Mid-States Football Association

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Mid-States Football Association
AssociationNAIA
Founded1993
CommissionerGary Newsome
Sports fielded
  • 1 (football only)
No. of teams13
RegionMidwestern United States
Official websitewww.mid-statesfootball.org
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

The Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA. Member institutions are located in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. The MSFA was organized in 1993, and on-field competition began in 1994. The MSFA is divided into two leagues, the Mideast and the Midwest.

MSFA member schools have won eight NAIA National Championships since the inception of the league in 1993. An MSFA team has played in each of the last seven championships, winning six of the seven, including each of the last three. The two MSFA division champions earn an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship Series.

History[edit]

Chronological timeline[edit]

  • 1994 - The Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) was founded. Charter members included the following: Geneva College, Malone College (now Malone University), Tiffin University, Urbana University, and Westminster College representing the Mideast League, while the University of Findlay, Lindenwood College (now Lindenwood University), Olivet Nazarene University, Saint Xavier University, Taylor University and Trinity International University representing the Midwest League beginning the 1994 fall season (1994-95 academic year).
  • 1996 - Lindenwood left the MSFA to move its football program with its other sports when it joined the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) after the 1995 fall season (1995-96 academic year).
  • 1996 - Tri-State University (now Trine University) and Walsh University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League, while Iowa Wesleyan College (later Iowa Wesleyan University) and St. Ambrose University joined the MSFA to represent the Midwest League in the 1996 fall season (1996-97 academic year).
  • 1998 - Findlay and Westminster (Pa.) left the MSFA to move their football programs to the Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference (MIFC), along with their other sports when both joined the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) after the 1997 fall season (1997-98 academic year).
  • 1998 - The University of Saint Francis of Indiana joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League, while McKendree College (now McKendree University) joined the MSFA to represent the Midwest League in the 1998 fall season (1998-99 academic year).
  • 1999 - St. Ambrose left the MSFA after the 1998 fall season (1998-99 academic year).
  • 1999 - The University of St. Francis of Illinois joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League in the 1999 fall season (1999-2000 academic year).
  • 2000 - St. Ambrose returned to the MSFA in the 2000 fall season (2000-01 academic year).
  • 2002 - Tiffin left the MSFA to join the Independent Football Alliance (IFA) after the 2001 fall season (2001-02 academic year).
  • 2002 - William Penn University joined the MSFA to represent the Midwest League in the 2002 fall season (2002-03 academic year).
  • 2003 - Trine left the MSFA to move its football program with its other sports when it joined the NCAA Division III ranks after the 2002 fall season (2002-03 academic year).
  • 2003 - Quincy University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League in the 2003 fall season (2003-04 academic year).
  • 2004 - Ohio Dominican University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League in the 2004 fall season (2004-05 academic year).
  • 2006 - Quincy moved to the Midwest League in the 2006 fall season (2006-07 academic year).
  • 2007 - Geneva left the MSFA to move its football program with its other sports when it joined the NCAA Division III ranks and the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) after the 2006 fall season (2006-07 academic year).
  • 2007 - Marian University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League in the 2007 fall season (2007-08 academic year).
  • 2007 - Saint Xavier (Ill.) moved to the Mideast League in the 2007 fall season (2007-08 academic year).
  • 2008 - Urbana left the MSFA to move its football program with its other sports when it joined the NCAA Division III ranks and the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) after the 2007 fall season (2007-08 academic year).
  • 2009 - Ohio Dominican left the MSFA to move its football program with its other sports when it joined the NCAA Division II ranks after the 2008 fall season (2008-09 academic year).
  • 2009 - Grand View University and Waldorf University joined the MSFA to represent the Midwest League in the 2009 fall season (2009-10 academic year).
  • 2009 - Olivet Nazarene and Trinity International moved to the Mideast League in the 2009 fall season (2009-10 academic year).
  • 2011 - Three institutions left the MSFA to move their football programs with their other sports when they joined the NCAA Division II ranks: Malone and Walsh to the GLIAC, and McKendree to the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) after the 2010 fall season (2010-11 academic year).
  • 2011 - Concordia University Ann Arbor joined the MSFA to represent in the Mideast League in the 2011 fall season (2011-12 academic year).
  • 2011 - Quincy returned to the Mideast League, while Olivet Nazarene and Trinity International went back to the Midwest League in the 2011 fall season (2011-12 academic year).
  • 2012 - Two institutions left the MSFA to move their football programs with their other sports when they joined the NCAA ranks: Quincy to D-II and the GLVC, and Iowa Wesleyan to D-III after the 2011 fall season (2011-12 academic year).
  • 2012 - Siena Heights University joined the MSFA to represent in the Mideast League in the 2012 fall season (2012-13 academic year).
  • 2013 - Robert Morris University Illinois joined the MSFA to represent in the Mideast League in the 2013 fall season (2013-14 academic year).
  • 2013 - Saint Xavier (Ill.) returned to the Mideast League, while Saint Francis (Ill.) moved to the Midwest League in the 2013 fall season (2013-14 academic year).
  • 2014 - Waldorf left the MSFA to join the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) as an affiliate member for football after the 2013 fall season (2013-14 academic year).
  • 2015 - Grand View and William Penn left the MSFA to move their football programs with their other sports when both joined the HAAC after the 2014 fall season (2014-15 academic year).
  • 2015 - Lindenwood University – Belleville and Missouri Baptist University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League in the 2015 fall season (2015-16 academic year).
  • 2015 - Saint Francis (Ill.) went back to the Mideast League in the 2015 fall season (2015-16 academic year).
  • 2018 - Lindenwood–Belleville left the MSFA after the 2017 fall season (2017-18 academic year).
  • 2019 - Robert Morris (Ill.) left the MSFA after the 2018 fall season (2018-19 academic year).
  • 2019 - Indiana Wesleyan University and Lawrence Technological University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League in the 2019 fall season (2019-20 academic year).
  • 2019 - Missouri Baptist moved to the Midwest League in the 2019 fall season (2019-20 academic year).
  • 2020 - Madonna University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League, while Roosevelt University joined the MSFA to represent the Midwest League in the 2020 fall season (2020-21 academic year).
  • 2021 - Judson University joined the MSFA to represent the Midwest League in the 2021 fall season (2021-22 academic year).
  • 2023 - Missouri Baptist left the MSFA to move their football program with their other sports to the Heart of America Athletic Conference after the 2022 fall season (2022-23 academic year).
  • 2023 – Trinity International University left the MSFA, coinciding with the closure of its residential campus at the end of the spring semester in favor of online undergraudate programs.
  • 2024 – Roosevelt and St. Ambrose left the MSFA after the 2023 fall season (2023-24 academic year), with Roosevelt joining the NCAA Division II ranks and the GLIAC, and St. Ambrose joining the Heart of America Athletic Conference as a football associate.[1]
  • 2024 - Defiance College joined the MSFA to represent in the Mideast League in the 2024 fall season (2024-25 academic year).
  • 2024 - Marian and Saint Francis (IN) moved to the Midwest League in the 2024 fall season (2024-25 academic year).

