The Red River Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The conference's 11 member institutions are located in Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas.
History
The Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) began competition in fall 1998 with 16 charter members. The conference at present counts 14 members, one of the most recent additions being Texas A&M University–Texarkana in 2016. In 2019, St. Thomas Houston announced its departure from the conference to join the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) of the NCAA Division III as a provisional member. In March 2020, Texas A&M University–San Antonio was approved for membership into the NAIA and it was simultaneously announced that the Jaguars would begin competition in the conference starting in the 2020–21 academic year, followed by Xavier University of Louisiana and Louisiana Christian University (formerly Louisiana College) in September and October respectively. Xavier and Louisiana Christian officially joined the RRAC for the 2021–22 academic year.
On January 20, 2022, the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) invited founding Red River member Wiley College (now Wiley University) to become the GCAC's first Texas institution, effective later in July.
On July 6, 2023, North American University was accepted as the RRAC's 14th conference member for the 2023–24 school year.
On July 1, 2025, the RRAC announced the addition of the University of North Texas at Dallas as a full conference member. UNTD was previously a full member of the Sooner Athletic Conference.
Chronological timeline 1998 – The Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) was founded. Charter members included Bacone College, Houston Baptist University (now Houston Christian University), Huston–Tillotson University, Jarvis Christian College (now Jarvis Christian University), Langston University, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Northwood University–Texas, Paul Quinn College, the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, the University of the Southwest, Southwestern Adventist University, Southwestern Assemblies of God University (now Nelson University), the University of Texas Permian Basin, Texas College and Wiley College (now Wiley University), beginning the 1998–99 academic year. 2000 – USAO left the RRAC to join the Sooner Athletic Conference (SAC) after the 1999–2000 academic year. 2001: Northwestern Oklahoma State left the RRAC to join the Sooner after the 2000–01 academic year. Texas Wesleyan University joined the RRAC in the 2001–02 academic year. 2002: Southwestern Adventist left the RRAC and the NAIA to become an Independent within the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) after the 2001–02 academic year. Texas A&M International University joined the RRAC in the 2002–03 academic year. 2006: Texas–Permian Basin (UTPB) and Texas A&M–International (TAMIU) left the RRAC and the NAIA to join the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Heartland Conference after the 2005–06 academic year. The University of Texas at Brownsville (Texas–Brownsville or UT Brownsville or UTB) joined the RRAC in the 2006–07 academic year. 2007 – Houston Baptist (now Houston Christian) left the RRAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division I ranks as an NCAA D-I Independent (which would later join the Great West Conference, beginning the 2008–09 school year) after the 2006–07 academic year. 2008 – Our Lady of the Lake University joined the RRAC in the 2008–09 academic year. 2010 – Louisiana State University–Shreveport (Louisiana State–Shreveport or LSU Shreveport) joined the RRAC in the 2010–11 academic year. 2012 – The University of St. Thomas joined the RRAC in the 2012–13 academic year. 2013 – Northwood–Texas, SAGU (now Nelson) and Texas Wesleyan left the RRAC to join the Sooner after the 2012–13 academic year. 2014 – Louisiana State University–Alexandria (Louisiana State–Alexandria or LSU Alexandria) joined the RRAC in the 2014–15 academic year. 2015: Two institutions left the RRAC to join their respective new home primary conferences, both effective after the 2014–15 academic year: Bacone to join the Sooner and Texas–Brownsville (UTB) athletics was discontinued due to the merger with the University of Texas–Pan American (UTPA) to become the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV). The University of Houston–Victoria (Houston–Victoria or UHV; now Texas A&M University–Victoria) joined the RRAC in the 2015–16 academic year. 2016 – Texas A&M University–Texarkana (Texas A&M–Texarkana or TAMUT) joined the RRAC in the 2016–17 academic year. 2018 – Langston left the RRAC to join the Sooner after the 2017–18 academic year. 2019 – St. Thomas (Tex.) left the RRAC to join the NCAA Division III ranks and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) after the 2018–19 academic year. 2020 – Texas A&M University–San Antonio (Texas A&M–San Antonio or TAMUSA) joined the RRAC in the 2020–21 academic year. 2021 – Louisiana Christian University (formerly Louisiana College) and Xavier University of Louisiana joined the RRAC in the 2021–22 academic year. 2022: Wiley left the RRAC to join the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) after the 2021–22 academic year. Lewis–Clark State College joined the RRAC as an affiliate member for women's tennis in the 2023 spring season (2022–23 academic year). 2023: North American University joined the RRAC in the 2023–24 academic year. Carroll College, Montana Technological University (Montana Tech), the University of Providence and Rocky Mountain College joined the RRAC as affiliate members for men's golf in the 2024 spring season (2023–24 academic year). 2024 – Five institutions left the RRAC as affiliate members, all effective after the 2024 spring season (2023–24 academic year): Lewis–Clark State for women's tennis and Carroll (Mont.), Montana Tech, Providence (Mont.) and Rocky Mountain for men's golf 2025: Huston–Tillotson and Paul Quinn left the RRAC to join the HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) after the 2024–25 academic year. The University of North Texas at Dallas (a.k.a. UNT Dallas) joined the RRAC in the 2025–26 academic year. Houston–Victoria (UHV) was transferred to the Texas A&M University System, becoming Texas A&M–Victoria, effective September 1, 2025. The school remains in the RRAC. 2026 – Two institutions left the RRAC to join their respective new home primary conferences, both effective beginning the 2026–27 academic year: Xavier (La.) to join the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) Jarvis Christian to join the HBCUAC 2027 – Texas A&M–Texarkana will join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Lone Star Conference (LSC) beginning the 2027–28 academic year.
