River States Conference

The River States Conference (RSC), formerly known as 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.

River States Conference
RSC
Established1916
AssociationNAIA
Members13
Sports fielded
  • 17
    • men's: 8
    • women's: 9
RegionEastern
HeadquartersMiddletown, Ohio
CommissionerMichael Schell (since March 15, 2018)
Websitewww.riverstatesconference.com
Locations

History

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]

Chronological timeline
  • 1927 - Ogden left the KIAC as the school announced that it would merged with Western Kentucky, effective after the 1926-27 academic year.
  • 1951 - Bellarmine College (now Bellarmine University) joined the KIAC, effective the 1951-52 academic year.
  • 1955 - Kentucky Wesleyan left the KIAC, effective after the 1954-55 academic year.
  • 1955 - Thomas More College (now Thomas More University) joined the KIAC, effective the 1955-56 academic year.
  • 1958 - Pikeville College (now the University of Pikeville) joined the KIAC, effective the 1958-59 academic year.
  • 1964 - Bellarmine left the KIAC, effective after the 1963-64 academic year.
  • 1968 - Oakland City College (now Oakland City University) joined the KIAC, effective the 1968-69 academic year.
  • 1971 - Rio Grande left the KIAC to join the Mid-Ohio Conference (later known as the American Mideast Conference), effective after the 1970-71 academic year.
  • 1975 - Oakland City left the KIAC, effective after the 1974-75 academic year.
  • 1991 - Midway College (now Midway University) joined the KIAC, effective the 1991-92 academic year.
  • 1991 - Alice Lloyd left the KIAC, effective after the 1991-92 academic year.
  • 1994 - UVa–Wise left the KIAC to become an NAIA Independent, effective after the 1993-94 academic year.
  • 1995 - Campbellsville, Georgetown (Ky.) and Union (Ky.) left the KIAC to form part as charter members of the Mid-South Conference, effective after the 1994-95 academic year.
  • 2000 - Lindsay Wilson and Pikeville left the KIAC to join the Mid-South, effective after the 1963-64 academic year.
  • 2005 - Alice Lloyd re-joined back to the KIAC, effective the 2005-06 academic year.
  • 2006 - Bethel (Tenn.) and Mid-Continent left the KIAC, effective after the 2005-06 academic year.
  • 2012 - Mountain State left the KIAC as the school announced that it would close, effective after the 2011-12 academic year.
  • 2014 - Two institutions left the KIAC to join their respective new home primary conferences: Berea left the NAIA to join the NCAA Division III ranks as an NCAA D-III Independent (which would later join the USA South Athletic Conference (USA South), effective beginning the 2017-18 academic year), and St. Louis Pharmacy to join the American Midwest Conference, both effective after the 2013-14 academic year.
  • 2014 - Rio Grande re-joined back to the KIAC, effective the 2014-15 academic year.
  • 2016 - The KIAC has rebranded as the River States Conference (RSC), effective the 2016-17 academic year.
  • 2019 - Cincinnati Christian left the RSC as the school announced that it would close at the end of the fall 2019 semester, effective during the 2019-20 academic year.
  • 2020 - Oakland City re-joined back to the RSC, effective the 2020-21 academic year.
  • 2021 - Ohio Valley left the RSC as the school announced that it would close at the end of the fall 2021 semester, effective during the 2021-22 academic year.

Member schools

Current members

The River States currently has 13 full members, all but four are private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined
Alice Lloyd College Pippa Passes, Kentucky 1923 Christian 600 Eagles 1983;
2005[lower-alpha 1]
Brescia University Owensboro, Kentucky 1925 Catholic 1,100 Bearcats 1984[lower-alpha 2]
Carlow University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1929 Catholic 2,400 Celtics 2012
Indiana University–East Richmond, Indiana 1971 Public[lower-alpha 3] 2,700 Red Wolves 2007[lower-alpha 4]
Indiana University–Kokomo Kokomo, Indiana 1945 Public[lower-alpha 3] 3,719 Cougars 2013[lower-alpha 5]
Indiana University–Southeast New Albany, Indiana 1941 Public[lower-alpha 3] 6,840 Grenadiers 1994
Midway University[lower-alpha 6] Midway, Kentucky 1847 Disciples of Christ 1,800 Eagles 1991[lower-alpha 6]
Oakland City University Oakland City, Indiana 1885 Baptist 2,350 Mighty Oaks 1968;
2020[lower-alpha 7]
Ohio Christian University Circleville, Ohio 1948 CCCU 3,300 Trailblazers 2015
Point Park University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1960 Nonsectarian 3,376 Pioneers 2012
University of Rio Grande Rio Grande, Ohio 1876 Nonsectarian 1,893 RedStorm 1964;
2014[lower-alpha 8]
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana 1840 Catholic 1,700 Pomeroys 2021
West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, West Virginia 1895 Public[lower-alpha 9] 2,252 Golden Bears 2015
Notes
  1. Alice Lloyd left the KIAC after the 1991–92 school year before re-joining effective the 2005–06 school year.
  2. The Brescia men's and women's basketball teams joined the RSC 25 years after becoming a full member for other sports (2009–10).
  3. Part of the Indiana University System.
  4. The Indiana–East women's basketball team joined the KIAC/RSC seven years after becoming a full member for other sports (2014–15).
  5. The Indiana–Kokomo women's basketball team joined the KIAC/RSC a year after becoming a full member for other sports (2014–15).
  6. This institution was a women's college, but has since then been a co-educational institution, therefore it does compete in some men's sports (Midway since 2016–17[2]).
  7. Oakland City[3] had been a member until after the 1974–75 school year, during the conference's KIAC era.
  8. Rio Grande left the KIAC after the 1970–71 school year before re-joining effective the 2014–15 school year.
  9. Part of the West Virginia University System.

