Mid-States Football Association
Locations

Association	NAIA
Founded	1993
Commissioner	Gary Newsome
Sports fielded	1 (football only)
No. of teams	13
Region	Midwestern United States
Official website	www.mid-statesfootball.org

The Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA. Member institutions are located in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. 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.

MSFA member schools have won eight NAIA National Championships since the inception of the league in 1993. An MSFA team has played in each of the last seven championships, winning six of the seven, including each of the last three. The two MSFA division champions earn an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship Series.

History

Chronological timeline

1994 - The Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) was founded. Charter members included the following: Geneva College, Malone College (now Malone University), Tiffin University, Urbana University, and Westminster College representing the Mideast League, while the University of Findlay, Lindenwood College (now Lindenwood University), Olivet Nazarene University, Saint Xavier University, Taylor University and Trinity International University representing the Midwest League beginning the 1994 fall season (1994-95 academic year).
1996 - Lindenwood left the MSFA to move its football program with its other sports when it joined the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) after the 1995 fall season (1995-96 academic year).
1996 - Tri-State University (now Trine University) and Walsh University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League, while Iowa Wesleyan College (later Iowa Wesleyan University) and St. Ambrose University joined the MSFA to represent the Midwest League in the 1996 fall season (1996-97 academic year).
1998 - Findlay and Westminster (Pa.) left the MSFA to move their football programs to the Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference (MIFC), along with their other sports when both joined the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) after the 1997 fall season (1997-98 academic year).
1998 - The University of Saint Francis of Indiana joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League, while McKendree College (now McKendree University) joined the MSFA to represent the Midwest League in the 1998 fall season (1998-99 academic year).
1999 - St. Ambrose left the MSFA after the 1998 fall season (1998-99 academic year).
1999 - The University of St. Francis of Illinois joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League in the 1999 fall season (1999-2000 academic year).
2000 - St. Ambrose returned to the MSFA in the 2000 fall season (2000-01 academic year).
2002 - Tiffin left the MSFA to join the Independent Football Alliance (IFA) after the 2001 fall season (2001-02 academic year).
2002 - William Penn University joined the MSFA to represent the Midwest League in the 2002 fall season (2002-03 academic year).
2003 - Trine left the MSFA to move its football program with its other sports when it joined the NCAA Division III ranks after the 2002 fall season (2002-03 academic year).
2003 - Quincy University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League in the 2003 fall season (2003-04 academic year).
2004 - Ohio Dominican University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League in the 2004 fall season (2004-05 academic year).
2006 - Quincy moved to the Midwest League in the 2006 fall season (2006-07 academic year).
2007 - Geneva left the MSFA to move its football program with its other sports when it joined the NCAA Division III ranks and the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) after the 2006 fall season (2006-07 academic year).
2007 - Marian University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League in the 2007 fall season (2007-08 academic year).
2007 - Saint Xavier (Ill.) moved to the Mideast League in the 2007 fall season (2007-08 academic year).
2008 - Urbana left the MSFA to move its football program with its other sports when it joined the NCAA Division III ranks and the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) after the 2007 fall season (2007-08 academic year).
2009 - Ohio Dominican left the MSFA to move its football program with its other sports when it joined the NCAA Division II ranks after the 2008 fall season (2008-09 academic year).
2009 - Grand View University and Waldorf University joined the MSFA to represent the Midwest League in the 2009 fall season (2009-10 academic year).
2009 - Olivet Nazarene and Trinity International moved to the Mideast League in the 2009 fall season (2009-10 academic year).
2011 - Three institutions left the MSFA to move their football programs with their other sports when they joined the NCAA Division II ranks: Malone and Walsh to the GLIAC, and McKendree to the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) after the 2010 fall season (2010-11 academic year).
2011 - Concordia University Ann Arbor joined the MSFA to represent in the Mideast League in the 2011 fall season (2011-12 academic year).
2011 - Quincy returned to the Mideast League, while Olivet Nazarene and Trinity International went back to the Midwest League in the 2011 fall season (2011-12 academic year).
2012 - Two institutions left the MSFA to move their football programs with their other sports when they joined the NCAA ranks: Quincy to D-II and the GLVC, and Iowa Wesleyan to D-III after the 2011 fall season (2011-12 academic year).
2012 - Siena Heights University joined the MSFA to represent in the Mideast League in the 2012 fall season (2012-13 academic year).
2013 - Robert Morris University Illinois joined the MSFA to represent in the Mideast League in the 2013 fall season (2013-14 academic year).
2013 - Saint Xavier (Ill.) returned to the Mideast League, while Saint Francis (Ill.) moved to the Midwest League in the 2013 fall season (2013-14 academic year).
2014 - Waldorf left the MSFA to join the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) as an affiliate member for football after the 2013 fall season (2013-14 academic year).
2015 - Grand View and William Penn left the MSFA to move their football programs with their other sports when both joined the HAAC after the 2014 fall season (2014-15 academic year).
2015 - Lindenwood University – Belleville and Missouri Baptist University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League in the 2015 fall season (2015-16 academic year).
2015 - Saint Francis (Ill.) went back to the Mideast League in the 2015 fall season (2015-16 academic year).
2018 - Lindenwood–Belleville left the MSFA after the 2017 fall season (2017-18 academic year).
2019 - Robert Morris (Ill.) left the MSFA after the 2018 fall season (2018-19 academic year).
2019 - Indiana Wesleyan University and Lawrence Technological University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League in the 2019 fall season (2019-20 academic year).
2019 - Missouri Baptist moved to the Midwest League in the 2019 fall season (2019-20 academic year).
2020 - Madonna University joined the MSFA to represent the Mideast League, while Roosevelt University joined the MSFA to represent the Midwest League in the 2020 fall season (2020-21 academic year).
2021 - Judson University joined the MSFA to represent the Midwest League in the 2021 fall season (2021-22 academic year).
2023 - Missouri Baptist left the MSFA to move their football program with their other sports to the Heart of America Athletic Conference after the 2022 fall season (2022-23 academic year).
2023 – Trinity International University left the MSFA, coinciding with the closure of its residential campus at the end of the spring semester in favor of online undergraudate programs.
2024 – Roosevelt and St. Ambrose left the MSFA after the 2023 fall season (2023-24 academic year), with Roosevelt joining the NCAA Division II ranks and the GLIAC, and St. Ambrose joining the Heart of America Athletic Conference as a football associate.^[1]
2024 - Defiance College joined the MSFA to represent in the Mideast League in the 2024 fall season (2024-25 academic year).
2024 - Marian and Saint Francis (IN) moved to the Midwest League in the 2024 fall season (2024-25 academic year).

