On February 15, 1890, the Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Association was formed; it was the first successful attempt to organize Kansas colleges for the purposes of promoting and regulating amateur intercollegiate athletics. In addition to the private universities and colleges, the conference also included Kansas State Agriculture College (now Kansas State University), the University of Kansas, and Washburn University. In November of that year, the first college football game in Kansas was played between the Kansas Jayhawks and Baker University.[1]
About 1902 the association allied with the Kansas College Athletic Conference, the first group to adopt a definite set of rules and regulations. By the 1920s the conference had changed its name to Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and had grown to include 17 regular members and 2 allied members (no longer including the University of Kansas or Kansas State). In 1923 seven colleges withdrew to form the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
On December 1, 1928, the Kansas Intercollegiate Athletic Conference was formally disbanded and replaced by a new Kansas College Athletic Conference which included six members and formed the present legal entity. It was commonly referred to as the "Little Six", in contrast to the Big Six Conference that eventually became the current Big 12. By 1968 the conference grew to include 12 members. It was organized into Northern and Southern divisions until 1970 when three colleges withdrew to join Missouri-based conferences. In the mid-1970s the name was changed to its current form.[2]
On December 25, 1905, Fairmount played a game against the Washburn Ichabods using a set of experimental rules. The game was officiated by then Washburn head coach John H. Outland.
The experiment was considered a failure. Outland commented, "It seems to me that the distance required in three downs would almost eliminate touchdowns, except through fakes or flukes."[5] The Los Angeles Times reported that there was much kicking and that the game was considered much safer than regular play, but that the new rule was not "conducive to the sport."[6]
In his history of the sport of football, David M. Nelson concluded that "the first forward passes were thrown at the end of the 1905 season in a game between Fairmount and Washburn colleges in Kansas."[7] According to Nelson, Washburn completed three passes, and Fairmount completed two.
1923 – Nine institutions left the KIAC to join their respective new home primary conferences: The College of Emporia, Emporia State, Fort Hays State, Pittsburg State, Southwestern (Ks.), Washburn and Wichita State to form the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIC), and Kansas City U. and St. John's (Ks.) as Independents, effective after the 1922–23 academic year.
1928 – Bethel (Ks.), Friends, Sterling and St. Benedict's (Ks.) left the KIAC to become Independents, effective in December 1928 (during the 1928–29 academic year).
1928 – The KIAC was rebranded as the Kansas College Athletic Conference (KCAC), effective in December 1928 (during the 1928–29 academic year).
1931 – St. Mary's (Ks.) left the KCAC as the school closed, effective after the 1930–31 academic year.
1933 – The College of Emporia rejoined the KCAC, effective in the 1933–34 academic year.
1939 – Bethel (Ks.) rejoined the KCAC, effective in the 1939–40 academic year.
1953 – Friends rejoined the KCAC, effective in the 1953–54 academic year.
1958 – Southwestern (Ks.) and Sterling rejoined the KCAC, effective in the 1958–59 academic year.
1970 – The KCAC has been rebranded as the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC), effective in the 1970–71 academic year.
1971 – Baker, the College of Emporia and Ottawa left the KCAC to form part of the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC), effective after the 1970–71 academic year.
1982 – Ottawa rejoined the KCAC, effective in the 1982–83 academic year.
1992 – St. Mary's of the Plains left the KCAC as the school closed, effective after the 1991–92 academic year.
1999 – The Saint Mary College of Leavenworth (now the University of Saint Mary) joined the KCAC, effective in the 1999–2000 academic year.
2016 – St. Gregory's left the KCAC as an associate member for men's lacrosse after the school suspended it, effective during the 2016 spring season (2015–16 academic year).
2016 – York College joined the KCAC, effective in the 2015–16 academic year.
2016 – St. Ambrose University joined the KCAC as an associate member for men's lacrosse, effective in the 2017 spring season (2016–17 academic year).
2018 – Johnson & Wales–Colorado left the KCAC as an associate member for women's lacrosse, effective after the 2018 spring season (2017–18 academic year).
2018 – Avila University joined the KCAC, effective in the 2015–16 academic year.
2019 – Six institutions joined the KCAC as associate members: Culver–Stockton College for women's lacrosse, Lincoln College, Morningside College (now Morningside University) and William Penn University for men's and women's swimming (with Missouri Baptist adding these sports), and Midland adding men's lacrosse and men's & women's swimming to its KCAC associate membership, all effective in the 2019–20 academic year.
2020 – Missouri Baptist left the KCAC as an associate member for women's wrestling, effective after the 2019–20 academic year.
2020 – Four institutions joined the KCAC as associate members: Bethel Indiana University for men's and women's swimming (with Morningside adding these sports), Cottey College for women's flag football, and Midland adding women's wrestling and women's flag football to its KCAC associate membership, all effective in the 2020–21 academic year.
2021 – Lincoln (Ill.) left the KCAC as an associate member for men's and women's swimming, effective after the 2020–21 academic year.
2022 – The College of Saint Mary (Neb.) joined the KCAC as an associate member in women's swimming & diving effective in the 2022–23 academic year.
2023 – Evangel University joined the KCAC, effective beginning the 2023–24 academic year.
Member schools
Current members
The KCAC currently has fourteen full members, all are private schools:
^Currently known as Benedictine College since 1971.
^Benedictine left the KCAC in December 1928 (during the 1928–29 school year).
^Benedictine had various subsequent conference affiliations: as an Independent from January 1929 (during the 1928–29 school year) to 1936–37, the Central Intercollegiate Conference (CIC) from 1937–38 to 1961–62, and as an NAIA Independent from 1962–63 to 1990–91.
^St. Mary's (Ks.) dropped its athletics program after the 1930–31 school year.
^Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
^Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
^Johnson & Wales–Denver discontinued its athletic program once the school announced that it would close after the 2019–20 school year.
^Lincoln (Ill.) discontinued its athletic program once the school announced that it would close after the 2021–22 school year.
^Missouri Baptist remains in the KCAC as an associate member for men's and women's lacrosse.
^St. Gregory's (Okla.) discontinued its athletic program once the school announced that it would close after the 2017 fall season (2017–18 school year).
Membership timeline
Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football) Associate member (sport)