Member schools Current members The RRAC currently has 11 full members, with a slight majority (six) being public schools.
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Basketball? Louisiana Christian University Pineville, Louisiana 1906 Southern Baptist 936 Wildcats 2021 both Louisiana State University of Alexandria Alexandria, Louisiana 1959 Public 6,815 Generals 2014 both Louisiana State University Shreveport Shreveport, Louisiana 1967 Public 10,749 Pilots 2010 both North American University Stafford, Texas 2007 Nonsectarian 983 Stallions 2023 both University of North Texas at Dallas Dallas, Texas 2000 Public 3,794 Trailblazers 2025 both Our Lady of the Lake University San Antonio, Texas 1895 Catholic 1,968 Saints 2008 both Hobbs, New Mexico 1962 Nondenominational 1,130 Mustangs 1998 both Texas College Tyler, Texas 1894 C.M.E. Church 614 Steers 1998 both San Antonio, Texas 2009 Public 7,956 Jaguars 2020 both Texarkana, Texas 1971 Public 2,412 Eagles 2016 both Victoria, Texas 1973 Public 3,586 Jaguars 2015 none
Notes
Former members The RRAC has 18 former full members, all but five were private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Joined Left Currentconference Bacone College Muskogee, Oklahoma 1880 Tribal college Warriors 1998 2015 Closed in 2025 Houston Baptist University Houston, Texas 1960 Baptist Huskies 1998 2007 Southland (SLC) Huston-Tillotson University Austin, Texas 1881 UMC & UCC Rams 1998 2025 HBCU (HBCUAC) Jarvis Christian University Hawkins, Texas 1912 Disciples of Christ Bulldogs 1998 2026 HBCU (HBCUAC) Langston University Langston, Oklahoma 1897 Public Lions 1998 2018 Sooner (SAC) Northwestern Oklahoma State University Alva, Oklahoma 1897 Public Rangers 1998 2001 Great American (GAC) Northwood University Cedar Hill, Texas 1966 Nonsectarian Knights 1998 2013 Closed in 2014 Paul Quinn College Dallas, Texas 1872 A.M.E. Church Tigers 1998 2025 HBCU (HBCUAC) Houston, Texas 1947 Catholic Celts 2011 2019 Southern (SCAC) Chickasha, Oklahoma 1908 Public Drovers 1998 2000 Sooner (SAC) Southwestern Adventist University Keene, Texas 1893 Seventh-dayAdventist Knights 1998 2002 USCAA Independent Southwestern Assemblies of God University Waxahachie, Texas 1927 Assemblies of God Lions 1998 2013 Sooner (SAC) Texas A&M International University Laredo, Texas 1969 Public Dustdevils 2002 2006 Lone Star (LSC) Texas Wesleyan University Fort Worth, Texas 1890 United Methodist Rams 2001 2013 Sooner (SAC) Brownsville, Texas 1991 Public Ocelots 2006 2015 N/A Odessa, Texas 1973 Public Falcons 1998 2006 Lone Star (LSC) Wiley University Marshall, Texas 1873 United Methodist Wildcats 1998 2022 HBCU (HBCUAC) Xavier University of Louisiana New Orleans, Louisiana 1925 Catholic Gold Rush &Gold Nuggets 2021 2026 Southern States (SSAC)
Notes
Former affiliate members The RRAC had five former affiliate members, three are public schools and two are private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Joined Left RRACsport(s) Primaryconference Carroll College Helena, Montana 1909 Catholic Fighting Saints 2023 2024 Men's golf Frontier Lewis–Clark State College Lewiston, Idaho 1893 Public Warriors &Lady Warriors 2022 2024 Women's tennis Cascade (CCC) Montana Technological University Butte, Montana 1889 Public Orediggers 2023 2024 Men's golf Frontier University of Providence Great Falls, Montana 1932 Catholic Argonauts 2023 2024 Men's golf Frontier Rocky Mountain College Billings, Montana 1878 various Battlin' Bears 2023 2024 Men's golf Frontier
Notes
Membership timeline
Sports A divisional format is used for basketball (M / W), softball, and volleyball. Jarvis Christian Louisiana Christian LSU Alexandria LSU Shreveport Texas College Texas A&M-Texarkana Xavier North American Our Lady of the Lake Southwest Texas A&M-San Antonio Texas A&M-Victoria UNT-Dallas
The Red River Athletic Conference sponsors championships in seven men's and eight women's sports.
+ Conference sports Sport Men's Women's Baseball Basketball Cross Country Golf Soccer Softball Tennis Track and Field (Outdoor) Volleyball
RRAC men's sports sponsored by school School Baseball Basketball Crosscountry Golf Tennis Track & field(outdoor) Soccer Louisiana Christian LSU-Alexandria LSU-Shreveport North American North Texas-Dallas Our Lady of the Lake Southwest Texas College Texas A&M-San Antonio Texas A&M-Texarkana Texas A&M-Victoria
RRAC women's sports sponsored by school School Softball Basketball Crosscountry Golf Tennis Track & field(outdoor) Soccer Volleyball Louisiana Christian LSU-Alexandria LSU-Shreveport North American North Texas-Dallas Our Lady of the Lake Southwest Texas College Texas A&M-San Antonio Texas A&M-Texarkana Texas A&M-Victoria
References
External links