Summit League facts for kids
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| Formerly | Association of Mid-Continent Universities (1982–1989) Mid-Continent Conference (1989–2007) |
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| Association | NCAA |
| Founded | June 18, 1982 |
| Commissioner | Josh Fenton (since 2021) |
| Sports fielded |
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| Division | Division I |
| Subdivision | non-football |
| No. of teams | 9 full (7 associates) |
| Headquarters | Sioux Falls, South Dakota |
| Region | |
| Locations | |
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The Summit League, also known as The Summit, is a group of colleges and universities that compete in sports. These schools are part of NCAA Division I, which is the highest level of college sports in the United States. Most of the schools are located in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Minnesota to the Dakotas, Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
The league started on June 18, 1982, as the Association of Mid-Continent Universities. Later, in 1989, it changed its name to the Mid-Continent Conference. Finally, on June 1, 2007, it became the Summit League. The main office for the league is in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Currently, there are 9 full member schools and 7 schools that are associate members, meaning they compete in only some sports.
Contents
Discovering the Summit League's Past
How the League Began
The Summit League's story started in 1978. Back then, it was called the Mid-Continent Athletic Association and only had football teams. These teams played in NCAA Division II. Some of the first schools included the University of Akron, Eastern Illinois University, and Western Illinois University.
In 1981, the conference moved up to Division I-AA football. This was its last season under the old name.
Forming the New Conference
On June 18, 1982, the new group was officially created in Chicago. It was named the Association of Mid-Continent Universities (AMCU). This new conference included all men's sports, not just football. Schools like Northern Iowa, Eastern Illinois, Western Illinois, and Southwest Missouri State were part of it.
The AMCU continued to have football until 1984. Then, the football teams joined with schools from the Missouri Valley Conference to form what is now the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Some current Summit League schools, like North Dakota and North Dakota State, still play their football games in that conference.
Adding Women's Sports and More Changes
The conference saw its first big changes in the early 1990s. Southwest Missouri State left, and new schools like the University of Akron and Northern Illinois University joined.
A major change happened in 1992 when the Mid-Continent Conference started including women's sports. It did this by joining with the North Star Conference, which was a league just for women's teams. This meant that many schools, including Eastern Illinois and Western Illinois, moved their women's sports into the Mid-Continent Conference.
New Schools and Departures
In 1994, some original members like Cleveland State and UIC left to join another conference, now called the Horizon League. To make up for this, the Mid-Continent Conference welcomed new schools from the East Coast Conference, which was closing down. These included Central Connecticut State University and University at Buffalo. However, none of these schools are still in the Summit League today.
The Missouri-Kansas City also joined the Mid-Continent Conference in 1994.
Membership Changes Over Time
Over the years, the number of schools in the league changed a lot. Eastern Illinois moved to the Ohio Valley Conference in 1996. Other schools like Troy State and Central Connecticut left for different conferences.
In 1998, Oral Roberts University and Southern Utah University joined. Then, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and Oakland University also became members.
By 2007, some long-time members like Valparaiso had left. But the league also started to grow again. Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW, now Purdue Fort Wayne), North Dakota State, and South Dakota State all joined in 2007.
The University of South Dakota joined in 2011. Later, the University of Nebraska Omaha became a member in 2012 as it moved to Division I sports.
In 2013, the University of Denver joined, becoming the 10th member. However, UMKC and Oakland left for other conferences, bringing the league back to eight schools.
In December 2013, Oral Roberts University returned to the conference. In 2018, the University of North Dakota also joined.
More recently, in 2020, UMKC returned to the league after being away for seven years. In 2021, the University of St. Thomas made history by moving directly from NCAA Division III to Division I and joining the Summit League.
In 2022, Lindenwood University and the University of Southern Indiana joined as associate members for certain sports. In 2023, Western Illinois, a founding member, left for the Ohio Valley Conference, though its men's soccer team stayed for one more season.
Looking ahead, Delaware will join for men's soccer in 2025. Also, Northern Colorado and Weber State will join for men's golf in 2024.
