Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Sports league
For other uses, see
IIAC .
Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Formerly Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Conference NCAA Founded 1908 Ceased 1970 Division College Division (Small College) No. of teams 8 (start), 4 (final), 29 (total) Region Midwest
The Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC ) was a college athletic conference that existed from 1908 to 1970 in the United States .
At one time the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference , or IIAC , was a robust league that claimed most of the Illinois institutions of higher education. It was nicknamed the "Little Nineteen," but in 1928 had a membership of 23 schools. Former Illinois State University track coach Joseph Cogdal , associated with the IIAC for 43 years of its 62-year history, noted that the league had roots in the 1870s when a number of schools banded together for oratorical contests. Their first intercollegiate football game was played in 1881 between Illinois State University and Knox College , and by 1894 a football association was established.
History
The IIAC was formed in April 1908 with eight charter members: Illinois State Normal University (now Illinois State University ), Illinois Wesleyan University , Bradley Polytechnic Institute (now Bradley University ), Millikin University , Monmouth College , Knox College , Lombard College and Illinois College . The first track meet was held on May 22, 1908. The group quickly expanded. Eastern Illinois State Teachers College (now Eastern Illinois University ) and Western Illinois University joined in 1912 and 1914 respectively.
In 1920, the name "Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference" was adopted, providing the initials IIAC. Conference membership reached a peak of 23 member schools in 1928, when virtually all of the small colleges in Illinois were included.
Private schools withdrew during much of the 1930s, until in 1942 only the five state schools remained: Illinois State University , Eastern Illinois University , Northern Illinois University , Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Western Illinois University . In 1950, the league name became the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference , when Central Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University brought the membership to seven. In 1961-62, Eastern Michigan University and Southern Illinois University Carbondale withdrew; Northern Illinois University followed in 1965-66. The conference disbanded at the end of the 1969–70 academic year.
Member schools
Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Members (clickable map)
Final members
Institution
Location
Founded
Affiliation
Enrollment
Nickname
Joined
Left
Current conference
Current association
Augustana College
Rock Island, Illinois
1860
Private
2,513
Vikings
1912–13
1936–37
Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW)
Division III
Blackburn College
Carlinville, Illinois
1837
Private
590
Beavers
1914–15
1922–23
St. Louis (SLIAC)
Division III
Bradley University
Peoria, Illinois
1897
Private
5,451
Braves
1908–09
1936–37
Missouri Valley (MVC)
Division I
Carthage College
Carthage, Illinois
1847
Private
2,374
Redmen [ a]
1912–13
1940–41
Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW)
Division III
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, Michigan
1849
Public
18,838
Hurons [ b]
1950–51
1961–62
Mid-American (MAC)
Division I
Elmhurst College [ c]
Elmhurst, Illinois
1871
Private
2,748
Pirates [ d]
1929–30
1940–41
Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW)
Division III
Eureka College
Eureka, Illinois
1855
Private
680
Red Devils
1910–11
1941–42
St. Louis (SLIAC)
Division III
Hedding College [ e]
Abingdon, Illinois
1855
Private
N/A
Orangemen
1910–11
1925–26
N/A
N/A
Illinois College
Jacksonville, Illinois
1829
Private
1,105
Blueboys &Lady Blues
1908–09
1936–37
Midwest (MWC)
Division III
Illinois Wesleyan University
Bloomington, Illinois
1850
Private
2,113
Titans