Former members

The River States had 27 former full members, all but four were private schools. School names and nicknames reflect those used in the final school year each institution was a conference member:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Current
conference
Asbury University Wilmore, Kentucky 1890 Christian 1,854 Eagles 1971–72 2020–21 Independent (NCAA D-III)
Bellarmine College[lower-alpha 1] Louisville, Kentucky 1950 Catholic 3,369 Knights 1951–52 1963–64 ASUN (NCAA D-I)
Berea College Berea, Kentucky 1855 Christian
(unaffiliated)		 1,613 Mountaineers 1916–17 2013–14 USA South (NCAA D-III)
Bethel College[lower-alpha 2] McKenzie, Tennessee 1842 Cumberland
Presbyterian		 2,975 Wildcats 1999–2000 2005–06 Mid-South
Campbellsville College[lower-alpha 3] Campbellsville, Kentucky 1906 Southern
Baptist		 3,318 Tigers 1964–65 1994–95 Mid-South
Centre College Danville, Kentucky 1819 Presbyterian 1,415 Colonels 1916–17 1961–62 Southern (SAA) (NCAA D-III)
Clinch Valley College[lower-alpha 4] Wise, Virginia 1954 Public 2,000 Highland
Cavaliers[lower-alpha 5]		 1971–72 1993–94 South Atlantic (NCAA D-II)
Cincinnati Christian University Cincinnati, Ohio 1924 Christian
Churches and
Churches
of Christ		 N/A Eagles 2008–09 2019–20[lower-alpha 6] Closed in 2019
Cumberland College[lower-alpha 7] Williamsburg, Kentucky 1887 Christian 1.743 Indians[lower-alpha 8] 1966–67 1994–95 Mid-South
Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College[lower-alpha 9] Richmond, Kentucky 1906 Public 16,959 Colonels 1927–28 1947–48 ASUN (NCAA D-I)
Georgetown College Georgetown, Kentucky 1829 Southern
Baptist		 1,400 Tigers 1916–27 1994–95 Mid-South
Kentucky Wesleyan College Winchester, Kentucky[lower-alpha 10] 1858 United
Methodist		 830 Panthers 1916–17 1954–55 Great Midwest (NCAA D-II)
Lindsey Wilson College Columbia, Kentucky 1903 United
Methodist		 2,677 Blue Raiders 1984–85 1999–2000 Mid-South
University of Louisville Louisville, Kentucky 1798 Public 22,640 Cardinals 1916–17 1947–48 Atlantic Coast (ACC) (NCAA D-I)
Mid-Continent University Mayfield, Kentucky 1949 Southern
Baptist		 N/A Cougars 2000–01 2005–06 Closed in 2014
Morehead State Teachers College[lower-alpha 11] Morehead, Kentucky 1922 Public 10,748 Eagles 1931–32 1947–48 Ohio Valley (OVC) (NCAA D-I)
Mountain State University Beckley, West Virginia 1933 Nonsectarian N/A Cougars 2007–08[lower-alpha 12][lower-alpha 13] 2011–12 Closed in 2012
Murray State Teachers College[lower-alpha 14] Murray, Kentucky 1922 Public 10,495 Racers 1933–34 1947–48 Ohio Valley (OVC) (NCAA D-I)
(Missouri Valley (MVC) in July 2022)
Ogden College Bowling Green, Kentucky 1906 – N/A Eagles 1916–17 1926–27 N/A[lower-alpha 15]
Ohio Valley University Vienna, West Virginia 1960 Christian N/A Fighting Scots 2021–22 2021–22[lower-alpha 16] Closed in 2021
Pikeville College[lower-alpha 17] Pikeville, Kentucky 1889 Presbyterian 1,156 Bears 1958–59 1999–2000 Mid-South
St. Louis College of Pharmacy[lower-alpha 18] St. Louis, Missouri 1864 Nonsectarian 1,260 Eutectics 2003–04 2013–14 American Midwest
Spalding University Louisville, Kentucky 1814 Catholic 1,692 Golden Eagles 1992–93 2006–07 St. Louis (SLIAC) (NCAA D-III)
Thomas More College[lower-alpha 19] Crestview Hills, Kentucky 1921 Catholic 1,963 Saints 1955–56 1990–91 Mid-South
(Great Midwest, NCAA D-II in 2023)[lower-alpha 20]
Transylvania University Lexington, Kentucky 1780 Disciples of Christ 1,120 Pioneers 1916–17 2000–01 Heartland (HCAC) (NCAA D-III)
Union College Barbourville, Kentucky 1879 United
Methodist		 1,368 Bulldogs 1933–34 1994–95 Appalachian (AAC)
Western Kentucky State Teachers College[lower-alpha 21] Bowling Green, Kentucky 1906 Public 19,456 Hilltoppers &
Lady Toppers		 1916–17 1947–48 C-USA (NCAA D-I)
Notes
  1. Currently known as Bellarmine University since 2000.
  2. Currently known as Bethel University since 2009.
  3. Currently known as Campbellsville University since 1996.
  4. Currently known as the University of Virginia's College at Wise (UVA–Wise) since 1999.
  5. UVA–Wise dropped "Highland" from its nickname in 2017.
  6. Cincinnati Christian closed at the end of the 2019 fall semester, without completing the rest of the 2019–20 school year.
  7. Currently known as the University of the Cumberlands since 2005.
  8. Cumberlands (Ky.) changed its nickname to Patriots in 2002.
  9. Later renamed as Eastern Kentucky State College immediately after leaving the KIAC, and currently known as Eastern Kentucky University since 1966.
  10. Kentucky Wesleyan moved to its current campus in Owensboro, Kentucky in 1956.
  11. Later renamed as Morehead State College immediately after leaving the KIAC, and currently known as Morehead State University since 1966.
  12. Mountain State was a non-basketball member school on the women's side its their tenure in the KIAC/RSC
  13. The Mountain State men's basketball team joined the KIAC/RSC two years after becoming a full member for other sports (2009–10).
  14. Later renamed as Murray State College immediately after leaving the KIAC, and currently known as Murray State University since 1966.
  15. Ogden was merged into Western Kentucky University in 1927.
  16. Ohio Valley closed at the end of the 2021 fall semester, without completing the rest of the 2021–22 school year.
  17. Currently known as the University of Pikeville since 2011.
  18. Currently known as the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis since 2020.
  19. Currently known as Thomas More University since 2018.
  20. Thomas More will become a provisional G-MAC member in July 2022, but will not start G-MAC competition until the 2023–24 school year.
  21. Later renamed as Western Kentucky State College immediately after leaving the KIAC, and currently known as Western Kentucky University since 1966.