Current Member Schools
Full Members
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Type | Enrollment | Endowment | Nickname | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Denver | Denver, Colorado | 1864 | 2013 | Private | 14,130 | $900,300,000 | Pioneers | |
| University of Missouri–Kansas City | Kansas City, Missouri | 1933 | 1994; 2020 |
Public | 16,017 | $152,800,000 | Roos | |
| University of Nebraska Omaha | Omaha, Nebraska | 1908 | 2012 | Public | 15,328 | $110,000,000 | Mavericks | |
| University of North Dakota | Grand Forks, North Dakota | 1883 | 2018 | Public | 14,172 | $352,100,000 | Fighting Hawks | |
| North Dakota State University | Fargo, North Dakota | 1890 | 2007 | Public | 11,952 | $457,000,000 | Bison | |
| Oral Roberts University | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 1963 | 1997; 2014 |
Private | 5,051 | $45,000,000 | Golden Eagles | |
| University of St. Thomas | Saint Paul, Minnesota | 1885 | 2021 | Private
(Catholic) |
9,347 | $653,300,000 | Tommies | |
| University of South Dakota | Vermillion, South Dakota | 1862 | 2011 | Public | 9,464 | $328,500,000 | Coyotes | |
| South Dakota State University | Brookings, South Dakota | 1881 | 2007 | Public | 11,465 | $213,000,000 | Jackrabbits |
Associate Members
These schools compete in only some sports in the Summit League.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Type | Enrollment | Nickname | Primary conference |
Summit sport(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drake University | Des Moines, Iowa | 1881 | 2017 | Private | 4,875 | Bulldogs | MVC | Men's tennis |
| Eastern Illinois University | Charleston, Illinois | 1895 | 2005 | Public | 8,608 | Panthers | OVC | Swimming & diving |
| Illinois State University | Normal, Illinois | 1857 | 2017 | Public | 20,233 | Redbirds | MVC | Men's tennis |
| Lindenwood University | St. Charles, Missouri | 1827 | 2022 | Private | 7,003 | Lions | OVC | Swimming & diving |
| University of Northern Colorado | Greeley, Colorado | 1889 | 2021 | Public | 10,348 | Bears | Big Sky | Baseball Men's golf (2024) |
| University of Southern Indiana | Evansville, Indiana | 1965 | 2022 | Public | 7,938 | Screaming Eagles | OVC | Swimming & diving |
Future Associate Members
These schools will join the Summit League for specific sports in the coming years.
| Institution | Location | Founded | Joining | Type | Enrollment | Nickname | Primary conference |
Summit sport(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weber State University | Ogden, Utah | 1889 | 2024 | Public | 29,914 | Wildcats | Big Sky | Men's golf |
| University of Delaware | Newark, Delaware | 1743 | 2025 | Public | 23,774 | Blue Hens | CAA (Conference USA in 2025) |
Men's soccer |
Sports Played in the Summit League
The Summit League offers championships in 9 men's sports and 10 women's sports. Some schools are associate members, meaning they only compete in certain sports within the league. For example, Eastern Illinois is an associate member for swimming and diving.
| Sport | Men's | Women's |
|---|---|---|
| Baseball | 5 (6 in 2025) | – |
| Basketball | 9 | 9 |
| Cross country | 7 | 8 |
| Golf | 9 (11 in 2024) | 9 |
| Soccer | 6 | 9 |
| Softball | – | 7 |
| Swimming and diving | 8 | 8 |
| Tennis | 8 | 8 |
| Track and field (indoor) | 7 | 8 |
| Track and field (outdoor) | 7 | 8 |
| Volleyball | – | 9 |
Men's Sports by School
This table shows which men's sports each school offers in the Summit League.
| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross Country |
Golf | Soccer | Swimming & Diving |
Tennis | Indoor Track & Field |
Outdoor Track & Field |
Total Summit League Sports |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | 5 | |
| Kansas City | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7 | |
| North Dakota | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 6 | |
| North Dakota State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | 6 | |
| Omaha | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | 6 | |
| Oral Roberts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 | |
| St. Thomas | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 8 | |
| South Dakota | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 6 | |
| South Dakota State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | 7 | |
| Associate members | |||||||||||
| Drake | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
| Eastern Illinois | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
| Illinois State | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
| Lindenwood | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
| Northern Colorado | Yes | Yes in 2024 | 2 | ||||||||
| Southern Indiana | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
| Future member | |||||||||||
| Delaware in 2025 | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
| Weber State in 2024 | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
| Totals | 6 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 69 | |
Men's sports not sponsored by the Summit League, but played by member schools:
| School | Football | Ice Hockey | Lacrosse | Skiing | Wrestling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | — | NCHC | Big East | RMISA | — |
| North Dakota | MVFC | NCHC | — | — | — |
| North Dakota State | MVFC | — | — | — | Big 12 |
| Omaha | — | NCHC | — | — | — |
| St. Thomas | PFL | CCHA | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | MVFC | — | — | — | — |
| South Dakota State | MVFC | — | — | — | Big 12 |
Women's Sports by School
This table shows which women's sports each school offers in the Summit League.
