American Rivers Conference

The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) is an NCAA Division III athletic conference. From 1927 until August 9, 2018, it was known officially as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) and commonly as the Iowa Conference.

American Rivers Conference
FormerlyIowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC)
AssociationNCAA
Founded1922
CommissionerKeith Hackett (interim) (since 2023)
Sports fielded
  • 22
    • men's: 11
    • women's: 11
DivisionDivision III
No. of teams9
HeadquartersCedar Rapids, Iowa
RegionIowa, Nebraska
Official websiterollrivers.com
Locations
Location of teams in American Rivers Conference

History

The A-R-C dates back to December 8, 1922, when representatives from 12 colleges formed the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Charter members were Buena Vista College, Central University of Iowa, Ellsworth College, Iowa Wesleyan College, Luther College, Morningside College, Parsons College, St. Ambrose College, Simpson College, Upper Iowa University, Western Union College and Penn College. Des Moines University was voted into the conference at that meeting as well.

The first Conference constitution was published in January 1923. Also that year, Judge Hubert Utterback of Des Moines, Iowa was named the first conference commissioner and Iowa Teachers (now known as the University of Northern Iowa) was accepted as a member. Columbia College (now known as Loras College) was admitted in 1926. Ellsworth left the Conference in 1927. That spring, the Conference's name was changed to the "Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference." After a three-year ban, athletics were reinstated at the University of Dubuque in 1928–29, and it joined the conference in 1929. Wartburg College was admitted to the conference in 1936, beginning competition the following year. Morningside dropped out in 1936 because of inactivity. William Penn was suspended from the Conference in 1949 for using ineligible players. The school was back in the Conference in 1951, though it did not compete in football until later. In 1951, St. Ambrose and Loras dropped from football competition.

The Iowa Conference reorganized in 1953, effective with the 1954–55 school year. Nine schools remained in the Conference: Buena Vista, Central, Dubuque, Iowa Wesleyan, Luther, Parsons, Simpson, Upper Iowa and Wartburg. William Penn was re-admitted to the Conference in 1960, effective in the spring of 1962. Parsons left the Conference around 1963, while Iowa Wesleyan left effective June 1, 1965. Loras re-joined the Conference in 1986, increasing the Conference membership to nine schools, which continued until 1997 when Coe and Cornell left the Midwest Conference to join the IIAC. The Conference was at 11 schools until its 80th Anniversary year (2001–02) when William Penn decided to leave and switch its affiliation from the NCAA to the NAIA. The IIAC became a nine- school conference when Upper Iowa reclassified to NCAA Division II prior to the start of the 2003–04 academic year and fell back to eight schools with Cornell's return to the Midwest Conference following the 2011–12 academic year.

The conference expanded beyond the borders of Iowa in 2016 with the addition of Nebraska Wesleyan University.[1] On August 9, 2018, the league changed its name to the American Rivers Conference to reflect its current makeup.[2]

Chronological timeline

  • 1922 - On December 8, 1922, the American Rivers Conference was founded as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association (IIAA). Charter members included Buena Vista College (now Buena Vista University), Central University of Iowa (now Central College), Des Moines University, Ellsworth College (now Ellsworth Community College), Iowa Wesleyan College (now Iowa Wesleyan University), Luther College, Morningside College, Parsons College, St. Ambrose College (now St. Ambrose University), Simpson College, Upper Iowa College (now Upper Iowa University), Western Union College (later Westmar University) and Penn College (now William Penn University), effective beginning the 1922-23 academic year.
  • 1923 - Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa) joined the IIAA, effective in the 1923-24 academic year.
  • 1926 - Columbia College of Iowa joined the IIAA, effective in the 1926-27 academic year.
  • 1927 - Ellsworth left the IIAA, effective after the 1926-27 academic year.
  • 1927 - The IIAA was renamed as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the spring season, effective beginning the 1927-28 academic year.
  • 1929 - Des Moines U. left the IIAC as the school announced to close, effective after the 1928-29 academic year.
  • 1929 - The University of Dubuque joined the IIAC, effective in the 1929-30 academic year.
  • 1935 - Northern Iowa left the IIAC fully align with the North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NCIAC), effective after the 1934-35 academic year.
  • 1936 - Morningside left the IIAC to fully align with the NCIAC, effective after the 1935-36 academic year.
  • 1936 - Wartburg College joined the IIAC, effective beginning the 1937-38 academic year.
  • 1949 - William Penn was suspended for two seasons by the IIAC, effective after the 1948-49 academic year.
  • 1951 - William Penn was re-instated back to the IIAC, effective in the 1951-52 academic year.
  • 1953 - Westmar left the IIAC, effective after the 1952-53 academic year.
  • 1954 - Loras, St. Ambrose and William Penn left the IIAC, effective after the 1953-54 academic year.
  • 1960 - William Penn re-joined back to the IIAC, effective beginning the 1962-63 academic year.
  • 1965 - Iowa Wesleyan left the IIAC, effective after the 1964-65 academic year.
  • 1986 - Loras re-joined back to the IIAC, effective in the 1986-87 academic year.
  • 1997 - Coe College and Cornell College joined the IIAC, effective in the 1997-98 academic year.
  • 2001 - William Penn left the IIAC for a second time to join the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Midwest Collegiate Conference (MCC), effective after the 2000-01 academic year.
  • 2003 - Upper Iowa left the IIAC to join the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as an NCAA D-II Independent (which would later join the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), effective beginning the 2006-07 academic year), effective after the 2002-03 academic year.
  • 2012 - Cornell left the IIAC to re-join back to the Midwest Conference (MWC), effective after the 2011-12 academic year.
  • 2016 - Nebraska Wesleyan University joined the IIAC, effective in the 2016-17 academic year.
  • 2018 - On August 9, 2018, the IIAC was rebranded as the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C), effective in the 2018-19 academic year.

Member schools

Current members

American Rivers Conference is located in Iowa
Buena Vista
Buena Vista
Central
Central
Coe
Coe
Dubuque
Dubuque
Loras
Loras
Luther
Luther
Nebraska Wesleyan
Nebraska Wesleyan
Simpson
Simpson
Wartburg
Wartburg
Map of current members

The ARC currently has nine full members; all are private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined
Buena Vista University Storm Lake, Iowa 1891 Presbyterian 2,775 Beavers 1922
Central College Pella, Iowa 1853 Reformed 1,575 Dutch 1922
Coe College Cedar Rapids, Iowa 1851 Presbyterian 1,355 Kohawks 1997
University of Dubuque Dubuque, Iowa 1852 Presbyterian 1,361 Spartans 1929
Loras College Dubuque, Iowa 1839 Catholic
(Archdiocese of Dubuque)
1,550 Duhawks 1926,
1986[lower-alpha 1]
Luther College Decorah, Iowa 1861 Lutheran ELCA 2,573 Norse 1922
Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, Nebraska 1887 United Methodist 1,600 Prairie Wolves 2016
Simpson College Indianola, Iowa 1860 United Methodist 1,966 Storm 1922
Wartburg College Waverly, Iowa 1852 Lutheran ELCA 1,804 Knights 1936
Notes
  1. Loras was dropped from the IIAC after the 1953–54 school year because it was determined they were "too strong" for the other members to play against. Loras re-joined back to the IIAC, effective since the 1986–87 school year.

Former members

The ARC had 11 former full members, all but one were private schools:

Institution Location[lower-alpha 1] Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Current
conference
Cornell College Mount Vernon 1853 United Methodist 1,155 Rams 1997–98 2011–12 Midwest (MWC)
Des Moines University Des Moines 1898 Not-for-profit N/A N/A 1922–23 1928–29 Closed in 1929
Ellsworth College[lower-alpha 2] Iowa Falls 1890 Public 1,000 Panthers 1922–23 1926–27 Iowa (ICCAC)
(NJCAA)
Iowa State Teachers College[lower-alpha 3] Cedar Falls 1876 Public 12,607 Panthers 1923–24 1934–35 Missouri Valley (MVC)
(NCAA D-I)
Iowa Wesleyan College[lower-alpha 4] Mount Pleasant 1842 United Methodist 850 Tigers 1922–23 1964–65 Closed in 2023
Morningside College[lower-alpha 5] Sioux City 1894 United Methodist 1,149 Mustangs 1922–23 1935–36 Great Plains (GPAC)
(NAIA)
Parsons College Fairfield 1875 Presbyterian 1,500 Wildcats 1922–23 1962–63 Closed in 1973
St. Ambrose College[lower-alpha 6] Davenport 1882 Roman Catholic 2,829 Fighting Bees 1922–23 1953–54 Chicagoland (CCAC)
(NAIA)
Upper Iowa University Fayette 1857 Nonsectarian 6,000 Peacocks 1922–23 2002–03 Northern Sun (NSIC)
(NCAA D-II)
Westmar College[lower-alpha 7] Le Mars 1887 United Methodist 1,000 Eagles 1922–23 1952–53 Closed in 1997
William Penn University[lower-alpha 8] Oskaloosa 1873 Society of Friends 1,795 Statesmen 1922–23,
1962–63
1953–54,
2000–01[lower-alpha 9]
Heart of America (HAAC)
(NAIA)
Notes
  1. All cities were located in the State of Iowa.
  2. Currently known as Ellsworth Community College since 1968.
  3. Currently known as the University of Northern Iowa since 1967.
  4. Currently known as Iowa Wesleyan University since 2015.
  5. Currently known as Morningside University since 2021.
  6. Currently known as St. Ambrose University since 1987.
  7. Later known as Westmar University from 1995 until its closure in late 1997.
  8. Formerly known as William Penn College until 2000.
  9. William Penn was suspended from the conference from 1949–50 to 1950–51 and then removed from the IIAC for being "too weak" after the 1953–54 school year; William Penn would later re-join back to the IIAC from the 1962 spring season (1961–62 school year) to 2000–01.