Member schools[edit]

Current members[edit]

The MSFA currently has 13 member schools, all of them are private schools.

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Primary
conference
Mideast League
Concordia University Ann Arbor, Michigan 1963 Lutheran LCMS 1,055 Cardinals 2011 Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC)
Defiance College Defiance, Ohio 1850 United Church 505 Yellow Jackets 2024
Indiana Wesleyan University Marion, Indiana 1920 Wesleyan Church 15,872 Wildcats 2019 Crossroads
Lawrence Technological University Southfield, Michigan 1932 Nonsectarian 4,154 Blue Devils 2019 Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC)
Madonna University Livonia, Michigan 1930 Catholic 3,250 Crusaders 2020
Siena Heights University Adrian, Michigan 1919 Catholic 2,274 Saints 2012
Taylor University Upland, Indiana 1846 Nondenominational 1,887 Trojans 1994 Crossroads
Midwest League
Judson University Elgin, Illinois 1963 American Baptist 1,231 Eagles 2021 Chicagoland (CCAC)
Marian University Indianapolis, Indiana 1851 Catholic 1,800 Knights 2007 Crossroads
University of Saint Francis (IN) Fort Wayne, Indiana 1890 Catholic 1,883 Cougars 1998
Olivet Nazarene University Bourbonnais, Illinois 1907 Nazarene 4,666 Tigers 1994 Chicagoland (CCAC)
University of St. Francis (IL) Joliet, Illinois 1920 Catholic 3,352 Fighting Saints 1999
Saint Xavier University Chicago, Illinois 1846 Catholic 5,028 Cougars 1994
Notes


Former members[edit]

