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Summit League
Summit League logo.svg
Formerly Association of Mid-Continent Universities (1982–1989)
Mid-Continent Conference (1989–2007)
Association NCAA
Founded June 18, 1982;
43 years ago
 (1982-06-18)
Commissioner Josh Fenton (since 2021)
Sports fielded
  • 19
    • men's: 9
    • women's: 10
Division Division I
Subdivision non-football
No. of teams 9 full (7 associates)
Headquarters Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Region
Locations
Location of teams in

The Summit League, also known as The Summit, is a sports conference for colleges and universities. Most of its member schools are in the Midwestern United States. This includes states like Minnesota, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Colorado, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

The league started in 1982 as the Association of Mid-Continent Universities. It changed its name to the Mid-Continent Conference in 1989. Then, on June 1, 2007, it became the Summit League. The main office for the league is in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Today, the Summit League has nine full member schools and seven associate member schools. Full members compete in most sports, while associate members compete in only one or a few sports. The University of St. Thomas joined in 2021. It made a big move from NCAA Division III to Division I. A year before that, the University of Missouri–Kansas City (now called Kansas City Roos) rejoined the league.

The Summit League does not have its own football competition. However, five of its member schools play football in another league called the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Since 2025, the Summit League has worked closely with the Missouri Valley Football Conference, which is where four of those five schools play football.

History

How the League Started

The conference began in 1978 as the Mid-Continent Athletic Association. It was only for football teams in NCAA Division II. Early members included the University of Akron and Eastern Illinois University. By 1981, the conference moved to Division I-AA football.

The new Association of Mid-Continent Universities (AMCU) officially started on June 18, 1982. It included all men's sports, not just football. Some of the first members were Eastern Illinois, University of Northern Iowa, and Western Illinois University. The AMCU sponsored football until 1984. Then, its football teams joined with others to form what is now the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

Mid-Continent Conference logo
Mid-Continent Conference logo, 1982–2007

Changes and New Sports

In the early 1990s, the conference started to change. Some schools left, and new ones joined. For example, Southwest Missouri State left, and the University of Akron joined.

A big change happened in 1992 when the Mid-Continent Conference added women's sports. It welcomed teams from the North Star Conference, which was a league just for women. This meant more sports and more schools were part of the conference.

New Members and Departures

In 1994, several original members like Cleveland State University and University of Illinois Chicago left to join another conference. To make up for this, the Mid-Continent Conference welcomed new schools. These included Central Connecticut State University and the University of Missouri–Kansas City.

Over the years, schools continued to join and leave. For example, Eastern Illinois moved to the Ohio Valley Conference in 1996. New schools like Oral Roberts University and Oakland University joined later.

Growing and Shrinking

In the mid-2000s, the Summit League started to grow again. In 2007, Purdue University Fort Wayne, North Dakota State University, and South Dakota State University all joined. The University of South Dakota also joined in 2011.

However, some schools also left. Centenary College of Louisiana moved to a different division. Oral Roberts University and Southern Utah University left for other Division I conferences. By 2012, the Summit League had nine schools, all in the Midwest.

The University of Denver joined in 2013, becoming the tenth member. But then, UMKC and Oakland left for other conferences. This brought the league back to eight schools. In 2014, Oral Roberts University returned to the Summit League.

More recently, the University of North Dakota joined in 2018. However, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) left in 2017. In 2020, UMKC returned to the league after seven years away. The University of St. Thomas joined in 2021, making a special move directly from Division III to Division I.

The league also added new associate members for specific sports. The University of Northern Colorado joined for baseball in 2021. Lindenwood University and the University of Southern Indiana joined for men's soccer and swimming & diving in 2022. In 2023, Western Illinois University, a founding member, left the league for most sports. Its men's soccer team stayed for one more season before leaving.

In 2024, Delaware and UMass joined as associate members for men's soccer. Northern Colorado and Weber State also joined for men's golf.

Member Schools

Current 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 15,019 $422,100,000 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

(Evangelical)

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 10,619 $328,500,000 Coyotes          
South Dakota State University Brookings, South Dakota 1881 2007 Public 12,065 $213,000,000 Jackrabbits          

Current Associate Members

Institution Location Founded Joined Type Enrollment Nickname Primary
conference
Summit
sport(s)
University of Delaware Newark, Delaware 1743 2025 Public 23,774 Blue Hens CUSA Men's soccer
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
University of Northern Colorado Greeley, Colorado 1889 2021 Public 10,348 Bears Big Sky Baseball
University of Southern Indiana Evansville, Indiana 1965 2022 Public 7,938 Screaming Eagles OVC Swimming & diving
University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst, Massachusetts 1863 2025 Public 28,635 Minutemen MAC Men's soccer

Former Members

The Summit League has had many schools join and leave over the years. Here are some of the schools that were once full members or associate members.

