The Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) was a college athletic conference that existed from 1908 to 1970 in the United States.
At one time the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, or IIAC, was a robust league that claimed most of the Illinois institutions of higher education. It was nicknamed the "Little Nineteen," but in 1928 had a membership of 23 schools. Former Illinois State University track coach Joseph Cogdal, associated with the IIAC for 43 years of its 62-year history, noted that the league had roots in the 1870s when a number of schools banded together for oratorical contests. Their first intercollegiate football game was played in 1881 between Illinois State University and Knox College, and by 1894 a football association was established.
History The IIAC was formed in April 1908 with eight charter members: Bradley Polytechnic Institute (now Bradley University), Illinois College, Illinois State Normal University (now Illinois State University), Illinois Wesleyan University, Knox College, Lombard College, Millikin University and Monmouth College. The first track meet was held on May 22, 1908. The group quickly expanded. Eastern Illinois State Teachers College (now Eastern Illinois University) and Western Illinois University joined in 1912 and 1914 respectively.
In 1920, the name "Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference" was adopted, providing the initials IIAC. Conference membership reached a peak of 23 member schools in 1928, when virtually all of the small colleges in Illinois were included.
Private schools withdrew during much of the 1930s, until in 1942 only the five state schools remained: Eastern Illinois University, Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Western Illinois University. In 1950, the league name became the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, when Central Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University brought the membership to seven. In 1961-62, Eastern Michigan University and Southern Illinois University Carbondale withdrew; Northern Illinois University followed in 1965-66. The conference disbanded at the end of the 1969–70 academic year.
Member schools
Final members Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Currentconference Currentassociation Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, Michigan 1892 Public 21,705 Chippewas 1950–51 1969–70 Mid-American (MAC) Division I Eastern Illinois University Charleston, Illinois 1895 Public 8,626 Panthers 1912–13 1969–70 Ohio Valley (OVC) Division I Illinois State University Normal, Illinois 1857 Public 20,706 Redbirds 1908–09 1969–70 Missouri Valley (MVC) Division I Western Illinois University Macomb, Illinois 1899 Public 7,624 Leathernecks 1914–15 1969–70 Ohio Valley (OVC) Division I
Former members Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Currentconference Currentassociation Augustana College Rock Island, Illinois 1860 Private 2,513 Vikings 1912–13 1936–37 Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW) Division III Blackburn College Carlinville, Illinois 1837 Private 590 Beavers 1914–15 1922–23 St. Louis (SLIAC) Division III Bradley University Peoria, Illinois 1897 Private 5,451 Braves 1908–09 1936–37 Missouri Valley (MVC) Division I Carthage College Carthage, Illinois 1847 Private 2,374 Redmen 1912–13 1940–41 Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW) Division III Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, Michigan 1849 Public 18,838 Hurons 1950–51 1961–62 Mid-American (MAC) Division I Elmhurst College Elmhurst, Illinois 1871 Private 2,748 Pirates 1929–30 1940–41 Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW) Division III Eureka College Eureka, Illinois 1855 Private 680 Red Devils 1910–11 1941–42 St. Louis (SLIAC) Division III Hedding College Abingdon, Illinois 1855 Private N/A Orangemen 1910–11 1925–26 N/A N/A Illinois College Jacksonville, Illinois 1829 Private 1,105 Blueboys &Lady Blues 1908–09 1936–37 Midwest (MWC) Division III Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, Illinois 1850 Private 2,113 Titans 1908–09 1936–37 Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW) Division III Knox College Galesburg, Illinois 1837 Private 1,399 Prairie Fire 1908–09 1936–37 Midwest (MWC) Division III Lake Forest College Lake Forest, Illinois 1857 Private 1,395 Foresters 1919–20 1936–37 Midwest (MWC) Division III Lincoln College Lincoln, Illinois 1865 Private 800 Lynx 1910–11 1927–28 N/A N/A Lombard College Galesburg, Illinois 1853 Private N/A Golden Tornado,Olive 1908–09 1928–29 N/A N/A McKendree College Lebanon, Illinois 1828 Private 1,702 Bearcats 1912–13 1937–38 Great Lakes Valley (GLVC) Division II Millikin University Decatur, Illinois 1901 Private 2,118 Big Blue 1908–09 1936–37 Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW) Division III Monmouth College Monmouth, Illinois 1853 Private 1,300 Fighting Scots 1908–09 1936–37 Midwest (MWC) Division III Mount Morris College Mount Morris, Illinois 1839 Private N/A Mountaineers,Mounders 1922–23 1930–31 N/A N/A North Central College Naperville, Illinois 1861 Private 2,490 Cardinals 1927–28 1936–37 Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW) Division III Northern Illinois University DeKalb, Illinois 1895 Public 17,169 Huskies 1920–21 1965–66 Mid-American (MAC) Division I Shurtleff College Alton, Illinois 1827 Private N/A Pioneers,Bison 1910–11 1936–37 N/A N/A Southern Illinois University Carbondale Carbondale, Illinois 1869 Public 11,695 Maroons,Salukis 1913–14 1961–62 Missouri Valley (MVC) Division I St. Viator College Bourbonnais, Illinois 1865 Private N/A Irish,Green 1916–17 1937–38 N/A N/A Wheaton College Wheaton, Illinois 1860 Private 2,282 Crusaders 1919–20 1936–37 Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW) Division III William & Vashti College Aledo, Illinois 1908 Private N/A unknown 1910–11 1916–17 N/A N/A
Notes
Membership timeline
Football champions
Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
1910 – Illinois Wesleyan 1911 – 1912 – Carthage, Eastern Illinois, and William & Vashti 1913 – Eastern Illinois and William & Vashti 1914 – Eastern Illinois 1915 – Illinois College 1916 – 1917 – Lombard (IL) 1918 – No champion 1919 – 1920 – , North Central, and Wheaton 1921 – 1922 – 1923 – Lombard
1924 – and Lombard 1925 – Bradley and 1926 – Bradley and 1927 – Bradley
1928 – Eastern Illinois and 1929 – and 1930 – , , and Southern Illinois 1931 – 1932 – and 1933 – 1934 – and 1935 – and 1936 – and
1937 – , , and Illinois State Normal 1938 – Northern Illinois State 1939 – Western Illinois 1940 – Illinois State Normal 1941 – Illinois State Normal and Northern Illinois State 1942 – Western Illinois 1943 – No champion 1944 – Northern Illinois State 1945 – Illinois State Normal 1946 – Northern Illinois State 1947 – Southern Illinois 1948 – 1949 – Western Illinois
Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
1950 – Illinois State Normal 1951 – Northern Illinois State 1952 – Central Michigan 1953 – Central Michigan 1954 – Central Michigan and Michigan State Normal 1955 – Central Michigan and Michigan State Normal 1956 – Central Michigan
1957 – Eastern Michigan 1958 – Western Illinois 1959 – Western Illinois 1960 – Southern Illinois 1961 – Southern Illinois 1962 – Central Michigan 1963 – Northern Illinois
1964 – Northern Illinois and Western Illinois 1965 – Northern Illinois 1966 – Central Michigan 1967 – Central Michigan and Illinois State 1968 – Central Michigan and Illinois State 1969 – Western Illinois
See also List of defunct college football conferences List of Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Mid-American Conference Missouri Valley Football Conference Ohio Valley Conference College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin
References
External links Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference