Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
| Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1916 |
| Association | NAIA |
| Division | Division II |
| Members | 13 |
| Sports fielded | 15 (men's: 7; women's: 8) |
| Region | Region XII |
| Headquarters | Florence, Kentucky |
| Commissioner | Scott McClure (since July 1, 2015) |
| Website |
www |
| Locations | |
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The Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) is a collegiate athletic conference with membership in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Although it was historically a Kentucky-only conference, it has now expanded to include members in Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, and at various times in the past has also had members in Missouri, Tennessee, and Virginia.
The KIAC recognizes hundreds of athletes and staff each year with awards. Awards include weekly players of the week, all conference teams, all conference coaches, all scholar athletes, female athlete of the year, and male athlete of the year. The awards give each KIAC participant a chance to be recognized for on and off the field achievement. The conference embraces the NAIA's Champions of Character, becoming the first conference to offer funding to member schools to pursue projects in their hometown communities. A separate section on the KIAC website profiles the efforts of the conference towards the core values of Champions of Character. On March 4, 2016 thee conference announced that as of July 1, 2016 it will be changing its name to the River States Conference toreflect the geographical shift in the conference.
In March 2016, the KIAC announced it would change its name to the River States Conference, effective July 1, 2016, to better reflect its membership, which has expanded beyond Kentucky and now includes members in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia.[1]
Member schools
Current members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alice Lloyd College | Pippa Passes, Kentucky | 1923 | 600 | Eagles | 1983; 2005 |
| Asbury University | Wilmore, Kentucky | 1890 | 1,300 | Eagles | 1971 |
| Brescia University | Owensboro, Kentucky | 1950 | 750 | Bearcats | 1984 |
| Carlow University | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 1929 | 2,400 | Celtics | 2012 |
| Cincinnati Christian University | Cincinnati, Ohio | 1924 | 1,100 | Eagles | 2008 |
| Indiana University East | Richmond, Indiana | 1971 | 2,700 | Red Wolves | 2007 |
| Indiana University Kokomo | Kokomo, Indiana | 1945 | 3,719 | Cougars | 2013 |
| Indiana University Southeast | New Albany, Indiana | 1941 | 6,840 | Grenadiers | 1994 |
| Midway University | Midway, Kentucky | 1847 | 1,800 | Eagles | 1991 |
| Ohio Christian University | Circleville, Ohio | 1948 | 3,300 | Trailblazers | 2015 |
| Point Park University | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | 1960 | 3,376 | Pioneers | 2012 |
| University of Rio Grande | Rio Grande, Ohio | 1876 | 1,893 | RedStorm | 1964; 2014 |
| West Virginia University Institute of Technology | Montgomery, West Virginia | 1895 | 2,252 | Golden Bears | 2015 |
- Alice Lloyd — left the KIAC in 1992, and re-joined in 2005.
- Midway College — women's institution, does not field men's sports.
- Rio Grande — left the KIAC in 1971, and re-joined in 2014.
Former members
- Clinch Valley College — school name reflects that used during conference membership, now known as University of Virginia's College at Wise.
- Kentucky Wesleyan College — moved to its current site in Owensboro, Kentucky in 1955.
- Mountain State — basketball (M) competed as an Independent.
Conference sports
The Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference currently fields 15 sports (7 men's and 8 women's):
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball |  | |
| Basketball | | |
| Cross Country | | |
| Golf | | |
| Soccer | | |
| Softball | | |
| Tennis | | |
| Track & Field Outdoor | | |
| Volleyball | |