Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference

The Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) is a college athletic conference of twelve colleges and universities 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. The conference is a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, and is headquartered in Livonia, Michigan.

Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference
WHAC
Established1992
AssociationNAIA
Members12
Sports fielded
  • 27
    • men's: 14
    • women's: 13
RegionMidwest (East North Central)
HeadquartersLivonia, Michigan
CommissionerRob Miller
Websitewww.whac.net
Locations
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
🌍
Location of WHAC members: full member and affiliate member.

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]

On October 13, 2016, the Council of Presidents unanimously voted to accept Rochester College (now Rochester University) into the conference beginning with the 2017–2018 academic year.[2]

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.[3] Initially, the five conference members that sponsor ice hockey will participate in a conference championship.[3][4] In July 2017, Concordia University Ann Arbor announced that the university will begin an ice hockey program and begin competition in the NAIA Division and WHAC Hockey Conference in the 2018-19 season.[5]

History

Chronological timeline
  • 2004 - Spring Arbor left the WHAC to join the Mid-Central College Conference (MCCC; now the Crossroads League), effective after the 2003-04 academic year.
  • 2017 - Rochester College (now Rochester University) joined the WHAC, effective 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, effective during the 2017-18 academic year.
  • 2019 - Taylor added women's lacrosse to its WHAC affiliate membership, effective the 2020 spring season (2019-20 academic year).
  • 2020 - Taylor left the WHAC as an affiliate member for women's lacrosse, effective after the 2020 spring season (2019-20 academic year).

Member schools

Current members

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

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Basketball?
Aquinas College Grand Rapids, Michigan 1886 Catholic 2,300 Saints 1992 both
Cleary University Howell, Michigan 1883 Nonsectarian 600 Cougars 2018 none
Concordia University Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, Michigan 1963 LCMS 1,200 Cardinals 1992 both
Cornerstone University Grand Rapids, Michigan 1941 Christian 2,200 Golden Eagles 1992 both
Indiana Institute of Technology Fort Wayne, Indiana 1930 Nonsectarian 7,000 Warriors 1998 both
Lawrence Technological University Southfield, Michigan 1932 Nonsectarian 3,000 Blue Devils 2012 both
Lourdes University Sylvania, Ohio 1958 Catholic 1,500 Gray Wolves 2011 both
Madonna University Livonia, Michigan 1930 Catholic 3,100 Crusaders 1997 both
University of Michigan–Dearborn Dearborn, Michigan 1959 Public 9,500 Wolverines 2004 both
University of Northwestern Ohio Lima, Ohio 1920 Nonsectarian 3,500 Racers 2010 both
Rochester University Rochester Hills, Michigan 1959 Churches of Christ 1,100 Warriors 2017 both
Siena Heights University Adrian, Michigan 1919 Catholic 2,500 Saints 1992 both

Affiliate members

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

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined WHAC
sport(s)		 Current
conference
Bethel University Mishawaka, Indiana 1947 Missionary 1,964 Pilots 2018–19 women's lacrosse Crossroads
Brescia University Owensboro, Kentucky 1925 Catholic 1,100 Bearcats 2020–21 competitive
cheerleading		 River States
Goshen College Goshen, Indiana 1894 Mennonite 971 Maple Leafs 2018–19 men's volleyball Crossroads
Marian University Indianapolis, Indiana 1851 Catholic 3,595 Knights 2020–21 men's wrestling Crossroads
Mount Vernon Nazarene University Mount Vernon, Ohio 1964 Nazarene 2,622 Cougars 2020–21 men's volleyball Crossroads
Point Park University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1960 Nonsectarian 3,376 Pioneers 2020–21 competitive
cheerleading		 River States
Taylor University Upland, Indiana 1846 Christian 1,887 Trojans 2018–19 men's lacrosse Crossroads

Former members

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

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Current
conference
Davenport University Grand Rapids, Michigan 1866 Nonsectarian 6,456 Panthers 2005–06 2016–17 Great Lakes (GLIAC)
(NCAA D-II)
Marygrove College Detroit, Michigan 1899 Catholic N/A Mustangs 2012–13 2017–18[lower-alpha 1] closed in 2019
Spring Arbor University Spring Arbor, Michigan 1873 Free Methodist 2,600 Cougars 1992–93 2003–04 Crossroads
Tri-State University[lower-alpha 2] Angola, Indiana 1884 Nonsectarian 4,104 Thunder 1992–93 2002–03 Michigan (MIAA)
(NCAA D-III)
Notes
  1. 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]
  2. Currently known as Trine University since 2008.

Former affiliate members

The WHAC had one former affiliate member, which was also a private school:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left WHAC
sport(s)		 Current
conference
Taylor University Upland, Indiana 1846 Christian 1,887 Trojans 2019–20 2019–20 women's lacrosse Crossroads

Membership timeline
Point Park UniversityMount Vernon Nazarene UniversityMarian University (Indiana)Brescia UniversityTaylor UniversityGoshen CollegeBethel University (Indiana)Cleary UniversityRochester UniversityMarygrove CollegeLawrence Technological UniversityLourdes UniversityUniversity of Northwestern OhioDavenport UniversityUniversity of Michigan–DearbornIndiana Institute of TechnologyMadonna UniversityTrine UniversitySpring Arbor UniversitySiena Heights UniversityCornerstone UniversityConcordia University Ann ArborAquinas College (Michigan)

Sports

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

Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
BaseballY
BasketballYY
BowlingYY
CheerYY
Cross CountryYY
GolfYY
DanceY
Ice HockeyY
LacrosseYY
SoccerYY
SoftballY
TennisYY
Track & Field IndoorYY
Track & Field OutdoorYY
VolleyballYY
WrestlingY

References
  1. "WHAC Adds Two Conference Sports for 2012-13". WHAC. 27 January 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2012.
  2. "Rochester College Unanimously Accepted Into Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference". Rochester College. Retrieved October 13, 2016.
  3. "WHAC adds hockey and Tech gets tourney". The Journal Gazette. July 5, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  4. "2017-18 MEN'S ICE HOCKEY". WHAC. 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  5. "HOCKEY TO BE ADDED TO CUAA ATHLETIC PROGRAM OFFERINGS". Concordia University Ann Arbor. June 23, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  6. "What you need to know about the closing of Marygrove College". model D. October 29, 2019.
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