1908–09
1936–37
Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW)
Division III
Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois
1837
Private
1,399
Prairie Fire
1908–09
1936–37
Midwest (MWC)
Division III
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, Illinois
1857
Private
1,395
Foresters
1919–20
1936–37
Midwest (MWC)
Division III
Lincoln College [ e]
Lincoln, Illinois
1865
Private
800
Lynx
1910–11
1927–28
N/A
N/A
Lombard College [ e]
Galesburg, Illinois
1853
Private
N/A
Golden Tornado , Olive
1908–09
1928–29
N/A
N/A
McKendree College [ f]
Lebanon, Illinois
1828
Private
1,702
Bearcats
1912–13
1937–38
Great Lakes Valley (GLVC)
Division II
Millikin University
Decatur, Illinois
1901
Private
2,118
Big Blue
1908–09
1936–37
Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW)
Division III
Monmouth College
Monmouth, Illinois
1853
Private
1,300
Fighting Scots
1908–09
1936–37
Midwest (MWC)
Division III
Mount Morris College [ e]
Mount Morris, Illinois
1839
Private
N/A
Mountaineers ,Mounders
1922–23
1930–31
N/A
N/A
North Central College
Naperville, Illinois
1861
Private
2,490
Cardinals
1927–28
1936–37
Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW)
Division III
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, Illinois
1895
Public
17,169
Huskies
1920–21
1965–66
Mid-American (MAC)
Division I
Shurtleff College [ e]
Alton, Illinois
1827
Private
N/A
Pioneers ,Bison
1910–11
1936–37
N/A
N/A
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Carbondale, Illinois
1869
Public
11,695
Maroons, Salukis
1913–14
1961–62
Missouri Valley (MVC)
Division I
St. Viator College [ e]
Bourbonnais, Illinois
1865
Private
N/A
Irish , Green
1916–17
1937–38
N/A
N/A
Wheaton College
Wheaton, Illinois
1860
Private
2,282
Crusaders [ g]
1919–20
1936–37
Illinois–Wisconsin (CCIW)
Division III
William & Vashti College [ e]
Aledo, Illinois
1908
Private
N/A
unknown
1910–11
1916–17
N/A
N/A
Notes
^ Carthage changed its nickname from Redmen to Firebirds in 2021.
^ Eastern Michigan changed its nickname from Hurons to Eagles in 1991.
^ Currently known as Elmhurst University since 2020.
^ Elmhurst changed its nickname from Pirates to Bluejays in 2000.
^ a b c d e f g Defunct institution.
^ Currently known as McKendree University since 2007.
^ Wheaton changed its nickname from Crusaders to Thunder in 2000.
Membership timeline
Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
1910 – Illinois Wesleyan[ 1]
1911 – Millikin
1912 – Eastern Illinois, Carthage, and William & Vashti
1913 – Eastern Illinois and William & Vashti
1914 – Eastern Illinois[ 2]
1915 – Illinois College
1916 – Millikin
1917 – Lombard (IL)
1918 – No champion
1919 – Millikin [ 3]
1920 – Millikin , North Central, and Wheaton
1921 – Lombard
1922 – Lombard [ 4]
1923 – Lombard
Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
See also
References
^ "Illinois Wesleyan "Little 19" Championships" . Illinois Wesleyan University Athletics. Retrieved July 18, 2018 .
^ "EIU Football History" (PDF) . Eastern Illinois University Athletics. Retrieved July 18, 2018 .
^ "Championship to Millikin" . Herald & Review . Decatur, Illinois . December 13, 1919. p. 4. Retrieved July 19, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Bradley Joins I.I.A.C. At Annual Conference" . The Daily Pantagraph . December 9, 1922. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Colorful Year For Little 19 Ends Thursday" . Herald & Review . Decatur, Illinois . November 26, 1927. p. 17. Retrieved July 18, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "3 Elevens Claim Little 19 Crown And All Are Good" . Alton Evening Telegraph . Alton, Illinois . November 24, 1931. p. 10. Retrieved July 16, 2020 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Football Athletic Honors" . Central Michigan Athletics. Retrieved July 18, 2018 .
^ "Nick Manych - Class of 1955 - E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame -" . Eastern Michigan Athletics. Retrieved July 18, 2018 .
^ "Red Miller: I Tackled the Thing" . Western Illinois University. Retrieved July 18, 2018 .
External links