The North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III which is composed of colleges located in Ohio and Indiana. It sponsors 23 sports, 11 for men and 12 for women.
History
The formation of the NCAC was announced at joint news conferences in Cleveland, Columbus and Pittsburgh in February 1983. Allegheny College, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), Denison University, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, Ohio Wesleyan University, and The College of Wooster were charter members in 1984, the same year that NCAC athletic conference play began. The conference offered 10 women's sports, the most offered by a conference at that time.
In 1988, Earlham College and Wittenberg College accepted invitations to join the NCAC, pushing conference membership to nine schools in three states. The two schools would begin play in the fall of 1989. In 1998, Hiram College, and Wabash College accepted invitations to join the NCAC, pushing conference membership to 10 schools in three states, which both schools began play in the fall of 1999. Case Western Reserve, a charter member of the NCAC, announced that it would leave the NCAC following the 1998–99 academic year. The Spartans would compete on a full-time basis in the University Athletic Association (UAA) after more than a decade of joint conference membership affiliation.
Earlham announced it would depart the NCAC for the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC), beginning with the 2010–11 season. DePauw University became the 10th member of the NCAC beginning in the 2011–12 season.
Allegheny left the NCAC after the 2021–22 school year to return to its former home of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC). Allegheny and Earlham remain single-sport NCAC members in field hockey. Later in 2022, Transylvania University and Washington & Jefferson College were announced as single-sport NCAC members for field hockey, beginning with the 2023 season.
The most recent changes to the NCAC membership were announced in 2024. First, on January 18, John Carroll University announced it was leaving the Ohio Athletic Conference to join the NCAC. Then on April 23, Hiram announced it would leave the NCAC in 2025 to return to the PAC, which it had left in 1989.
Chronological timeline
- 1983 – In February 1983, the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) was founded. Charter members included Allegheny College, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), Denison University, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, Ohio Wesleyan University and The College of Wooster, beginning the 1984–85 academic year.
- 1989 – Earlham College and Wittenberg College joined the NCAC in the 1989–90 academic year.
- 1999:
- Case Western Reserve left the NCAC to fully align all of its sports to the University Athletic Association (UAA) after the 1998–99 academic year.
- Hiram College and Wabash College joined the NCAC in the 1999–2000 academic year.
- 2010 – Earlham left the NCAC to join the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) after the 2009–10 academic year; while it remained in the conference as an affiliate member for field hockey, beginning the 2010–11 school year.
- 2011 – DePauw University joined the NCAC in the 2011–12 academic year.
- 2022 – Allegheny left the NCAC to rejoin the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) after the 2021–22 academic year; while it remained in the conference as an affiliate member for field hockey, beginning the 2022–23 school year.
- 2023 – Transylvania University and Washington & Jefferson College joined the NCAC as affiliate members for field hockey in the 2023 fall season (2023–24 academic year).
- 2025:
- Hiram left the NCAC to rejoin the PAC after the 2024–25 academic year.
- John Carroll University joined the NCAC beginning the 2025–26 academic year.
- 2026 – Washington University in St. Louis will join the NCAC as an affiliate member for football, beginning the 2026 fall season (2026–27 academic year).
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives
In 2019, the NCAC was one of the first NCAA conferences to participate in the organization's LGBTQ OneTeam Program, which launched in fall 2019. Two facilitators from the NCAC – Seth Hayes of Denison University and Rhea Debussy of Kenyon College – were among the first 30 facilitators for this NCAA Division III program. In 2021, the NCAA announced that two NCAC staff members – Kate Costanzo of Allegheny College and Rhea Debussy of Kenyon College – were finalists for the NCAA Division III LGBTQ Administrator/Coach/Staff of the Year Award.
