Great Plains Athletic Conference
The Great Plains Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Member institutions are located in Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The conference was founded in 1969 as the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, later becoming the Nebraska–Iowa Athletic Conference before being renamed the Great Plains Athletic Conference.
History
The Great Plains Athletic Conference was founded on September 22, 1969, as the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The first president of the conference was Art Nicolia while Glen Hinkle was the vice president and Roger Olsen was the secretary/treasure. Jack Anderson was named the first publicist on February 28, 1970. The six charter members were Concordia University, Dana College, Doane University, Hastings College, Midland University, and Nebraska Wesleyan University. With the addition of Northwestern College in 1992, the NIAC was renamed the Nebraska–Iowa Athletic Conference. The NIAC became the Great Plains Athletic Conference in 2000 with the addition of Dakota Wesleyan University, Dordt University, Mount Marty University, and the University of Sioux Falls. Later, Briar Cliff University and Morningside University joined the GPAC in 2002 and 2003 respectively. The College of Saint Mary, a women's only institution, joined in 2015. In 2018, University of Jamestown joined the conference as a full-member, while Presentation College joined the conference as an associate member. All former members of the NIAC remain affiliated with the GPAC except for Dana College, which closed in 2010, the University of Sioux Falls, which left the conference in 2011, and Nebraska Wesleyan University, which left the conference in 2016. Paul Clark was the commissioner of the GPAC when it formed in 2000. Corey Westra in Sioux City, Iowa, is the current commissioner of the league.On January 17, 2023, Presentation College ended its affiliate status with the GPAC as it closed effective October 31, 2023.
On September 18, 2023, the GPAC had extended an invitation to Waldorf University as their newest full member of the conference, effective beginning the 2024–25 academic year; although at that moment, the university was already an affiliate member in both men's and women's soccer.
Chronological timeline
- 1969 – On September 22, 1969, the Great Plains Athletic Conference was founded as the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Charter members included Concordia Teachers College, Dana College, Doane College, Hastings College, Midland Lutheran College and Nebraska Wesleyan University, beginning the 1969–70 academic year.
- 1992 – Northwestern College of Iowa joined the NIAC. Therefore, the NIAC has been rebranded as the Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference, beginning the 1992–93 academic year.
- 2000 – Dakota Wesleyan University, Dordt College, Mount Marty College and the University of Sioux Falls joined the NIAC. Therefore, the NIAC has been rebranded as the Great Plains Athletic Conference, beginning the 2000–01 academic year.
- 2002 – Briar Cliff College joined the GPAC in the 2002–03 academic year.
- 2003 – Morningside College joined the GPAC in the 2003–04 academic year.
- 2010 – Dana left the GPAC as the school announced that it would close after the 2009–10 academic year.
- 2011 – Sioux Falls left the GPAC and the NAIA for the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association as an NCAA D-II Independent after the 2010–11 academic year.
- 2015 – The College of Saint Mary joined the GPAC in the 2015–16 academic year.
- 2016 – Nebraska Wesleyan left the GPAC and the NAIA to fully align in the NCAA Division III ranks, primarily competing as a member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference after the 2015–16 academic year.
- 2018 – The University of Jamestown joined the GPAC in the 2018–19 academic year.
- 2018 – Presentation College joined the GPAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's soccer in the 2018 fall season.
- 2020 – Ottawa University joined the GPAC as an affiliate member for men's volleyball in the 2021 fall season.
- 2021 – Central Christian College of Kansas and Kansas Wesleyan University joined the GPAC as affiliate members for men's volleyball in the 2022 fall season.
- 2023 – Presentation left the GPAC as an affiliate member for men's and women's soccer as the school ceased operations after the 2022–23 academic year.
- 2023 – Waldorf University joined the GPAC as an affiliate member in both men's and women's soccer in the 2023–24 academic year.
- 2024 – Jamestown was removed from the GPAC after the 2023–24 academic year due to their pursuit of a move to the NCAA Division II ranks; which subsequently rejoined the North Star Athletic Association for the 2024–25 school year.
- 2024 – Central Christian, Kansas Wesleyan and Ottawa left the GPAC as affiliate members for men's volleyball after the 2024 spring season ; as the conference announced that it had discontinued the sport, while replacing it with women's wrestling.
- 2024 – Waldorf joined the GPAC as a full member for all sports in the 2024–25 academic year.
