Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference

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Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference
AssociationNAIA
Founded1992; 34 years ago (1992)
CommissionerEric Ward
Sports fielded
  • 27
    • men's: 14
    • women's: 13
No. of teams12 (11 in 2026)
HeadquartersLivonia, Michigan
RegionMidwest (East North Central)
Official websitewhac.net
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

The Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Livonia, Michigan. The conference consists of twelve colleges and universities located in the U.S. states of Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Founded in 1992, the conference was created as a successor group for the now-defunct NAIA District 23.

History

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The WHAC announced on January 27, 2012, added bowling and lacrosse for both men and women as conference sports effective the fall of 2012, becoming the first NAIA conference to offer championships in these sports.[1]

Men's ice hockey was added as a conference sport effective the fall of 2017, making the WHAC the first conference in the NAIA to offer ice hockey as a conference championship sport.[2] Initially, the five conference members that sponsor ice hockey will participate in a conference championship.[2][3]

Chronological timeline

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  • 1992 – The Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) was founded. Charter members included Aquinas College, Concordia College Ann Arbor (now Concordia University Ann Arbor), Cornerstone College (now Cornerstone University), Siena Heights College (now Siena Heights University), Spring Arbor College (now Spring Arbor University) and Tri-State University (now Trine University), beginning the 1992–93 academic year.
  • 1997 – Madonna University joined the WHAC in the 1997–98 academic year.
  • 1998 – Indiana Institute of Technology (Indiana Tech) joined the WHAC in the 1998–99 academic year.
  • 2003 – Tri-State left the WHAC and the NAIA to join the Division III ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as an NCAA D-III Independent (which would later join the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), beginning the 2004–05 academic year) after the 2002–03 academic year.
  • 2004 – Spring Arbor left the WHAC to join the Mid-Central College Conference (MCCC; now the Crossroads League) after the 2003–04 academic year.
  • 2004 – The University of Michigan–Dearborn joined the WHAC in the 2004–05 academic year.
  • 2005 – Davenport University joined the WHAC in the 2005–06 academic year.
  • 2010 – The University of Northwestern Ohio joined the WHAC in the 2010–11 academic year.
  • 2011 – Lourdes University joined the WHAC in the 2011–12 academic year.
  • 2012 – Lawrence Technological University and Marygrove College joined the WHAC in the 2012–13 academic year.
  • 2016 – Two institutions joined the WHAC as affiliate members, both effective in the 2016–17 academic year:
    • Rochester College (now Rochester Christian University)[4] for baseball
    • and former full member Spring Arbor for men's and women's bowling
  • 2017 – Davenport left the WHAC and the NAIA to join the NCAA Division II ranks and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) after the 2016–17 academic year.
  • 2017 – Rochester had joined the WHAC for all sports in the 2017–18 academic year.
  • 2017 – Marygrove left the WHAC as the school announced that it would close at the end of the fall 2017 semester, which occurred during the 2017–18 academic year.
  • 2018 – Cleary University joined the WHAC in the 2018–19 academic year.
  • 2018 – Four institutions joined the WHAC as affiliate members, all effective in the 2019 spring season (2018–19 academic year):
  • 2019 – Two institutions joined the WHAC as affiliate members (and/or added other single sports into their affiliate memberships), all effective in the 2019 spring season (2018–19 academic year):
  • 2020 – Three institutions left the WHAC as affiliate members (and/or removed other single sports from their affiliate memberships), all effective after the 2019–20 academic year:
    • Mount Vernon Nazarene for men's and women's bowling
    • Spring Arbor for competitive cheer and dance
    • and Taylor for women's lacrosse
  • 2020 – Five institutions joined the WHAC as affiliate members (and/or added other single sports into their affiliate memberships), all effective in the 2020–21 academic year:
  • 2021 – Bethel (Ind.), Huntington and Spring Arbor left the WHAC as affiliate members for men's and women's bowling after the 2020–21 academic year.
  • 2022 – Three institutions joined the WHAC as affiliate members (and/or added other single sports into their affiliate memberships), all effective in the 2022–23 academic year:
  • 2023 – Brescia left the WHAC as an affiliate member for competitive cheer after the 2022–23 academic year.
  • 2023 – Marian (Ind.) added competitive dance to its WHAC affiliate membership in the 2023–24 academic year:
  • 2024 – Two institutions left the WHAC as affiliate members (and/or removed other single sports from their affiliate memberships), both effective after the 2023–24 academic year:
  • 2024 – Defiance College joined the WHAC in the 2024–25 academic year.
  • 2024 – Two institutions joined the WHAC as affiliate members (and/or added other single sports into their affiliate memberships), both effective in the 2024–25 academic year:
  • 2024 – Concordia–Ann Arbor announced that they would be discontinuing all athletic programs and leaving the WHAC at the end of the 2024–25 academic year.
  • 2025 – Siena Heights will leave the WHAC as the school announced that it would close at the end of the 2025–26 academic year.