| School | Basketball | Cross Country |
Golf | Soccer | Softball | Swimming & Diving |
Tennis | Indoor Track & Field |
Outdoor Track & Field |
Volleyball | Total Summit League Sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | 6 |
| Kansas City | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| North Dakota | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| North Dakota State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| Omaha | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| Oral Roberts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8 |
| St. Thomas | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| South Dakota | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10 |
| South Dakota State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9 |
| Associate members | |||||||||||
| Eastern Illinois | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
| Lindenwood | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
| Southern Indiana | Yes | 1 | |||||||||
| Totals | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 85 |
Women's sports not sponsored by the Summit League, but played by member schools:
| School | Equestrian | Gymnastics | Ice Hockey | Lacrosse | Skiing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | — | Big 12 | — | Big East | RMISA |
| St. Thomas | — | — | WCHA | — | — |
| South Dakota State | United Equestrian Conference & National Collegiate Equestrian Association |
— | — | — | — |
Basketball Success in the NCAA Tournament
Men's Basketball in the NCAA Tournament
The Summit League has sent many men's basketball teams to the NCAA tournament, which is a big national competition. Some teams have even won games there! For example, Cleveland State won two games in 1986, and Valparaiso made it to the Sweet Sixteen in 1998. More recently, Oral Roberts had a great run in 2021, winning two games and reaching the Sweet Sixteen.
| Year | Team | Results |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Cleveland State | defeated Indiana defeated Saint Joseph's lost to Navy |
| 1987 | Southwest Missouri State | defeated Clemson lost to Kansas |
| 1988 | Southwest Missouri State | lost to UNLV |
| 1989 | Southwest Missouri State | lost to Seton Hall |
| 1990 | Southwest Missouri State | lost to North Carolina |
| Northern Iowa | defeated Missouri lost to Minnesota |
|
| 1991 | Green Bay | lost to Michigan State |
| Northern Illinois | lost to St. John's | |
| 1992 | Eastern Illinois | lost to Indiana |
| 1993 | Wright State | lost to Indiana |
| 1994 | Green Bay | defeated California lost to Syracuse |
| 1996 | Valparaiso | lost to Arizona |
| 1997 | Valparaiso | lost to Boston College |
| 1998 | Valparaiso | defeated Ole Miss defeated Florida State lost to Rhode Island |
| 1999 | Valparaiso | lost to Maryland |
| 2000 | Valparaiso | lost to Michigan State |
| 2001 | Southern Utah | lost to Boston College |
| 2002 | Valparaiso | lost to Kentucky |
| 2003 | IUPUI | lost to Kentucky |
| 2004 | Valparaiso | lost to Gonzaga |
| 2005 | Oakland | defeated Alabama A&M Lost to North Carolina |
| 2006 | Oral Roberts | lost to Memphis |
| 2007 | Oral Roberts | lost to Washington State |
| 2008 | Oral Roberts | lost to Pittsburgh |
| 2009 | North Dakota State | lost to Kansas |
| 2010 | Oakland | lost to Pittsburgh |
| 2011 | Oakland | lost to Texas |
| 2012 | South Dakota State | lost to Baylor |
| 2013 | South Dakota State | lost to Michigan |
| 2014 | North Dakota State | defeated Oklahoma lost to San Diego State |
| 2015 | North Dakota State | lost to Gonzaga |
| 2016 | South Dakota State | lost to Maryland |
| 2017 | South Dakota State | lost to Gonzaga |
| 2018 | South Dakota State | lost to Ohio State |
| 2019 | North Dakota State | defeated NCCU lost to Duke |
| 2021 | Oral Roberts | defeated Ohio State defeated Florida lost to Arkansas |
| 2022 | South Dakota State | lost to Providence |
| 2023 | Oral Roberts | lost to Duke |
Men's Basketball Championships Won
This table shows how many conference and tournament championships each school has won in men's basketball.
