year; as the school will merge with Washington University in St. Louis and drop its athletics program. Champion Christian College will join the American Midwest, beginning the 2027–28 academic year.

Member schools Current members The American Midwest currently has ten full members, all but one are private schools.

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Central Baptist College Conway, Arkansas 1952 Baptist Missionary 547 Mustangs 2015 Columbia College Columbia, Missouri 1851 Disciples of Christ 5,689 Cougars 1986 Cottey College Nevada, Missouri 1884 Nonsectarian 254 Comets 2022 Crowley's Ridge College Paragould, Arkansas 1964 Churches of Christ 241 Pioneers 2024 Hannibal–LaGrange University Hannibal, Missouri 1858 Southern Baptist 499 Trojans 1986 Harris–Stowe State University 1857 Public 1,002 Hornets 1986 Mission University Springfield, Missouri 1950 BBFI 434 Patriots 2024 Stephens College Columbia, Missouri 1833 Nonsectarian 568 Stars 2008 1864 Nonsectarian 648 Eutectics 2014 Williams Baptist University Walnut Ridge, Arkansas 1941 Southern Baptist 517 Eagles &Lady Eagles 2001

Notes

Future members The American Midwest will have one future full member, which will be also a private school.

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joining Currentconference Champion Christian College Hot Springs, Arkansas 2005 Nondenominational 146 Tigers 2027 NAIA Independent

Notes

Associate members The American Midwest currently has nine associate members, four of which are public schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined AMCsport(s) Primaryconference Bismarck State College Bismarck, North Dakota 1939 Public 4,206 Mystics 2025 Competitive dance Frontier Dickinson State University Dickinson, North Dakota 1918 Public 1,410 Blue Hawks 2024 Competitive cheer Frontier Haskell Indian Nations University Lawrence, Kansas 1884 Public tribal 978 Fighting Indians 2023 Men's indoor track & field Continental (CAC) 2023 Men's outdoor track & field 2023 Women's indoor track & field 2023 Women's outdoor track & field Langston University Langston, Oklahoma 1897 Public 1,937 Lions 2025 Competitive cheer Sooner (SAC) Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1904 UnitedMethodist 2,966 Stars 2025 Competitive cheer Sooner (SAC) 2025 Competitive dance Saint Xavier University Chicago, Illinois 1846 Catholic 3,485 Cougars 2025 Competitive cheer Chicagoland (CCAC) 2025 Competitive dance St. Ambrose University Davenport, Iowa 1882 Catholic 2,498 Fighting Bees 2024 Competitive cheer Chicagoland (CCAC) 2024 Competitive dance University of St. Francis Joliet, Illinois 1920 Catholic 3,074 Fighting Saints 2024 Competitive dance Chicagoland (CCAC) Viterbo University La Crosse, Wisconsin 1890 Catholic 2,094 V-Hawks 2024 Competitive dance Chicagoland (CCAC)

Notes

Former members The American Midwest had thirteen former full members, all but one were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Joined Left Subsequentconference(s) Currentconference Benedictine University at Springfield Springfield, Illinois 1927 Catholic Bulldogs 2011 2015 Discontinued athletics Closed in 2018 Fontbonne College Clayton, Missouri 1923 Catholic Griffins 1986 1990 St. Louis (SLIAC)(1990–2025) Closed in 2025 Freed–Hardeman University Henderson, Tennessee 1869 Churchesof Christ Lions 2013 2020 Mid-South (MSC)(2020–present) Springfield, Illinois 1969 Public Prairie Stars 2003 2009 Great Lakes Valley (GLVC)(2009–present) Iowa Wesleyan College Mount Pleasant, Iowa 1842 UnitedMethodist Tigers 1993 1995 various Closed in 2023 Lindenwood College 1827 Presbyterian Lions 1993 1996 various Ohio Valley (OVC)(2022–present) Lindenwood University at Belleville Belleville, Illinois 2003 Presbyterian Lynx 2014 2020 Closed in 2020 Lyon College Batesville, Arkansas 1872 Presbyterian Scots 2012 2023 St. Louis (SLIAC)(2023–present) McKendree University Lebanon, Illinois 1828 UnitedMethodist Bearcats 1987 2011 NAIA/NCAA D-II Independent(2011–12) Great Lakes Valley (GLVC)(2012–present) Mid-Continent University Mayfield, Kentucky 1949 SouthernBaptist Cougars 2013 2014 Closed in 2014 Missouri Baptist University Creve Coeur, Missouri 1828 SouthernBaptist Spartans 1986 2025 Heart of America (HAAC)(2025–present) Park University Parkville, Missouri 1875 Nonsectarian Pirates 1986 1994 Midlands (MCAC)(1994–2009) Heart of America (HAAC)(2020–present) 2009 2020 William Woods University Fulton, Missouri 1870 Disciplesof Christ Owls 1993 2025 Heart of America (HAAC)(2025–present)

Notes

Former associate members The American Midwest had three former associate members, all of which were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Joined Left AMCsport(s) Primaryconference Calumet College of St. Joseph Whiting, Indiana 1951 Catholic Crimson Wave 2017 2022 Men's wrestling Chicagoland (CCAC) Lincoln College Lincoln, Illinois 1865 Nonsectarian Lynx 2019 2022 Men's wrestling Closed in 2022 Marian University Indianapolis, Indiana 1851 Catholic Knights 2017 2020 Men's wrestling Crossroads

Notes

Membership timeline

Sports + Conference sports Sport Men's Women's Baseball Basketball Cross Country Golf Soccer Softball Track & Field Indoor Track & Field Outdoor Volleyball Wrestling

References

External links