Former Full Members

Institution Location Joined Left Nickname Current
conference
University of Akron Akron, Ohio 1990 1992 Zips MAC
Centenary College of Louisiana Shreveport, Louisiana 2003 2011 Gentlemen (men's)
Ladies (women's)
SCAC
Cleveland State University Cleveland, Ohio 1982 1994 Vikings Horizon
Eastern Illinois University Charleston, Illinois 1982 1996 Panthers OVC
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis Indianapolis, Indiana 1998 2017 Jaguars Horizon
University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, Iowa 1982 1991 Panthers Missouri Valley
Oakland University Rochester, Michigan 1998 2013 Golden Grizzlies Horizon
Purdue University Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, Indiana 2007 2020 Mastodons Horizon
Valparaiso University Valparaiso, Indiana 1982 2007 Crusaders Missouri Valley
Western Illinois University Macomb, Illinois 1982 2023 Leathernecks OVC

Former Associate Members

Institution Location Joined Left Nickname Summit
sport
Lindenwood University St. Charles, Missouri 2022 2024 Lions Men's swimming & diving
Oral Roberts University Tulsa, Oklahoma 2012 2014 Golden Eagles Men's soccer
University of Northern Colorado Greeley, Colorado 2024 2025 Bears Men's golf
Valparaiso University Valparaiso, Indiana 2017 2021 Crusaders Men's swimming & diving, Men's tennis
Weber State University Ogden, Utah 2024 2025 Wildcats Men's golf

Membership Timeline

University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference University of North Dakota Big Sky Conference Great West Conference North Central Conference University of Denver Western Athletic Conference Sun Belt Conference NCAA Division I independent schools NCAA Division II independent schools NAIA independent schools NCAA Division I independent schools University of Nebraska Omaha NCAA Division I independent schools Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association North Central Conference University of South Dakota Great West Conference North Central Conference Horizon League Purdue Fort Wayne IPFW NCAA Division I independent schools Great Lakes Valley Conference NCAA Division II independent schools NCAA Division III independent schools North Dakota State NCAA Division I independent schools North Central Conference South Dakota State NCAA Division I independent schools North Central Conference Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference NCAA Division III independent schools Centenary College of Louisiana NCAA Division I independent schools ASUN Conference Horizon League Oakland University NCAA Division II independent schools Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Horizon League IUPUI NCAA Division II independent schools NAIA independent schools Oral Roberts University NCAA Division I independent schools NAIA independent schools NCAA Division I independent schools Horizon League NCAA Division I independent schools Western Athletic Conference Big Sky Conference Southern Utah University NCAA Division I FCS independent schools American West Conference NCAA Division I FCS independent schools NCAA Division II independent schools Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference University of Missouri–Kansas City Western Athletic Conference UMKC NCAA Division I independent schools NAIA independent schools Northeast Conference NCAA Division I independent schools Western Athletic Conference Great West Conference NCAA Division I independent schools Chicago State East Coast Conference (Division I) NCAA Division I independent schools NAIA independent schools Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Northeastern Illinois East Coast Conference (Division I) NCAA Division I independent schools NCAA Division II independent schools NAIA independent schools Mid-American Conference University at Buffalo East Coast Conference (Division I) NCAA Division I independent schools State University of New York Athletic Conference Sun Belt Conference ASUN Conference Troy State East Coast Conference (Division I) NCAA Division II independent schools Gulf South Conference Northeast Conference Central Connecticut State East Coast Conference (Division I) East Coast Conference (Division I) Horizon League Horizon League UW–Milwaukee NCAA Division I independent schools NCAA Division I independent schools NAIA independent schools NCAA Division III independent schools NCAA Division I independent schools Horizon League Horizon League Wright State NCAA Division I independent schools NCAA Division II independent schools Horizon League Mid-American Conference Northern Illinois University NCAA Division I FBS independent schools Mid-American Conference Missouri Valley Conference Horizon League Valparaiso University Horizon League Horizon League UW–Green Bay Missouri Valley Conference Horizon League Horizon League University of Illinois at Chicago Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Horizon League Horizon League Cleveland State NCAA Division I independent schools Missouri Valley Conference Southwest Missouri State Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Horizon League NCAA Division I FCS independent schools Ohio Valley Conference Youngstown State Western Illinois University Northern Michigan University Missouri Valley Conference University of Northern Iowa Ohio Valley Conference Eastern Illinois University Mid-American Conference NCAA Division I FBS independent schools Ohio Valley Conference University of Akron