Member schools

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Current members

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The WHAC currently has 12 full members, all but one are private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[a] Basketball?
Aquinas College Grand Rapids, Michigan 1886 Catholic
(D.S.G.R.) 		1,295 Saints 1992 both
Cleary University Howell, Michigan 1883 Nonsectarian 1,040 Cougars 2018 both[b]
Cornerstone University Grand Rapids, Michigan 1941 Interdenominational 1,735 Golden Eagles 1992 both
Defiance College Defiance, Ohio 1850 United Church 511 Yellow Jackets 2024 both
Indiana Institute of Technology Fort Wayne, Indiana 1930 Nonsectarian 2,862 Warriors 1998 both
Lawrence Technological University Southfield, Michigan 1932 Nonsectarian 3,260 Blue Devils 2012 both
Lourdes University Sylvania, Ohio 1958 Catholic
(Franciscan) 		1,014 Gray Wolves 2011 both
Madonna University Livonia, Michigan 1930 Catholic
(Felician Sisters) 		2,054 Crusaders 1997 both
University of Michigan–Dearborn Dearborn, Michigan 1959 Public[c] 8,035 Wolverines 2004 both
University of Northwestern Ohio Lima, Ohio 1920 Nonsectarian 2,606 Racers 2010 both
Rochester Christian University[d] Rochester Hills, Michigan 1959 Churches of Christ 1,173 Warriors 2017[e] both
Siena Heights University[f][5] Adrian, Michigan 1919 Catholic
(O.P.) 		1,832 Saints 1992 both
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ The Cleary men's and women's basketball teams joined the WHAC five years after becoming a full member for other sports (2023–24).
  3. ^ Part of the University of Michigan system.
  4. ^ Formerly known as Rochester University prior to 2024 and Rochester College prior to 2019.
  5. ^ Before joining for full membership, Rochester Christian competed in the WHAC as an affiliate member for baseball during the 2016–17 school year.
  6. ^ Siena Heights University will be shutting down following the 2025-26 academic year.


Affiliate members

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The WHAC currently has seven affiliate members, all are private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[a] WHAC
sport(s) 		Current
conference
Bethel University Mishawaka, Indiana 1947 Missionary 1,222 Pilots 2018w.lax.
2022m.vb. 		women's lacrosse
men's volleyball 		Crossroads
Goshen College Goshen, Indiana 1894 Mennonite 824 Maple Leafs 2018 men's volleyball Crossroads
Marian University Indianapolis, Indiana 1851 Catholic
(S.S.F.) 		3,586 Knights 2020m.wr
2022w.lax
2023dance 		men's wrestling
women's lacrosse
competitive dance 		Crossroads
Mount Vernon Nazarene University Mount Vernon, Ohio 1964 Nazarene 1,845 Cougars 2020 men's volleyball Crossroads
University of St. Francis Joliet, Illinois 1920 Catholic
(Franciscans) 		3,185 Fighting Saints 2024m.bowl.
2024w.bowl. 		men's bowling
women's bowling 		Chicagoland (CCAC)
Saint Xavier University Chicago, Illinois 1846 Catholic
(R.S.M.) 		3,457 Cougars 2024 eSports Chicagoland (CCAC)
Taylor University Upland, Indiana 1846 Nondenominational 2,398 Trojans 2018 men's lacrosse Crossroads
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

