The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III since the 2008–09 season. Mark Becker replaced Corey Borchardt as Commissioner in July 2026 after Borchardt became the first full-time leader of the conference in 2008. The UMAC was started in 1972 as the Twin Rivers Conference, and assumed its current name in 1983. Member institutions are located in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The UMAC sponsors intercollegiate competition in men's baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's football, men's and women's golf, men's and women's soccer, women's softball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, and women's volleyball.
Greenville College and Westminster College became associate members of the UMAC in football in 2009, followed by Finlandia University in 2021.
In March 2023, Finlandia announced it was closing.
History
Chronological timeline 1972 – The UMAC was founded as the Twin Rivers Conference (TRC), originally an athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Charter members included Concordia College, Saint Paul (now Concordia University, Saint Paul), Dr. Martin Luther College, Loras College, Mount Senario College, Northwestern College of Minnesota (now the University of Northwestern – St. Paul), Northwestern College of Wisconsin and Pillsbury Baptist Bible College, beginning the 1972–73 academic year. 1974 – Maranatha Baptist Bible College (now Maranatha Baptist University) joined the TWC as an associate member for football in the 1974 fall season (1974–75 academic year). 1976 – Viterbo College (now Viterbo University) joined the TRC in the 1976–77 academic year. 1983 – The TRC was rebranded as the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference, beginning the 1983–84 academic year. 1986 – Loras left the UMAC to join the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) after the 1985–86 academic year. 1988 – Pillsbury Baptist Bible and Viterbo left the UMAC after the 1987–88 academic year. 1994 – Crown College joined the UMAC in the 1994–95 academic year. 1995: Dr. Martin Luther and Northwestern (Wisc.) merged to become Martin Luther College. Both institutions therefore left the UMAC as a result of the merger, effective after the 1994–95 academic year. And immediately Martin Luther joined the UMAC, beginning the 1995–96 academic year. The College of St. Scholastica joined the UMAC in the 1995–96 academic year. 1997 – Trinity Bible College joined the UMAC as an associate member for football in the 1997 fall season (1997–98 academic year). 1998 – Northland College of Wisconsin joined the UMAC in the 1998–99 academic year. 1999 – Concordia–Saint Paul left the UMAC to join Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) after the 1998–99 academic year. 2002: Mount Senario left the UMAC during the 2001–02 academic year; as the school disbanded its athletics program in December 2001 without completing the rest of the school year; which would the school later ceased operations on 31 August 2002. Presentation College of South Dakota joined the UMAC in the 2002–03 academic year. Blackburn College, Principia College, Rockford College (now Rockford University) and Westminster College of Missouri joined the UMAC as associate members for football in the 2002 fall season (2002–03 academic year). 2003 – The University of Minnesota at Morris (a.k.a. Minnesota–Morris) joined the UMAC in the 2003–04 academic year. 2004 – Bethany Lutheran College joined the UMAC in the 2004–05 academic year. 2008: Blackburn, Principia, Maranatha Baptist, Rockford, Trinity Bible and Westminster (Mo.) left the UMAC as associate members for football after the 2007 fall season (2007–08 academic year). The UMAC became affiliated with the NCAA Division III ranks, beginning the 2008–09 academic year. North Central University joined the UMAC as an associate member for certain sports in the 2008–09 academic year. 2009 – Eureka College, Greenville College (now Greenville University) and MacMurray College joined the UMAC as associate members for football (with Westminster (Mo.) rejoining back) in the 2009 fall season (2009–10 academic year). 2012 – Presentation left the UMAC to join the NAIA as an Independent within the Association of Independent Institutions (AII) after the 2011–12 academic year; which would later join the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA), beginning the 2013–14 school year. 2013: North Central (Minn.) became a full member of the UMAC for all sports in the 2013–14 academic year. Iowa Wesleyan College (now Iowa Wesleyan University) joined the UMAC as an associate member for football in the 2013 fall season (2013–14 academic year). 2015 – The University of Wisconsin–Superior joined the UMAC in the 2015–16 academic year. 2018 – Eureka left the UMAC as an associate member for football after the 2017 fall season (2017–18 academic year). 2020 – MacMurray left the UMAC as an associate member for football after the 2019 fall season (2019–20 academic year); as the school would later drop its athletics program and cease operations. 2021: Iowa Wesleyan left the UMAC as an associate member for football after the 2020 fall season (2020–21 academic year). St. Scholastica left the UMAC to join the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) after the 2020–21 academic year. 2021 – Finlandia University joined the UMAC as an associate member for football in the 2021 fall season (2021–22 academic year). 2023 – Finlandia left the UMAC as an associate member for football after the 2022 fall season (2022–23 academic year); as the school would later drop its athletics program and cease operations. 2025 – Northland left the UMAC after the 2024–25 academic year; as the school would cease operations.