Membership timeline
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods CollegeOhio Valley UniversityWest Virginia University Institute of TechnologyOhio Christian UniversityIndiana University KokomoPoint Park UniversityCarlow UniversityCincinnati Christian UniversityMountain State UniversityIndiana University EastUniversity of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. LouisMid-Continent UniversityBethel University (Tennessee)Indiana University SoutheastSpalding UniversityMidway UniversityLindsey Wilson CollegeBrescia UniversityAlice Lloyd CollegeUniversity of Virginia's College at WiseAsbury UniversityOakland City UniversityUniversity of Rio GrandeCampbellsville UniversityUniversity of PikevilleThomas More UniversityBellarmine UniversityUnion College (Kentucky)Murray State UniversityMorehead State UniversityEastern Kentucky UniversityWestern Kentucky UniversityTransylvania UniversityOgden CollegeUniversity of LouisvilleKentucky Wesleyan CollegeCentre CollegeCentre CollegeBerea College

Full members (non-football) Assoc. member (Other sports) Other Conference

Conference sports

The River States Conference currently sponsors 17 sports (8 men's and 9 women's).

Conference sports
Sport Men's Women's
BaseballY
BasketballYY
Cross CountryYY
GolfYY
SoccerYY
SoftballY
TennisYY
Track & Field IndoorYY
Track & Field OutdoorYY
VolleyballY

References
  1. "KIAC announces River States Conference as new name, unveils new logo". March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  2. "Midway University Trustees vote to accept men into its daytime undergraduate programs" (Press release). Midway University. May 16, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  3. VSN Staff (March 31, 2020). "NAIA Approves Five Institutions for Membership". Victory Sports Network. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
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