| School | Conference | Tournament | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titles | Last Title |
Titles | Last Title |
|
| Valparaiso | 9 | 2003-04 | 8 | 2004 |
| South Dakota State | 8 | 2021–22 | 6 | 2022 |
| Oral Roberts | 7 | 2022–23 | 5 | 2023 |
| Missouri State | 4 | 1989-90 | 2 | 1989 |
| North Dakota State | 4 | 2019-20 | 5 | 2020 |
| Oakland | 3 | 2010-11 | 3 | 2011 |
| Cleveland State | 3 | 1992-93 | 1 | 1986 |
| Western Illinois | 2 | 2012-13 | 1 | 1984 |
| Green Bay | 2 | 1993-94 | 2 | 1994 |
| Purdue Fort Wayne | 1 | 2015-16 | 0 | N/A |
| South Dakota | 1 | 2016-17 | 0 | N/A |
| IUPUI | 1 | 2005-06 | 1 | 2003 |
| Illinois-Chicago | 1 | 1983-84 | 0 | N/A |
| Northern Illinois | 1 | 1990-91 | 0 | N/A |
| Southern Utah | 1 | 2000-01 | 1 | 2001 |
| Eastern Illinois | 0 | N/A | 2 | 1992 |
| Wright State | 0 | N/A | 1 | 1993 |
| Northern Iowa | 0 | N/A | 1 | 1990 |
Italics indicate a school no longer a part of the Summit League
Women's Basketball Championships Won
This table shows how many conference and tournament championships each school has won in women's basketball.
| School | Conference | Tournament | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titles | Last Title |
Titles | Last Title |
|
| South Dakota State | 9 | 2022–23 | 10 | 2023 |
| Western Illinois | 6 | 2016–17 | 2 | 2017 |
| South Dakota | 5 | 2021–22 | 4 | 2022 |
| Youngstown State | 5 | 1998-99 | 3 | 2000 |
| Oakland | 3 | 2006-07 | 2 | 2006 |
| Oral Roberts | 2 | 2010-11 | 5 | 2008 |
| Northern Illinois | 2 | 1993-94 | 1 | 1993 |
| Valparaiso | 2 | 2001-02 | 2 | 2004 |
| Troy | 1 | 1996-97 | 1 | 1997 |
| Buffalo | 1 | 1994-95 | 0 | N/A |
| Green Bay | 0 | N/A | 1 | 1994 |
Italics indicate a school no longer a part of the Summit League
Sports Facilities at Member Schools
Each school in the Summit League has its own sports facilities where their teams play. Here are some of the main stadiums and arenas:
| School | Soccer stadium | Capacity | Basketball arena | Capacity | Baseball field | Capacity | Softball field | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | CIBER Field at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium | 2,000 | Hamilton Gymnasium | 2,500 | Non-baseball school | Non-softball school | ||
| Kansas City | Durwood Soccer Stadium | 850 | Swinney Recreation Center | 1,500 | Non-baseball school | Urban Youth Academy | N/A | |
| North Dakota | Bronson Field | N/A | Betty Engelstad Sioux Center | 3,300 | Non-baseball school | Apollo Sports Complex | 150 | |
| North Dakota State | Dacotah Field | 2,600 | Scheels Center | 5,460 | Newman Outdoor Field | 4,600 | Tharaldson Park | 735 |
| Northern Colorado | Baseball-only member | Jackson Field | 1,500 | Baseball-only member | ||||
| Omaha | Al F. Caniglia Field | 3,097 | Baxter Arena | 7,898 | Tal Anderson Field | 1,500 | Connie Claussen Field | 650 |
| Oral Roberts | Case Soccer Complex | 1,000 | Mabee Center | 10,575 | J. L. Johnson Stadium | 2,418 | Non-softball school | |
| St. Thomas | South Field | 800 | Schoenecker Arena | 1,800 | Koch Diamond | 250 | South Field | 150 |
| South Dakota | First Bank & Trust Soccer Complex | 800 | Sanford Coyote Sports Center | 6,000 | Non-baseball school | Nygard Field | 500 | |
| South Dakota State | Fishback Soccer Park | 1,500 | Frost Arena | 6,500 | Erv Huether Field | 600 | Jackrabbit Softball Stadium | 200 |
Where to Watch Summit League Games
On August 10, 2023, the Summit League announced a new three-year deal for broadcasting its games. This deal means you can watch games on CBS Sports Network and a new platform called The Summit League Network.
CBS Sports Network will show the men's and women's basketball championship games. It will also broadcast at least six regular season men's basketball games. There's even a chance for more basketball games to be shown.
The Summit League Network is a new online platform. It will let you watch live streams of almost every home game from all nine member schools. This includes both non-conference and conference games. You'll also find interviews and other league information there.
More About the Summit League
In Spanish: The Summit League para niños
- List of Summit League champions
- Summit League women's soccer tournament
- Summit League men's soccer tournament
- Summit League men's basketball tournament
- Summit League women's basketball tournament
- Summit League baseball tournament
- Summit League softball tournament