Member schools Current members Full members The UMAC currently has seven full members, all but two are private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment NicknameColors Varsityteams Joined Bethany Lutheran College Mankato, Minnesota 1927 Lutheran ELS 856 Vikings 15 2004 Crown College St. Bonifacius, Minnesota 1916 Christian and Missionary Alliance 1,523 Polars 18 1994 Martin Luther College New Ulm, Minnesota 1995 Lutheran WELS 800 Knights 15 1995 University of Minnesota–Morris Morris, Minnesota 1960 Public 981 Cougars 16 2003 North Central University Minneapolis, Minnesota 1930 Assemblies of God 759 Rams 15 2013 University of Northwestern–Saint Paul Roseville, Minnesota 1902 Nondenominational 3,163 Eagles 16 1972 University of Wisconsin–Superior Superior, Wisconsin 1893 Public 2,027 Yellowjackets 15 2015
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Associate members The UMAC currently has five associate members, all but one are private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined UMACsport(s) Primaryconference Greenville University Greenville, Illinois 1892 Free Methodist 1,200 Panthers 2009 Football St. Louis (SLIAC) 2023 Men's tennis 2023 Women's tennis Mississippi University for Women(MUW) Columbus, Mississippi 1884 Public 2,339 Owls 2023 Men's tennis St. Louis (SLIAC) 2023 Women's tennis Principia College Elsah, Illinois 1912 Scientist 323 Panthers 2023 Men's tennis St. Louis (SLIAC) 2023 Women's tennis Webster University Webster Groves, Missouri 1915 Catholic 5,000 Gorloks 2023 Men's tennis St. Louis (SLIAC) 2023 Women's tennis Westminster College Fulton, Missouri 1851 Presbyterian 1,050 Blue Jays 2009 Football St. Louis (SLIAC) 2023 Men's tennis 2023 Women's tennis
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Former members Full members The UMAC had ten former full members, which all were private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Currentconference Concordia University, Saint Paul St. Paul, Minnesota 1893 Lutheran LCMS 2,800 Golden Bears 1972 1999 Northern Sun (NSIC) Dr. Martin Luther College New Ulm, Minnesota 1884 Lutheran WELS N/A Lancers 1972 1995 N/A Loras College Dubuque, Iowa 1839 Catholic 1,610 Duhawks 1972 1986 American Rivers (ARC) Mount Senario College Ladysmith, Wisconsin 1930 Nonsectarian N/A Fighting Saints 1972 2002 N/A Northwestern College (Wisconsin) Watertown, Wisconsin 1865 Lutheran WELS N/A Trojans 1972 1995 N/A Northland College Ashland, Wisconsin 1892 United Church of Christ 262 LumberJacks &LumberJills 1998 2025 Closed in 2025 Pillsbury Baptist Bible College Owatonna, Minnesota 1877 Independent Baptist 142 Comets 1972 1988 Closed in 2008 Presentation College Aberdeen, South Dakota 1922 Catholic 786 Saints 2002 2012 Closed in 2023 The College of St. Scholastica Duluth, Minnesota 1912 Catholic 3,309 Saints 1995 2021 Minnesota (MIAC) Viterbo University La Crosse, Wisconsin 1890 Catholic 3,192 V-Hawks 1976 1988 Chicagoland (CCAC)
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Associate members The UMAC had eight former associate members, all were private schools. School names and nicknames reflect those in use during the final school year in which each competed in the UMAC.
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left UMACsport(s) Primaryconference Blackburn College Carlinville, Illinois 1837 Presbyterian 590 Beavers 2002 2008 Football St. Louis (SLIAC) Eureka College Eureka, Illinois 1855 Disciples of Christ 680 Red Devils 2009 2018 St. Louis (SLIAC) Finlandia University Hancock, Michigan 1896 Lutheran 507 Lions 2021 2023 Closed in 2023 Iowa Wesleyan University Mt. Pleasant, Iowa 1842 United Methodist 571 Tigers 2013 2021 Closed in 2023 Maranatha Baptist Bible College Watertown, Wisconsin 1968 Baptist 950 Crusaders 1974 2008 D-III Independent MacMurray College Jacksonville, Illinois 1846 United Methodist 683 Highlanders 2009 2010 Closed in 2020 Principia College Elsah, Illinois 1910 Scientist 550 Panthers 2002 2008 St. Louis (SLIAC) Rockford College Rockford, Illinois 1847 Nonsectarian 983 Regents 2002 2008 Northern (NACC) Trinity Bible College Ellendale, North Dakota 1948 Assemblies of God 333 Lions 1997 2008 NCCAA Independent
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Membership timeline
Conference sports
+ Conference sportsSportMen'sWomen'sBaseballBasketballCross countryFootballGolf Indoor Track and fieldSoccerSoftball TennisTrack and fieldVolleyball
Conference facilities SchoolFootball stadiumCapacityBasketball arenaCapacityBethany Lutheran Non-football schoolN/ASports and Fitness Center800CrownOld National Bank Stadium1,400Wild Athletic Center700GreenvilleFrancis Stadium2,000 Football-only memberMartin LutherMLC Bowl2,200Luther Student Center700Minnesota–MorrisBig Cat Stadium3,500Cougar Sports Center (CSC) 4,000North CentralNon-football schoolN/AClark-Danielson Gymnasium800Northwestern Reynolds Field1,500Ericksen Center1,500WestminsterPriest Field1,000 Football-only memberWisconsin–Superior Non-football school N/A Mertz Mortorelli Gymnasium 2,500
Football champions