Member schools
Current members
The NCAC currently has nine full members, all private schools.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Affiliation
! Enrollment
! 2022 US News<br />ranking
! 2021 Forbes<br />Top Colleges
! Nickname
! Joined
! Colors
|-
| Denison University
| Granville, Ohio
| 1831
| Nonsectarian
| 2,100
| 42
| 288
| Big Red
| 1984
|
|-
| DePauw University
| Greencastle, Indiana
| 1837
| Methodist
| 2,350
| 46
| 130
| Tigers
| 2011
|
|-
| John Carroll University
| University Heights, Ohio
| 1886
| Catholic<br />
| 2,615
|
|
| Blue Streaks
| 2025
|
|-
| Kenyon College
| Gambier, Ohio
| 1824
| Episcopal/Anglican
| 1,640
| 30
| 287
| Owls
| 1984
|
|-
| Oberlin College
| Oberlin, Ohio
| 1833
| Nonsectarian
| 2,850
| 37
| 290
| Yeomen &<br />Yeowomen
| 1984
|
|-
| Ohio Wesleyan University
| Delaware, Ohio
| 1842
| Nonsectarian
| 1,850
| 98
| 446
| Battling Bishops
| 1984
|
|-
| Wabash College
| Crawfordsville, Indiana
| 1832
| Nonsectarian
| 850
| 57
| 327
| Little Giants
| 1999
|
|-
| Wittenberg University
| Springfield, Ohio
| 1845
| Lutheran ELCA
| 2,050
| 155
| 435
| Tigers
| 1989
|
|-
|
| Wooster, Ohio
| 1866
| Nonsectarian
| 1,827
| 71
| 428
| Fighting Scots
| 1984
|
|}
;Notes:
<!--=== Future member ===
The NCAC will have one future full member, which is also a private school.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Affiliation
! Enrollment
! Nickname
! Colors
! Joining
! Current<br />conference
|-
|}
;Notes:
-->
Affiliate members
The NCAC has four affiliate members, all are private schools.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Affiliation
! Enrollment
! Nickname
! Joined
! NCAC<br />sport(s)
! Primary<br />conference
|-
| Allegheny College
| Meadville, Pennsylvania
| 1815
| United Methodist
| 1,442
| Gators
| 2022
| Field hockey
| Presidents' (PAC)
|-
| Earlham College
| Richmond, Indiana
| 1847
| Quaker
| 900
| Quakers
| 2010
| Field hockey
| Heartland (HCAC)
|-
| Transylvania University
| Lexington, Kentucky
| 1780
| Disciples of Christ
| 963
| Pioneers
| 2023
| Field hockey
| Heartland (HCAC)
|-
| Washington & Jefferson College
| Washington, Pennsylvania
| 1781
| Nonsectarian
| 1,168
| Presidents
| 2023
| Field hockey
| Presidents' (PAC)
|}
;Notes:
Future affiliate member
The NCAC will have one future affiliate member, a private school.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Affiliation
! Enrollment
! Nickname
! Joined
! NCAC<br />sport(s)
! Primary<br />conference
|-
| Washington University in St. Louis
|
| 1853
| Nonsectarian
| 14,117
| Bears
| 2026
| Football
| University (UAA)
|}
;Notes:
Former members
The NCAC has three former full members, all private schools.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
! Institution
! Location
! Founded
! Affiliation
! Enrollment
! Nickname
! Joined
! Left
! Current<br />conference
|-
| Allegheny College
| Meadville, Pennsylvania
| 1815
| United Methodist
| 2,100
| Gators
| 1984
| 2022
| Presidents' (PAC)
|-
| Case Western Reserve University
| Cleveland, Ohio
| 1826
| Nonsectarian
| 11,824
| Spartans
| 1984
| 1999
| University (UAA)
|-
| Earlham College
| Richmond, Indiana
| 1847
| Quakers
| 1,181
| Quakers
| 1989
| 2010
| Heartland (HCAC)
|-
| Hiram College
| Hiram, Ohio
| 1850
| Disciples of Christ
| 1,395
| Terriers
| 1999
| 2025
| Presidents' (PAC)
|}
;Notes:
Membership timeline
<timeline>
DateFormat = yyyy
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:20
Period = from:1984 till:2030
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
PlotArea = right:5 left:5 bottom:40 top:5
Colors =
id:line value:black
id:bg value:white
id:Full value:rgb(0.7,0.9,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports
id:FullxF value:rgb(0.9,0.8,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member in all sports except for football
id:AssocF value:rgb(0.9,0.7,0.8) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for football only
id:AssocOS value:rgb(0.8,0.9,0.7) # Use this color to denote a team that is a member for another sport only
id:OtherC1 value:rgb(0.996,0.996,0.699) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference
id:OtherC2 value:rgb(0.988,0.703,0.383) # Use this color to denote a team that has moved in another conference when the other color has already been used
PlotData=
width:15 textcolor:black shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
bar:1 color:Full from:1984 till:2022 text:Allegheny (1984–2022)
bar:1 color:AssocOS from:2022 till:end text:PAC (NCAC f.h.)
bar:2 color:Full from:1984 till:1999 text:Case Western Reserve (1984–1999)
bar:2 color:OtherC1 from:1999 till:end text:UAA
bar:3 color:Full from:1984 till:end text:Denison (1984–present)
bar:4 color:Full from:1984 till:end text:Kenyon (1984–present)
bar:5 color:Full from:1984 till:end text:Oberlin (1984–present)
bar:6 color:Full from:1984 till:end text:Ohio Wesleyan (1984–present)
bar:7 color:Full from:1984 till:end text:Wooster (1984–present)
bar:8 color:Full from:1989 till:2010 text:Earlham (1989–2010)
bar:8 color:OtherC1 from:2010 till:2021 text:HCAC
bar:8 color:AssocOS from:2021 till:end text:HCAC (NCAC f.h.)