Member schools

Current members

The MSFA currently has 13 member schools, all of them are private schools.

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined	Primary conference
Mideast League
Concordia University	Ann Arbor, Michigan	1963	Lutheran LCMS	1,055	Cardinals	2011	Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC)
Defiance College	Defiance, Ohio	1850	United Church	505	Yellow Jackets	2024	Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC)
Indiana Wesleyan University	Marion, Indiana	1920	Wesleyan Church	15,872	Wildcats	2019	Crossroads
Lawrence Technological University	Southfield, Michigan	1932	Nonsectarian	4,154	Blue Devils	2019	Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC)
Madonna University	Livonia, Michigan	1930	Catholic	3,250	Crusaders	2020
Siena Heights University	Adrian, Michigan	1919	Catholic	2,274	Saints	2012
Taylor University	Upland, Indiana	1846	Nondenominational	1,887	Trojans	1994	Crossroads
Midwest League
Judson University	Elgin, Illinois	1963	American Baptist	1,231	Eagles	2021	Chicagoland (CCAC)
Marian University	Indianapolis, Indiana	1851	Catholic	1,800	Knights	2007	Crossroads
University of Saint Francis (IN)	Fort Wayne, Indiana	1890	Catholic	1,883	Cougars	1998	Crossroads
Olivet Nazarene University	Bourbonnais, Illinois	1907	Nazarene	4,666	Tigers	1994	Chicagoland (CCAC)
University of St. Francis (IL)	Joliet, Illinois	1920	Catholic	3,352	Fighting Saints	1999
Saint Xavier University	Chicago, Illinois	1846	Catholic	5,028	Cougars	1994