Membership timeline

Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityCornell CollegeCoe CollegeWartburg CollegeUniversity of DubuqueLoras CollegeUniversity of Northern IowaDes Moines CollegeWilliam Penn UniversityWestmar UniversityUpper Iowa UniversitySimpson CollegeSt. Ambrose UniversityParsons CollegeMorningside CollegeLuther College (Iowa)Iowa Wesleyan UniversityEllsworth Community CollegeCentral College (Iowa)Buena Vista University

Sports

Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
BaseballGreen tickY
BasketballGreen tickYGreen tickY
Cheer & DanceGreen tickY[upper-alpha 1]
Cross countryGreen tickYGreen tickY
FootballGreen tickY
GolfGreen tickYGreen tickY
SoccerGreen tickYGreen tickY
SoftballGreen tickY
Swimming & DivingGreen tickY[upper-alpha 1]Green tickY[upper-alpha 1]
TennisGreen tickYGreen tickY
Track & field (indoor)Green tickYGreen tickY
Track & field (outdoor)Green tickYGreen tickY
VolleyballGreen tickY
WrestlingGreen tickYGreen tickY[upper-alpha 1]
Notes
  1. The Arerican Rivers Conference has a policy in which sports my be sponsored as an invited if petitioned by a group of schools. Cheer & Dance, Men's & Women's Swimming & Diving, and Women's Wrestling have all been successfully petitioned to be sponsored through an invitational.

Men's sponsored sports by school

SchoolBaseballBasketballCross
Country
FootballGolfSoccerSwimming
& Diving
TennisTrack & Field
(Indoor)
Track & Field
(Outdoor)
WrestlingTotal ARC
Sports
Buena VistaGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY10
CentralGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY10
CoeGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY11
DubuqueGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY10
LorasGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY11
LutherGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY11
Nebraska WesleyanGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY11
SimpsonGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY11
WartburgGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY10

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the American Rivers Conference that are played by American Rivers schools

SchoolGymnasticsLacrosseShooting
Sports[upper-alpha 1]
Volleyball
CoeNCSSAA
DubuqueMLC
LorasCCIW
SimpsonEIGLNCSSAAIndependent
WartburgSCTP
Notes
  1. Not sponsored by the NCAA.

Women's sponsored sports by school

SchoolBasketballCheer
& Dance[upper-alpha 1]
Cross
Country
GolfSoccerSoftballSwimming
& Diving
TennisTrack & Field
(Indoor)
Track & Field
(Outdoor)
VolleyballWrestling[upper-alpha 2]Total ARC
Sports
Buena VistaGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY11
CentralGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY11
CoeGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XN11
DubuqueGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XN10
LorasGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XN11
LutherGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XN11
Nebraska WesleyanGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XN11
SimpsonGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY12
WartburgGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY11

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the American Rivers Conference that are played by American Rivers schools

SchoolGymnasticsShooting
Sports[upper-alpha 1]
Triathlon[upper-alpha 2]
CentralIndependent
CoeNCSSAAIndependent
SimpsonIndependentNCSSAA
WartburgSCTP
  1. Not sponsored by the NCAA.
  2. Part of the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women.

References

  1. "Nebraska Wesleyan to Join Iowa Conference in 2016-17". Nebraska Wesleyan University. July 20, 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  2. "#RiversRise; Iowa Conference Now American Rivers Conference" (Press release). American Rivers Conference. August 9, 2018. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
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