Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference
The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, formerly the Northern Athletics Conference, is an NCAA conferences|intercollegiate athletic conference]. It participates in the NCAA's Division III and began its first season in the fall of 2006.
The NACC sponsors 21 sports. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field, and volleyball. Women's squads are fielded in basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field and volleyball. The newest NACC sports are men's volleyball, added in the 2017–18 school year, and men's and women's lacrosse, added in the 2020-21 school year.
The NACC became eligible for automatic NCAA postseason berths in 2008–09.
History
The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference began its first season of competition in the fall of 2006 as the Northern Athletics Conference. The name change took place at the beginning of the 2013–14 academic year. The NACC consists of 13 colleges and universities from the shared-border states of Illinois and Wisconsin. Many have shared traditional rivalries dating back to the NACC's predecessor conferences: the Lake Michigan Conference and the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference.Charter members include: Alverno College, Aurora University, Benedictine University, Concordia University Chicago, Concordia University Wisconsin, Dominican University, Edgewood University, Lakeland University, Baptist University">Foundations Baptist Fellowship International">Baptist University, Marian University, Rockford University and Wisconsin Lutheran College.
Just three changes to the league's core membership have occurred, as the Milwaukee School of Engineering joined the NAC in the fall of 2007, and Maranatha withdrew from the league in the summer of 2013. In 2017, the Illinois Institute of Technology announced that they would be joining the NACC for the 2018 athletic season, coinciding with their acceptance as a full NCAA Division III member.
Also in 2017, Benedictine, which had been contemplating a move to NCAA Division II, was formally invited to join the D-II Great Lakes Valley Conference, pending NCAA approval of its entry into the D-II transition process. Benedictine formally applied to begin this transition in advance of a February 1, 2018 deadline, and was officially approved to enter the transition process in July of that year. In October 2018, Benedictine reversed course and rescinded its request to withdraw from the NACC.
The most recent membership change was announced on April 3, 2019, when St. Norbert College, already slated to become an affiliate member in men's volleyball in 2019–20, was upgraded to full NACC membership effective in 2021–22.
On April 17, 2024, four institutions joined the NCAA as affiliate members for lacrosse, effective in the 2025 spring season of the 2024-25 academic year). The following schools were Cornell College, Lake Forest College and Lawrence University for men's and women's lacrosse, and the University of Dubuque for only men's lacrosse. Lawrence was introducing both sports, while Cornell, Dubuque, and Lake Forest had been members of the Midwest Lacrosse Conference / Midwest Women's Lacrosse Conference.
Chronological timeline
- 2006 – The NACC was founded as the Northern Athletics Conference. Charter members include: Alverno College, Concordia University Wisconsin, Dominican University, Edgewood College, Lakeland College, Maranatha Baptist Bible College, Marian University and Wisconsin Lutheran College, and Aurora University, Benedictine University, Concordia University Chicago and Rockford College, beginning the 2006–07 academic year.
- 2007 – The Milwaukee School of Engineering joined the NAC after spending a season as an Division III independent schools|NCAA D-III Independent] school in the 2007–08 academic year.
- 2011 – Bethany Lutheran College, Martin Luther College, the University of Minnesota Morris, University of Northwestern – St. Paul and Presentation College joined the NAC as affiliate members for women's golf in the 2012 spring season.
- 2012 – Presentation left the NAC as an affiliate member for women's golf to return to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics after the 2012 spring season.
- 2013:
- * Maranatha Baptist left the NAC to become an NCAA D-III Independent school after the 2012–13 academic year.
- * The NAC was rebranded as the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, beginning the 2013–14 school year.
- * Northland College joined the NACC as an affiliate member for women's golf in the 2014 spring season.
- 2015:
- * Bethany Lutheran, Minnesota–Morris, Northwestern and Northland left the NACC as affiliate members for women's golf after the 2015 spring season.
- * Mount Mary University joined the NACC as an affiliate member for women's cross country in the 2015 fall season.
- 2018:
- * The Illinois Institute of Technology joined the NACC in the 2018–19 academic year.
- * Eureka College joined the NACC as an affiliate member for football in the 2018 fall season.
- 2019 – St. Norbert College joined the NACC as an affiliate member for men's volleyball, men's golf and women's golf in the 2019–20 academic year.
- 2021:
- * St. Norbert had upgraded to join the NACC for all sports in the 2021–22 academic year.
- * Beloit College joined the NACC as an affiliate member for men's and women's lacrosse in the 2022 spring season.
- 2024 – Four institutions joined the NACC as affiliate members, all effective in the 2025 spring season :
- * Cornell College, Lake Forest College and Lawrence University for men's and women's lacrosse
- * and the University of Dubuque for men's lacrosse
- 2026 – Alverno will leave the NACC to join the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference, beginning the 2026–27 academic year.
- 2027 – Concordia–Wisconsin will leave the NACC to join the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, beginning the 2027–28 academic year.
Member schools
Current members
The NACC currently has 14 full members, all are private schools:Member departing for the Coast to Coast Athletic Conference on July 1, 2027.
Member departing for the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin on July 1, 2028.