Notes

Former members

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined	Left	Primary conference
University of Findlay	Findlay, Ohio	1882	Churches of God	4,870	Oilers	1994	1998	Great Midwest (G-MAC)^[a]
Geneva College	Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania	1848	Reformed	1,791	Golden Tornadoes	1994	2007	Presidents' (PAC)^[b]
Grand View University	Des Moines, Iowa	1896	Lutheran ELCA	1,988	Vikings	2009	2015	Heart of America (HAAC)
Iowa Wesleyan College	Mount Pleasant, Iowa	1842	United Methodist	570	Tigers	1996	2012	Closed in 2023
Lindenwood University	St. Charles, Missouri	1827	Presbyterian (PCUSA)	4,822	Lions	1994	1996	Ohio Valley (OVC)^[c]
Lindenwood University–Belleville	Belleville, Illinois	2003	Presbyterian (PCUSA)	N/A	Lynx	2015	2018	Closed in 2020
Malone University	Canton, Ohio	1892	Evangelical	1,684	Pioneers	1994	2011	Great Midwest (G-MAC)^[a]
McKendree University	Lebanon, Illinois	1828	United Methodist	1,702	Bearcats	1998	2011	Great Lakes Valley (GLVC)^[a]
Missouri Baptist University	St. Louis, Missouri	1828	Southern Baptist	2,800	Spartans	2015	2023	Heart of America (HAAC)
Ohio Dominican University	Columbus, Ohio	1911	Catholic (OP)	1,716	Panthers	2004	2009	Great Midwest (G-MAC)^[a]
Quincy University	Quincy, Illinois	1860	Catholic (Franciscan)	1,092	Hawks	2003	2012	Great Lakes Valley (GLVC)^[a]
Robert Morris University	Chicago, Illinois	1913	Nonsectarian	N/A	Eagles	2013	2019	N/A^[d]
Roosevelt University	Chicago, Illinois	1945	Nonsectarian	7,500	Lakers	2020	2024	Great Lakes Intercollegiate (GLIAC)^[a]
St. Ambrose University	Davenport, Iowa	1882	Catholic	3,343	Fighting Bees	1996^[e]	2024	Heart of America (HAAC)
Tiffin University	Tiffin, Ohio	1888	Nonsectarian	3,096	Dragons	1994	2002	Great Midwest (G-MAC)^[a]
Trine University	Angola, Indiana	1884	Nonsectatian	4,104	Thunder	1996	2003	Michigan (MIAA)^[b]
Trinity International University	Deerfield, Illinois	1897	Evangelical	2,730	Trojans	1994	2023	Closed in 2023
Urbana University	Urbana, Ohio	1850	Nonsectarian	N/A	Blue Knights	1994	2008	Closed in 2020
Waldorf College	Forest City, Iowa	1903	For-profit^[f]	580	Warriors	2009	2014	North Star (NSAA)
Walsh University	North Canton, Ohio	1960	Catholic (Diocese of Youngstown)	2,779	Cavaliers	1996	2011	Great Midwest (G-MAC)^[a]
Westminster College	New Wilmington, Pennsylvania	1852	Presbyterian (PCUSA)	1,482	Titans	1994	1998	Presidents' (PAC)^[b]
William Penn University	Oskaloosa, Iowa	1873	Quakers	1,550	Statesmen	2002	2015	Heart of America (HAAC)

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
^ ^a ^b ^c Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
^ Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
^ Robert Morris (Ill.) was merged into Roosevelt University.
^ St. Ambrose didn't compete in the MSFA during the 1998 fall season (1998–99 school year).
^ Formerly affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) until 2010.

Membership timeline

Mideast League Midwest League

National Championship appearances

Year	MSFA Member	Opponent	Result	Score
1995	Findlay (OH)	Central Washington	Tie	21–21
1997	Findlay (OH)	Willamette	Won	14–7
1998	Olivet Nazarene (IL)	Azusa Pacific (CA)	Lost	17–14
2004	Saint Francis (IN)	Carroll (MT)	Lost	15–13 (2 OT)
2005	Saint Francis (IN)	Carroll (MT)	Lost	27–10
2006	Saint Francis (IN)	Sioux Falls (SD)	Lost	23–19
2011	Saint Xavier (IL)	Carroll (MT)	Won	24–20
2012	Marian (IN)	Morningside (IA)	Won	30–27 (OT)
2013	Grand View (IA)	Cumberlands (KY)	Won	35–23
2014	Marian (IN)	Southern Oregon	Lost	55–31
'2015	Marian (IN)	Southern Oregon	Won	31–14
2016	Saint Francis (IN)	Baker (KS)	Won	38–17
2017	Saint Francis (IN)	Reinhardt (GA)	Won	24–13
2019	Marian (IN)	Morningside	Lost	38–40

Sports

The MSFA sponsors teams only in football. For other sports, MSFA-member schools are affiliated with a variety of other conferences; including the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, the Crossroads League, and the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference.

References

External links

Mid-States Football Association

Mid-States Football Association
Mideast League	Concordia (MI) Defiance Indiana Wesleyan Lawrence Tech Madonna Siena Heights Taylor
Midwest League	Judson Marian (IN) Olivet Nazarene St. Francis (IL) Saint Francis (IN) Saint Xavier
Related topics	Standings

NAIA conferences

NAIA conferences
Single Division	American Midwest Conference Appalachian Athletic Conference^† California Pacific Conference Cascade Collegiate Conference Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Continental Athletic Conference (Independent schools) Crossroads League Frontier Conference^† Golden State Athletic Conference Great Plains Athletic Conference^† Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Heart of America Athletic Conference^† Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference^† Mid-South Conference^† North Star Athletic Association^† Red River Athletic Conference River States Conference Sooner Athletic Conference^† Southern States Athletic Conference Sun Conference^† Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference
Football-only	Mid-States Football Association^† NAIA independent football schools^†
^†Conference sponsors football

College football

NCAA

Competitions

Division I

FBS	National championship Playoff Playoff National Championship BCS National Championship Game Bowl games List Bids Coalition Alliance Championship Series Records Rivalries Most-played
FCS	Championship Playoff appearances