Member schools
Current members
The GPAC currently has 12 full members, all are private schools:| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined |
| Briar Cliff University | Sioux City, Iowa | 1930 | Catholic | 940 | Chargers | 2002 |
| Concordia University, Nebraska | Seward, Nebraska | 1894 | Lutheran LCMS | 3,423 | Bulldogs | 1969 |
| Dakota Wesleyan University | Mitchell, South Dakota | 1885 | United Methodist | 886 | Tigers | 2000 |
| Doane University | Crete, Nebraska | 1872 | United Church of Christ | 1,948 | Tigers | 1969 |
| Dordt University | Sioux Center, Iowa | 1955 | Christian Reformed | 1,929 | Defenders | 2000 |
| Hastings College | Hastings, Nebraska | 1882 | Presbyterian | 1,011 | Broncos | 1969 |
| Midland University | Fremont, Nebraska | 1883 | Lutheran ELCA | 1,557 | Warriors | 1969 |
| Morningside University | Sioux City, Iowa | 1894 | United Methodist | 2,158 | Mustangs | 2003 |
| Mount Marty University | Yankton, South Dakota | 1936 | Catholic | 1,314 | Lancers | 2000 |
| Northwestern College | Orange City, Iowa | 1882 | Reformed | 1,665 | Red Raiders | 1992 |
| Omaha, Nebraska | 1923 | Catholic | 733 | Flames | 2015 | |
| Waldorf University | Forest City, Iowa | 1903 | Lutheran | 2,657 | Warriors | 2024 |
;Notes:
Former members
The GPAC had four former full members, all were private schools:;Notes:
Former affiliate members
The GPAC has five former affiliate members, all of which were private schools:| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | GPAC sport | Current primary conference | Conference in former GPAC sport |
| Central Christian College of Kansas | McPherson, Kansas | 1884 | Free Methodist | 455 | Tigers | 2021 | 2024 | men's volleyball | Sooner (SAC) | California Pacific (CalPac) |
| Kansas Wesleyan University | Salina, Kansas | 1886 | United Methodist | 951 | Coyotes | 2021 | 2024 | men's volleyball | Kansas (KCAC) | Heart of America (HAAC) |
| Ottawa University | Ottawa, Kansas | 1865 | Baptist | 1,055 | Braves | 2020 | 2024 | men's volleyball | Kansas (KCAC) | Heart of America (HAAC) |
| Presentation College | Aberdeen, South Dakota | 1922 | Catholic | N/A | Saints | 2018 | 2023 | men's soccer | Closed in 2023 | Closed in 2023 |
| Presentation College | Aberdeen, South Dakota | 1922 | Catholic | N/A | Saints | 2018 | 2023 | women's soccer | Closed in 2023 | Closed in 2023 |
| Waldorf University | Forest City, Iowa | 1903 | For-profit | 2,657 | Warriors | 2023 | 2024 | men's soccer | Great Plains | Great Plains |
| Waldorf University | Forest City, Iowa | 1903 | For-profit | 2,657 | Warriors | 2023 | 2024 | women's soccer | Great Plains | Great Plains |
;Notes:
Membership timeline
DateFormat = yyyy
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:1969 till:2030
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:40 top:5
Colors =
id:line value:black
id:bg value:white
id:Full value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports
id:FullxF value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football
id:AssocF value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only
id:AssocOS value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for another sport only
id:OtherC1 value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference
id:OtherC2 value:rgb # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference when the other color has already been used
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bar:1 color:Full from:1969 till:end text:Concordia–Nebraska
bar:2 color:Full from:1969 till:2010 text:Dana
bar:3 color:Full from:1969 till:end text:Doane
bar:4 color:Full from:1969 till:end text:Hastings
bar:5 color:Full from:1969 till:end text:Midland
bar:6 color:Full from:1969 till:1982 text:Nebraska Wesleyan
bar:6 color:Full from:1982 till:2016 text:GPAC
bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:2016 till:end text:American Rivers
bar:7 color:Full from:1992 till:end text:Northwestern (Ia.)
bar:8 color:Full from:2000 till:end text:Dakota Wesleyan
bar:9 color:FullxF from:2000 till:2008 text:Dordt
bar:9 color:Full from:2008 till:end
bar:10 color:FullxF from:2000 till:2022 text:Mount Marty
bar:10 color:Full from:2022 till:end
bar:11 color:Full from:2000 till:2011 text:Sioux Falls
bar:11 shift: color:OtherC1 from:2011 till:2012 text:D-II Ind.
bar:11 color:OtherC2 from:2012 till:end text:Northern Sun
bar:12 color:FullxF from:2002 till:2003 text:Briar Cliff
bar:12 color:Full from:2003 till:end
bar:13 color:Full from:2003 till:end text:Morningside
bar:14 shift: color:FullxF from:2015 till:end text:Saint Mary (Neb.)
bar:15 shift: color:Full from:2018 till:2024 text:Jamestown
bar:15 shift: color:OtherC1 from:2024 till:2025 text:NSAA
bar:15 color:OtherC2 from:2025 till:end text:Northern Sun
bar:16 color:AssocOS from:2018 till:2023 text:Presentation
bar:18 color:AssocOS from:2020 till:2024 text:Ottawa
bar:17 shift: color:AssocOS from:2021 till:2024 text:Central Christian
bar:19 shift: color:AssocOS from:2021 till:2024 text:Kansas Wesleyan
bar:20 shift: color:AssocOS from:2023 till:2024 text:Waldorf
bar:20 color:Full from:2024 till:end
bar:N color:red from:1969 till:1992 text:Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
bar:N color:white from:1992 till:2000 text:Nebraska-Iowa
bar:N color:red from:2000 till:end text:Great Plains Athletic Conference
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- > If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space.