Former members

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The WHAC had five former full members, all were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[a] Left[b] Current
conference
Concordia University Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, Michigan 1963 Lutheran LCMS 1,351 Cardinals 1992 2025 N/A[c]
Davenport University Grand Rapids, Michigan 1866 Nonsectarian 4,848 Panthers 2005 2017 Great Lakes (GLIAC)[d]
Marygrove College Detroit, Michigan 1899 Catholic
(I.H.M.) 		N/A Mustangs 2012 2018[e] Closed in 2019[e]
Spring Arbor University Spring Arbor, Michigan 1873 Free Methodist 2,390 Cougars 1992 2004 Crossroads
Tri-State University[f] Angola, Indiana 1884 Nonsectarian 4,471 Thunder 1992 2003 Michigan (MIAA)[g]
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. ^ Concordia University Ann Arbor dropped intercollegiate athletics after the 2024–25 academic year.
  4. ^ Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  5. ^ a b Marygrove announced that all athletics would cease after the 2017 fall season (with men's & women's soccer and volleyball remaining) of the 2017–18 academic year; with their August 2017 announcement of the closing of school's undergraduate programs.[6]
  6. ^ Currently known as Trine University since 2008.
  7. ^ Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.

Former affiliate members

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The WHAC had nine former affiliate members, all were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[a] Left[b] WHAC
sport(s) 		Current
conference
Bethel University Mishawaka, Indiana 1947 Missionary 1,222 Pilots 2020m.bowl.
2020w.bowl. 		2021m.bowl.
2021w.bowl. 		men's bowling
women's bowling 		Crossroads
Brescia University Owensboro, Kentucky 1925 Catholic
(Ursulines) 		638 Bearcats 2020 2023 competitive cheer River States (RSC)
Huntington University Huntington, Indiana 1897 United Brethren
in Christ 		1,504 Foresters 2018m.bowl.
2018w.bowl. 		2021m.bowl.
2021w.bowl. 		men's bowling
women's bowling 		Crossroads
Mount Vernon Nazarene University Mount Vernon, Ohio 1964 Nazarene 1,845 Cougars 2019m.bowl.
2019w.bowl. 		2020m.bowl.
2020w.bowl. 		men's bowling
women's bowling 		Crossroads
Point Park University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1960 Nonsectarian 3,299 Pioneers 2020 2024 competitive cheer Mountain East (MEC)[c]
Rochester College[d] Rochester Hills, Michigan 1959 Churches of Christ 1,173 Warriors 2016 2017 baseball Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC)
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana 1840 Catholic
(Sisters of Providence) 		1,227 Pomeroys 2022 2024 men's volleyball River States (RSC)
Spring Arbor University[e] Spring Arbor, Michigan 1873 Free Methodist 2,390 Cougars 2016m.bowl.
2016w.bowl.
2019cheer.
2019dance 		2021m.bowl.
2021w.bowl.
2020cheer.
2020dance 		men's bowling
women's bowling
competitive cheer
competitive dance 		Crossroads
Taylor University Upland, Indiana 1846 Nondenominational 2,398 Trojans 2019 2020 women's lacrosse Crossroads
Notes
  1. ^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. ^ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
  3. ^ Formerly an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
  4. ^ Later known as Rochester University in 2019 and now currently known as Rochester Christian University since 2024.
  5. ^ Spring Arbor was a full member of the WHAC from 1992–93 to 2003–04.

Membership timeline

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<timeline>

DateFormat = yyyy

ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20

Period = from:1992 till:2028

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal

PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:50 top:5

Colors = id:barcolor value:rgb(0.99,0.7,0.7) 

         id:line value:black
         id:bg value:white
         id:Full value:rgb(0.7,0.9,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports
         id:FullxF value:rgb(0.9,0.8,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football
         id:AssocF value:rgb(0.9,0.7,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only
         id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.8,0.9,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for another sport only
         id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference
         id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference when the other color has already been used