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Primary
conference
University of Findlay Findlay, Ohio 1882 Churches of God 4,870 Oilers 1994 1998 Great Midwest (G-MAC)[a]
Geneva College Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania 1848 Reformed 1,791 Golden
Tornadoes 		1994 2007 Presidents' (PAC)[b]
Grand View University Des Moines, Iowa 1896 Lutheran ELCA 1,988 Vikings 2009 2015 Heart of America (HAAC)
Iowa Wesleyan College Mount Pleasant, Iowa 1842 United
Methodist 		570 Tigers 1996 2012 Closed in 2023
Lindenwood University St. Charles, Missouri 1827 Presbyterian
(PCUSA) 		4,822 Lions 1994 1996 Ohio Valley (OVC)[c]
Lindenwood University–Belleville Belleville, Illinois 2003 Presbyterian
(PCUSA) 		N/A Lynx 2015 2018 Closed in 2020
Malone University Canton, Ohio 1892 Evangelical 1,684 Pioneers 1994 2011 Great Midwest (G-MAC)[a]
McKendree University Lebanon, Illinois 1828 United
Methodist 		1,702 Bearcats 1998 2011 Great Lakes Valley (GLVC)[a]
Missouri Baptist University St. Louis, Missouri 1828 Southern Baptist 2,800 Spartans 2015 2023 Heart of America (HAAC)
Ohio Dominican University Columbus, Ohio 1911 Catholic
(OP) 		1,716 Panthers 2004 2009 Great Midwest (G-MAC)[a]
Quincy University Quincy, Illinois 1860 Catholic
(Franciscan) 		1,092 Hawks 2003 2012 Great Lakes Valley (GLVC)[a]
Robert Morris University Chicago, Illinois 1913 Nonsectarian N/A Eagles 2013 2019 N/A[d]
Roosevelt University Chicago, Illinois 1945 Nonsectarian 7,500 Lakers 2020 2024 Great Lakes Intercollegiate (GLIAC)[a]
St. Ambrose University Davenport, Iowa 1882 Catholic 3,343 Fighting Bees 1996[e] 2024 Heart of America (HAAC)
Tiffin University Tiffin, Ohio 1888 Nonsectarian 3,096 Dragons 1994 2002 Great Midwest (G-MAC)[a]
Trine University Angola, Indiana 1884 Nonsectatian 4,104 Thunder 1996 2003 Michigan (MIAA)[b]
Trinity International University Deerfield, Illinois 1897 Evangelical 2,730 Trojans 1994 2023 Closed in 2023
Urbana University Urbana, Ohio 1850 Nonsectarian N/A Blue Knights 1994 2008 Closed in 2020
Waldorf College Forest City, Iowa 1903 For-profit[f] 580 Warriors 2009 2014 North Star (NSAA)
Walsh University North Canton, Ohio 1960 Catholic
(Diocese of
Youngstown) 		2,779 Cavaliers 1996 2011 Great Midwest (G-MAC)[a]
Westminster College New Wilmington, Pennsylvania 1852 Presbyterian
(PCUSA) 		1,482 Titans 1994 1998 Presidents' (PAC)[b]
William Penn University Oskaloosa, Iowa 1873 Quakers 1,550 Statesmen 2002 2015 Heart of America (HAAC)
Notes
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  2. ^ a b c Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  3. ^ Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
  4. ^ Robert Morris (Ill.) was merged into Roosevelt University.
  5. ^ St. Ambrose didn't compete in the MSFA during the 1998 fall season (1998–99 school year).
  6. ^ Formerly affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) until 2010.

Membership timeline[edit]

    Mideast League            Midwest League     

National Championship appearances[edit]

Year MSFA
Member 		Opponent Result Score
1995 Findlay (OH) Central Washington Tie 21–21
1997 Findlay (OH) Willamette Won 14–7
1998 Olivet Nazarene (IL) Azusa Pacific (CA) Lost 17–14
2004 Saint Francis (IN) Carroll (MT) Lost 15–13 (2 OT)
2005 Saint Francis (IN) Carroll (MT) Lost 27–10
2006 Saint Francis (IN) Sioux Falls (SD) Lost 23–19
2011 Saint Xavier (IL) Carroll (MT) Won 24–20
2012 Marian (IN) Morningside (IA) Won 30–27 (OT)
2013 Grand View (IA) Cumberlands (KY) Won 35–23
2014 Marian (IN) Southern Oregon Lost 55–31
'2015 Marian (IN) Southern Oregon Won 31–14
2016 Saint Francis (IN) Baker (KS) Won 38–17
2017 Saint Francis (IN) Reinhardt (GA) Won 24–13
2019 Marian (IN) Morningside Lost 38–40

Sports[edit]

The MSFA sponsors teams only in football. For other sports, MSFA-member schools are affiliated with a variety of other conferences; including the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, the Crossroads League, and the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "St. Ambrose and William Woods Football to Join the Heart of America Athletic Conference in 2024" (Press release). Heart of America Athletic Conference. July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2023.

External links[edit]

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