;Notes:
Affiliate members
The NACC currently has six affiliate members, all are private schools:;Notes:
Former member
The NACC had one former full member, which was also a private school:| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Undergraduate enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | Colors | Current conference |
| Maranatha Baptist University | Watertown, Wisconsin | 1968 | Baptist | 765 | Sabercats | 2006 | 2013 | Navy Blue, Gold, & Crimson | D-III Independent |
;Notes:
Former affiliate members
The NACC had seven former affiliate members, all were private schools:| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Undergraduate enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | NACC sport | Primary conference |
| Bethany Lutheran College | Mankato, Minnesota | 1927 | Lutheran ELS | 550 | Vikings | 2011 | 2015 | Women's golf | Upper Midwest (UMAC) |
| Martin Luther College | New Ulm, Minnesota | 1995 | Lutheran WELS | 800 | Knights | 2011 | 2012 | Women's golf | Upper Midwest (UMAC) |
| University of Minnesota Morris | Morris, Minnesota | 1960 | Public | 1,900 | Cougars | 2011 | 2015 | Women's golf | Upper Midwest (UMAC) |
| Mount Mary University | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 1913 | Catholic | 529 | Blue Angels | 2015 | 2016 | Women's tennis | Chicagoland (CCAC) |
| Mount Mary University | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 1913 | Catholic | 529 | Blue Angels | 2015 | 2025 | Women's cross country | Chicagoland (CCAC) |
| Northland College | Ashland, Wisconsin | 1906 | UCC & Cong. | 700 | LumberJacks & LumberJills | 2013 | 2015 | Women's golf | Closed in 2025 |
| University of Northwestern – St. Paul | Roseville, Minnesota | 1902 | Nondenominational | 2,944 | Eagles | 2011 | 2015 | Women's golf | Upper Midwest (UMAC) |
| Presentation College | Aberdeen, South Dakota | 1951 | Catholic | 786 | Saints | 2011 | 2012 | Women's golf | Closed in 2023 |
;Notes:
Membership timeline
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id:line value:black
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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
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bar:2 color:Full from:2008 till:end text:
bar:3 color:FullxF from:2006 till:2008 text:Benedictine
bar:3 color:Full from:2008 till:end text:
bar:4 color:FullxF from:2006 till:2008 text:Concordia (Ill.)
bar:4 color:Full from:2008 till:end text:
bar:5 color:FullxF from:2006 till:2008 text:Concordia (Wis.)
bar:5 color:Full from:2008 till:2027 text:
bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:2027 till:end text:CCIW
bar:6 color:FullxF from:2006 till:end text:Dominican (Ill.)
bar:7 color:FullxF from:2006 till:end text:Edgewood
bar:8 color:FullxF from:2006 till:2008 text:Lakeland (Wis.)
bar:8 color:Full from:2008 till:end text:
bar:9 color:FullxF from:2006 till:2008 text:Maranatha Baptist
bar:9 color:Full from:2008 till:2013 text:
bar:9 color:OtherC1 from:2013 till:end text:D-III Ind.
bar:10 color:FullxF from:2006 till:end text:Marian (Wis.)
bar:11 color:FullxF from:2006 till:2008 text:Rockford
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bar:12 color:FullxF from:2006 till:2008 text:Wisconsin Lutheran
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bar:13 color:FullxF from:2007 till:end text:MSOE
bar:14 color:AssocOS from:2011 till:2015 text: Bethany Lutheran
bar:15 color:AssocOS from:2011 till:2012 text: Martin Luther
bar:16 color:AssocOS from:2011 till:2015 text: Minnesota–Morris
bar:17 color:AssocOS from:2011 till:2015 text: Northwestern (Minn.)
bar:18 color:AssocOS from:2011 till:2012 text: Presentation
bar:19 color:AssocOS from:2013 till:2015 text: Northland (Wis.)
bar:20 color:AssocOS from:2015 till:2025 text: Mount Mary
bar:21 color:FullxF from:2018 till:end text:Illinois Tech
bar:22 color:AssocF from:2018 till:end text: Eureka
bar:23 color:AssocOS from:2019 till:2021 text: St. Norbert
bar:23 color:Full from:2021 till:end text:
bar:24 color:AssocOS from:2021 till:end text: Beloit
bar:25 color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text: Cornell (Ia.)
bar:26 color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text: Dubuque
bar:27 color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text: Lake Forest
bar:28 color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text: Lawrence
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Sports
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
| Baseball | 13 | |
| Basketball | 13 | 14 |
| Cross Country | 13 | 14 |
| Football | 9 | |
| Golf | 10 | 10 |
| Lacrosse | 11 | 10 |
| Soccer | 13 | 14 |
| Softball | 13 | |
| Tennis | 8 | 10 |
| Track & Field | 13 | 13 |
| Track & Field | 13 | 13 |
| Volleyball | 13 | 14 |
Men's sponsored sports by school
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference which are played by NACC schools:| School | Ice Hockey | Rowing | Swimming & Diving | Wrestling |
| Aurora | NCHA | CCIW | ||
| CUW | NCHA | CCIW | ||
| IIT | LAC | |||
| Lakeland | IND | |||
| Marian | NCHA | |||
| MSOE | NCHA | IND | MWC | CCIW |
| St. Norbert | NCHA | MWC |
Women's sponsored sports by school
Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference which are played by NACC schools:| School | Acrobatics & Tumbling | Bowling | Field Hockey | Flag Football | Ice Hockey | Rowing | Swimming & Diving | Triathlon | Wrestling |
| Aurora | CCIW | NCHA | CCIW | ||||||
| Benedictine | |||||||||
| CUW | NCATA | CFHC | NCHA | ||||||
| Edgewood | IND | ||||||||
| IIT | LAC | ||||||||
| Lakeland | IND | ||||||||
| Marian | CCIW | CFHC | NCHA | ||||||
| MSOE | NCHA | IND | MWC | CCIW | |||||
| Rockford | IND | ||||||||
| St. Norbert | NCHA | MWC |