Full members Full members (non-football) Associate members (football only) Associate member (baseball, men's soccer, softball, swimming and diving, or men's tennis) Other Conference Other Conference

  • Purdue Fort Wayne joined the league as IPFW. Its name changed to "Fort Wayne" in 2016, and then to Purdue Fort Wayne in 2018.
  • Southwest Missouri State is now called Missouri State University.
  • The University of Wisconsin–Green Bay and University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee are now known as "Green Bay" and "Milwaukee" for sports.
  • Troy State is now called Troy University.
  • UMKC changed its sports name to "Kansas City" in 2019.

Sports in the Summit League

The Summit League offers championships in 19 different sports. There are 9 sports for men's teams and 10 for women's teams.

Some schools are associate members for specific sports. For example, Eastern Illinois University competes in men's and women's swimming and diving. Drake and Illinois State are associate members for men's tennis. Northern Colorado is an associate member for baseball.

Teams in Summit League competition
Sport Men's Women's
Baseball 6
Basketball 9 9
Cross country 7 8
Golf 9 9
Soccer 7 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

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
Delaware Yes 1
Drake Yes 1
Eastern Illinois Yes 1
Illinois State Yes 1
Northern Colorado Yes 1
Southern Indiana Yes 1
UMass Yes 1
Totals 6 9 7 9 7 7 8 7 7 70

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 Pioneer CCHA
South Dakota MVFC
South Dakota State MVFC Big 12

Women's Sports by School

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
Southern Indiana Yes 1
Totals 9 8 9 9 7 7 8 8 8 9 84

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

Football

Men's Basketball

Men's Basketball in the NCAA Tournament

The Summit League has sent many men's basketball teams to the NCAA Tournament. Here are some of their notable appearances:

  • In 1986, Cleveland State won two games before losing.
  • Southwest Missouri State won a game in 1987.
  • Northern Iowa won a game in 1990.
  • Green Bay won a game in 1994.
  • Valparaiso had a famous win in 1998, known as "The Shot," and reached the Sweet Sixteen.
  • Oakland won a "First Four" game in 2005.
  • North Dakota State won a game in 2014 and a "First Four" game in 2019.
  • Oral Roberts made a great run in 2021, winning two games and reaching the Sweet Sixteen.

Summit League Men's Basketball Championships

School Conference Tournament
Titles Last
title
Titles Last
title
Valparaiso 9 2003–04 8 2004
South Dakota State 9 2023–24 7 2024
Oral Roberts 7 2022–23 5 2023
North Dakota State 4 2019–20 5 2020
Omaha 1 2024–25 1 2025

Italics indicate a school no longer a part of the Summit League.

Women's Basketball

Summit League Women's Basketball Championships

School Conference Tournament
Titles Last
title
Titles Last
title
South Dakota State 11 2024–25 12 2025
Western Illinois 6 2016–17 2 2017
South Dakota 5 2021–22 4 2022
Oral Roberts 2 2010–11 5 2008

Italics indicate a school no longer a part of the Summit League.

Facilities

Here are some of the sports facilities used by Summit League schools:

School Soccer stadium Capacity Basketball arena Capacity Baseball field Capacity Softball field Capacity
Delaware Stuart and Suzanne Grant Stadium 1,400 Men's soccer-only member
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
Omaha Al F. Caniglia Field 3,097 Baxter Arena 7,898 Tal Anderson Field 1,500 Connie Claussen Field 650
North Dakota Bronson Field N/A Betty Engelstad Sioux Center 3,300 Non-baseball school Albrecht Field 500
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
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 First Bank and Trust Arena 6,500 Erv Huether Field 600 Jerald T. Moriarty Field 200
UMass Rudd Field 800 Men's soccer-only member

Media Rights

On August 10, 2023, the Summit League announced a new deal for its sports broadcasts. This deal connects the league with CBS Sports Network and Midco Sports until the 2025–26 school year.

CBS Sports Network now broadcasts the men's and women's basketball championship games. It also shows at least six regular-season men's basketball games. There is an option for more basketball games to be shown. For the 2024 tournament, CBS Sports Network also showed the women's basketball tournament semifinal.

The Midco contract created a new online platform called The Summit League Network. This network lets fans watch live streams of almost every home game from all nine member schools. It includes both non-conference and conference games. The network also offers interviews and other league information.

See also

Kids robot.svg 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
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