The
Mid-States Football Association (
MSFA) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the
NAIAThe National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
. Member institutions are located in
IllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
,
IndianaIndiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
,
IowaIowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, and
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The MSFA was organized in 1993, and on-field competition began in 1994. The MSFA is divided into two leagues, The Mideast and the Midwest.
Charter members included
Geneva CollegeGeneva College is a Christian liberal arts college in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, United States, north of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1848, in Northwood, Ohio, the college moved to its present location in 1880, where it continues to educate a student body of about 1400 traditional undergraduates in...
,
Lindenwood UniversityLindenwood University, often referred to as Lindenwood or LU, is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Saint Charles, Missouri, United States...
,
Malone CollegeMalone College may refer to:*Malone College in Belfast, Northern Ireland*Malone University, formerly Malone College, in Canton, Ohio, USA....
,
Olivet Nazarene UniversityOlivet Nazarene University is a Christian institution of higher education located in the Kankakee, Illinois village of Bourbonnais. Named for Olivet, Illinois, ONU was originally established as a grammar school in east-central Illinois in 1907...
, Saint Xavier University,
Taylor UniversityTaylor University is a private, interdenominational, evangelical Christian college located in Upland, Indiana. Founded in 1846, it is one of the oldest evangelical Christian colleges in America....
,
Tiffin UniversityTiffin University is a university in Tiffin, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1888, Tiffin University enrolls over 4,900 students in undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered at the Tiffin campus in Tiffin, Ohio, at the University of Bucharest in Romania, and at several locations in Ohio,...
,
Trinity International UniversityTrinity International University is an evangelical Christian institution of higher education headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois. It comprises an undergraduate college, a graduate school, a theological seminary , and a law school--together with nearly 3,000 students...
, the
University of FindlayThe University of Findlay is a private university located in the city of Findlay in Hancock County, Ohio, United States. It was affiliated with the Churches of God, General Conference, and was founded in 1882 by the city of Findlay and the Churches of God, General Conference. Findlay offers more...
,
Urbana UniversityUrbana University is a private university specializing in liberal arts education. Urbana is located in Urbana, Ohio, approximately one hour west of Columbus and one hour northeast of Dayton.-History:...
, and Westminster College.
Mideast League (MEL)
- Concordia University Cardinals (2011)
- Malone University Pioneers (1994)
- Marian University Knights (2007)
- Quincy University
Quincy University a private liberal arts Catholic university in the Franciscan tradition. It is located in Quincy, Illinois and currently enrolls around 1,300 students.-History:...
Hawks
- University of Saint Francis (IN)
The University of Saint Francis is a liberal arts university located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, the university promotes Catholic and Franciscan values...
Cougars (1998)
- Saint Xavier University Cougars (1994)
- Taylor University
Taylor University is a private, interdenominational, evangelical Christian college located in Upland, Indiana. Founded in 1846, it is one of the oldest evangelical Christian colleges in America....
Trojans (1994)
- Walsh University
Walsh University is a private non-profit, 4-year, Roman Catholic university in North Canton, Ohio, USA. It was founded in 1960 by the Brothers of Christian Instruction, initially as a liberal arts college. Walsh College became Walsh University in 1993. The University offers more than 50 majors,...
Cavaliers (1996)
Midwest League (MWL)
- Grand View University Vikings (2008)
- Iowa Wesleyan College
Iowa Wesleyan College is a private four-year liberal arts college of the United Methodist Church located Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.Iowa Wesleyan is recognized as a pioneer in higher education in America. Founded in 1842, it ranks as the oldest coeducational college located west of the Mississippi River...
Tigers (1996)
- McKendree University Bearcats (1998)
- Olivet Nazarene University
Olivet Nazarene University is a Christian institution of higher education located in the Kankakee, Illinois village of Bourbonnais. Named for Olivet, Illinois, ONU was originally established as a grammar school in east-central Illinois in 1907...
Tigers (1994)
- Saint Ambrose University
St. Ambrose University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university affiliated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport. It is located in a residential area of Davenport, Iowa.-History:...
Fighting Bees (1996)
- University of St. Francis (IL) Fighting Saints (2000)
- Trinity International University
Trinity International University is an evangelical Christian institution of higher education headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois. It comprises an undergraduate college, a graduate school, a theological seminary , and a law school--together with nearly 3,000 students...
Trojans (1994)
- Waldorf College
Waldorf College, located in Forest City, Iowa, is a four-year liberal arts, for-profit college.Founded in 1903, the college was affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America until 2009, when, due to financial problems, the college was sold to for-profit Mayes Education, owner of...
Warriors (2009)
- William Penn University
William Penn University is a private, liberal arts university in Oskaloosa, Iowa, United States. It was founded by members of the Religious Society of Friends in 1873 as Penn College...
Statesmen (2003)
Former members (and years of membership)
- University of Findlay
The University of Findlay is a private university located in the city of Findlay in Hancock County, Ohio, United States. It was affiliated with the Churches of God, General Conference, and was founded in 1882 by the city of Findlay and the Churches of God, General Conference. Findlay offers more...
Oilers (1994–1997)
- Geneva College
Geneva College is a Christian liberal arts college in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, United States, north of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1848, in Northwood, Ohio, the college moved to its present location in 1880, where it continues to educate a student body of about 1400 traditional undergraduates in...
Golden Tornadoes (1994–2006)
- Lindenwood University
Lindenwood University, often referred to as Lindenwood or LU, is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Saint Charles, Missouri, United States...
Lions (1994–1995)
- Ohio Dominican University
Ohio Dominican University is a private four-year liberal arts institution, founded in 1911 in the Catholic and Dominican traditions. The main campus spans over in the North Central neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio, United States. The university has just over 3,100 students and offers undergraduate...
Panthers (2004–2008)
- Tiffin University
Tiffin University is a university in Tiffin, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1888, Tiffin University enrolls over 4,900 students in undergraduate and graduate degree programs offered at the Tiffin campus in Tiffin, Ohio, at the University of Bucharest in Romania, and at several locations in Ohio,...
Dragons (1994–2001)
- Tri-State University Thunder (1996–2003)
- Urbana University
Urbana University is a private university specializing in liberal arts education. Urbana is located in Urbana, Ohio, approximately one hour west of Columbus and one hour northeast of Dayton.-History:...
Blue Knights (1994–2008)
- Westminster College Titans (1994–1997)
Sports
The MSFA sponsors teams only in
footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. For other sports, MSFA-member schools are affiliated with a variety of other conferences, including
American Mideast ConferenceThe American Mideast Conference is an affiliate of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics that includes eight member institutions in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts. Founded in 1949, it was known as the Mid-Ohio League, and named the Mid-Ohio Conference from 1962...
,
American Midwest ConferenceThe American Midwest Conference is a NAIA college athletic conference with nine member institutions located in Arkansas, Illinois, and Missouri in the United States.-Members:Notes:...
,
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic ConferenceThe Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA. Its 14 members are located in the Midwestern United States...
,
Mid-Central College ConferenceThe Mid-Central College Conference is an athletic conference composed of NAIA private Christian colleges in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio . The current conference commissioner is J. D...
, Midwest Collegiate Conference, and
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic ConferenceThe Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference of ten 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...
.