Indiana Wesleyan University joins MSFA
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – Indiana Wesleyan University, a private, evangelical Christian, liberal arts school headquartered in Marion, Ind., has been accepted as an associate member of the Mid-States Football Association.
The Wildcats were approved by the MSFA at its annual spring meeting on May 4. IWU will feature its first recruiting class in 2017, compete as a varsity sport for the first time in 2018 and become a full-fledged MSFA member in 2019. Indiana Wesleyan becomes the 30th institution to hold membership in the MSFA since its inaugural season in 1993.
"The MSFA is proud to accept Indiana Wesleyan University into our membership," Gary Newsome, the MSFA Commissioner, said following unanimous approval by the 13 MSFA institutions. "IWU's strong academic and athletic programs will be a good fit in the MSFA. All of their programs achieve excellence and we are looking forward to watching their football program grow into a contender. Congratulations to (athletics director) Mark DeMichael and its entire administration and student body for taking this step forward."
The MSFA will determine whether Indiana Wesleyan becomes a member of the Mideast League or the Midwest League.
The Association, which admitted Lindenwood University-Belleville, located in Belleville, Ill., and Missouri Baptist University in St. Louis, Mo., in 2013, will begin its 22nd season in August with 13 schools in five Midwestern states.
The Mideast League will feature Lindenwood-Belleville and Missouri Baptist along with Concordia University of Ann Arbor, Mich.; Marian University of Indianapolis, Ind.; the University of Saint Francis of Fort Wayne, Ind.; Siena Heights University of Adrian, Mich. and Taylor University of Upland, Ind. in the Mideast League. Meanwhile, Chicago-based Robert Morris University and Saint Xavier University; the University of St. Francis of Joliet, Ill.; Olivet Nazarene University of Bourbonnais, Ill.; St. Ambrose University of Davenport, Iowa; and Trinity International University of Deerfield, Ill. will compete in the Midwest League.
The champions of the two leagues receive automatic berths into the NAIA Championship Series.
Indiana Wesleyan will join an association which has claimed six national championships, including four of the last five … Marian (2015 & 2012), Grand View University (Iowa) in 2013 and Saint Xavier (2011). The University of Findlay (1995 & 1997) and Westminster College (1994) also won national titles as members of the MSFA.
IWU features 3,000 students on its main campus in Marion and competes in 16 varsity sports as members of the Crossroads League. The university has 26 national championships, including two NAIA national titles from the record-setting 2006-2007 women's basketball team that went 38-0 and the 2012-2013 women's basketball team. In 2014 and 2016, the men's basketball team won the NAIA Division II national crown. The other 23 titles are NCCAA national championships.