bar:9 color:Full from:1989 till:end text:Wittenberg (1989–present)
bar:10 color:FullxF from:1999 till:2000 text:Hiram (1999–2025)
bar:10 color:Full from:2000 till:2025
bar:10 color:OtherC1 from:2025 till:end text:PAC
bar:11 color:FullxF from:1999 till:2000 text:Wabash (1999–present)
bar:11 color:Full from:2000 till:end
bar:12 color:FullxF from:2011 till:2012 text:DePauw (2011–present)
bar:12 color:Full from:2012 till:end
bar:13 color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:Transylvania (2023–present)
bar:14 shift:(-60) color:AssocOS from:2023 till:end text:Washington and Jefferson (2023–present)
bar:15 shift:(-40) color:Full from:2025 till:end text:John Carroll (2025–present)
bar:16 shift:(-70) color:AssocF from:2026 till:end text:Washington (Mo.) (2026–future)
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:line unit:year increment:2 start:1984
TextData =
fontsize:M
textcolor:black
pos:(0,20) tabs:(400-center)
text:^"North Coast Athletic Conference membership history"
- > If the chart uses more than one bar color, add a legend by selecting the appropriate fields from the following three options (use only the colors that are used in the graphic.) Leave a blank line after the end of the timeline, then add a line with the selected values from the list, separated by a space.
<#
</timeline>
Sports
Conference Sports
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Sport
!Men's
!Women's
|-
|Baseball
|
|
|-
|Basketball
|
|
|-
|Cross Country
|
|
|-
|Field Hockey
|
|
|-
|Football
|
|
|-
|Golf
|
|
|-
|Lacrosse
|
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|-
|Soccer
|
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|-
|Softball
|
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|-
|Swimming & Diving
|
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|-
|Tennis
|
|
|-
|Track & Field (Indoor)
|
|
|-
|Track & Field (Outdoor)
|
|
|-
|Volleyball
|
|
|}
Men's Sports
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!School
!Baseball
!Basketball
!Cross<br>Country
!Football
!Golf
!Lacrosse
!Soccer
!Swimming<br>& Diving
!Tennis
!Track<br>& Field<br>(Indoor)
!Track<br>&<br>Field<br>(Outdoor)
!Total<br>NCAC Sports
|-
!Denison
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!11
|-
!DePauw
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!11
|-
!John Carroll
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!11
|-
!Kenyon
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!11
|-
!Oberlin
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!10
|-
!Ohio Wesleyan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!11
|-
!Wabash
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!11
|-
!Wittenberg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!11
|-
!Wooster
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!11
|-
!Totals
!9
!9
!9
!9
!8
!9
!9
!9
!9
!9
!9
!98
|}
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the NCAC
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!School
!Squash
!Volleyball
!Wrestling
|-
!Denison
|LL
|
|
|-
!John Carroll
|
|
|IND
|-
!Ohio Wesleyan
|
|
|IND
|-
!Wabash
|
|MCVL
|IND
|-
!Wittenberg
|
|MCVL
|
|}
Women's Sports
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!School
!Basketball
!Cross<br>Country
!Field<br>Hockey
!Golf
!Lacrosse
!Soccer
!Softball
!Swimming<br>& Diving
!Tennis
!Track<br>& Field<br>(Indoor)
!Track<br>& Field<br>(Outdoor)
!Volleyball
!Total<br>NCAC Sports
|-
!Denison
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!12
|-
!DePauw
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!12
|-
!John Carroll
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!12
|-
!Kenyon
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!12
|-
!Oberlin
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!11
|-
!Ohio Wesleyan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!12
|-
!Wittenberg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!12
|-
!Wooster
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!12
|-
!Totals
!8
!8
!8+4
!7
!8
!8
!8
!8
!8
!8
!8
!8
!95+4
|-
! colspan="14" |Affiliate Members
|-
!Allegheny
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!1
|-
!Earlham
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!1
|-
!Transylvania
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!1
|-
!Washington & Jefferson
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
!1
|}
Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the NCAC
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!School
!Bowling
!Fencing
!Squash
!Wrestling
|-
!Denison
|
|CCFC
|LL
|
|-
!John Carroll
|
|
|
|AMCC
|-
!Wittenberg
|OBC
|
|
|
|}
See also
- Five Colleges of Ohio
- NCAC men's basketball tournament