PlotData = 

width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s

bar:1 color:FullxF from:1992 till:end text:Aquinas (1992–present)

bar:2 color:FullxF from:1992 till:2025 text:Concordia–Michigan (1992–2025)

bar:3 color:FullxF from:1992 till:end text:Cornerstone (1992–present)

bar:4 color:FullxF from:1992 till:2026 text:Siena Heights (1992–2026)

bar:5 color:FullxF from:1992 till:2004 text:Spring Arbor (1992–2004)
bar:5 color:OtherC1 from:2004 till:end text:Crossroads
bar:5 color:AssocOS from:2016 till:2021 text:Crossroads (WHAC assoc. sports)

bar:6 color:FullxF from:1992 till:2003 text:Trine (1992–2003)
bar:6 color:OtherC1 from:2003 till:2004 text:D-III Ind.
bar:6 shift:(30) color:OtherC2 from:2004 till:end text:MIAA

bar:7 color:FullxF from:1997 till:end text:Madonna (1997–present)

bar:8 color:FullxF from:1998 till:end text:Indiana Tech (1998–present)

bar:9 color:FullxF from:2004 till:end text:Michigan–Dearborn (2004–present)

bar:10 color:FullxF from:2005 till:2017 text:Davenport (2005–2017)
bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:2017 till:end text:GLIAC

bar:11 color:FullxF from:2010 till:end text:Northwestern Ohio (2010–present)

bar:12 color:FullxF from:2011 till:end text:Lourdes (2011–present)

bar:13 color:FullxF from:2012 till:end text:Lawrence Tech (2012–present)

bar:14 color:FullxF from:2012 till:2018 text:Marygrove (2012–2018)

bar:15 color:AssocOS from:2016 till:2017 text:Rochester (2016–present)
bar:15 color:FullxF from:2017 till:2024
bar:15 color:FullxF from:2024 till:end text:Rochester Christian

bar:16 color:FullxF from:2018 till:end text:Cleary (2018–present)

bar:17 color:AssocOS from:2018 till:end text:Bethel (Ind.) (2018–present)

bar:18 color:AssocOS from:2018 till:end text:Goshen (2018–present)

bar:19 color:AssocOS from:2018 till:2021 text:Huntington (2018–2021)

bar:20 color:AssocOS from:2018 till:end text:Taylor (2018–present)

bar:21 color:AssocOS from:2019 till:end text:Mount Vernon Nazarene (2019–present)

bar:22 color:AssocOS from:2020 till:2023 text:Brescia (2020–2023)

bar:23 color:AssocOS from:2020 till:end text:Marian (Ind.) (2020–present)

bar:24 color:AssocOS from:2020 till:2024 text:Point Park (2020–2024)

bar:25 shift:(-30) color:AssocOS from:2022 till:2024 text:Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (2022–2024)

bar:26 shift:(-20) color:FullxF from:2024 till:end text:Defiance (2024–present)

bar:27 shift:(-50) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:St. Francis (Ill.) (2024–present)

bar:28 shift:(-60) color:AssocOS from:2024 till:end text:Saint Xavier (Ill.) (2024–present)

ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:2 start:1992

TextData = 

fontsize:M
textcolor:black
pos:(0,25) tabs:(400-center)
text:^"Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference membership history"
  1. > If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) 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.

 Full member (all sports)   Full member (non-football)   Associate member (football-only)  <# </timeline>

 Full member (non-football)   Associate member (sport) 

Sports

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WHAC offers 14 men's and 13 women's sports.

Conference sports
Sport Men's Women's
Baseball Green tickY
Basketball Green tickY Green tickY
Bowling Green tickY Green tickY
Cheer Green tickY Green tickY
Cross Country Green tickY Green tickY
Golf Green tickY Green tickY
Dance Green tickY
Ice Hockey Green tickY
Lacrosse Green tickY Green tickY
Soccer Green tickY Green tickY
Softball Green tickY
Tennis Green tickY Green tickY
Track & Field Indoor Green tickY Green tickY
Track & Field Outdoor Green tickY Green tickY
Volleyball Green tickY Green tickY
Wrestling Green tickY

References

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  1. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  5. ^ https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/siena-heights-university-to-close-at-end-of-2025-26-academic-year/ar-AA1HI8Om?ocid=BingNewsSerp
  6. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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