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
  • 22
    • men's: 11
    • women's: 11
RegionMidwest (East North Central)
HeadquartersLivonia, Michigan
CommissionerRob Miller
Websitewww.whac.net
Locations

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]

Member schools

Current members
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined
Aquinas College Grand Rapids, Michigan 1886 Private/Catholic 2,300 Saints 1992
Cleary University Howell, Michigan 1883 Private/Nonsectarian 600 Cougars 2018
Concordia University Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, Michigan 1963 Private/LCMS 1,200 Cardinals 1992
Cornerstone University Grand Rapids, Michigan 1941 Private/Christian 2,200 Golden Eagles 1992
Indiana Institute of Technology Fort Wayne, Indiana 1930 Private/Nonsectarian 7,000 Warriors 1998
Lawrence Technological University Southfield, Michigan 1932 Private/Nonsectarian 3,000 Blue Devils 2012
Lourdes University Sylvania, Ohio 1958 Private/Catholic 1,500 Gray Wolves 2011
Madonna University Livonia, Michigan 1930 Private/Catholic 3,100 Crusaders 1997
University of Michigan–Dearborn Dearborn, Michigan 1959 Public 9,500 Wolverines 2004
University of Northwestern Ohio Lima, Ohio 1920 Private/Nonsectarian 3,500 Racers 2010
Rochester University Rochester Hills, Michigan 1959 Private/Churches of Christ 1,100 Warriors 2017
Siena Heights University Adrian, Michigan 1919 Private/Catholic 2,500 Saints 1992

Former members
Institution Location Founded Nickname Joined Left Current
Conference
Davenport University Grand Rapids, Michigan 1866 Panthers 2005 2017 GLIAC
(NCAA D-II)
Spring Arbor University Spring Arbor, Michigan 1873 Cougars 1992 2004 Crossroads
Trine University Angola, Indiana 1884 Thunder 1992 2003 MIAA
(NCAA D-III)
Marygrove College Detroit, Michigan 1899 Mustangs 2012 20181 Discontinued athletics;1
closed in 2019

Note:
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]

Membership timeline

Sports

WHAC offers 11 men's and 11 women's sports.

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

References
  1. "WHAC Adds Two Conference Sports for 2012-13". WHAC. 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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