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Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

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Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
NameGreat Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Established1972
AssociationNCAA
DivisionNCAA Division II
Members7 (full), 2 (associate)
Sports22
RegionGreat Lakes region
HeadquartersBay City, Michigan
CommissionerKris Dunbar
Websitegliac.org

Great Lakes Interlegiate Athletic Conference is a NCAA Division II athletic conference with a primary geographic footprint in the Midwestern United States. Founded in 1972, it is one of the premier athletic conferences in Division II and sponsors championships in 22 sports. The league's membership has historically included prominent public universities across Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

History

The conference was established in 1972 by five charter members: Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Lake Superior State University, Northern Michigan University, and Saginaw Valley State University. Its formation created a focused athletic league for institutions within the Upper Peninsula and Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Over the decades, the GLIAC expanded significantly, adding members like Wayne State University, the University of Findlay, and Ashland University, which broadened its reach into Ohio. The conference has undergone several membership realignments, with notable departures including the exit of several Ohio schools to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in 2017. The league's headquarters are located in Bay City, Michigan.

Member institutions

The GLIAC currently comprises seven full member institutions and two associate members. The full members are Davenport University, Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Lake Superior State University, Michigan Technological University, Northern Michigan University, and Purdue University Northwest. University of Wisconsin–Parkside is a full member for all sports except football, where it is classified as an associate member. Thomas More University joins as an associate member specifically for football. Historically, other significant members have included Ashland University, Saginaw Valley State University, Wayne State University, and Hillsdale College.

Sports sponsored

The conference sponsors championship competition in 22 sports, 11 for men and 11 for women. Men's sponsored sports include football, basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and wrestling. Women's sponsored sports include basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and volleyball. The GLIAC has been a national leader in Division II football and consistently sends teams to the NCAA Division II Football Championship.

Conference facilities

Member institutions feature notable athletic venues that host GLIAC championships and events. These include Lubbers Stadium at Grand Valley State University, Top Taggart Field at Ferris State University, and the Superior Dome at Northern Michigan University. Other significant facilities are Davenport University Student Center, the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena at Michigan Technological University, and Arrington Ice Arena at Adrian College, which has hosted neutral-site events. The Hancock Driving Park has been a frequent host for the GLIAC outdoor track and field championships.

Championships

The GLIAC has a storied history of team and individual national championships, particularly in football, where members like Grand Valley State University and Ferris State University have won multiple NCAA Division II Football Championship titles. Grand Valley State University has also claimed numerous national titles in women's cross country and track and field. Other member schools, such as Ashland University, have won NCAA Division II championships in women's basketball and track and field. The conference annually awards the President's Trophy to the top overall athletic program.

Notable alumni

Many distinguished athletes and professionals began their careers in the GLIAC. Notable alumni include Curtis Painter, an NFL quarterback from Purdue University Northwest; Johnie Cooks, a Super Bowl champion and former Baltimore Colts linebacker from Grand Valley State University; and T. J. Lang, a former Green Bay Packers Pro Bowl offensive lineman from Eastern Michigan University who played in the GLIAC. Olympic medalists like Brittany Borman, a javelin thrower from University of Findlay, and business leaders such as John Engler, former Governor of Michigan and President of Michigan State University who attended Ferris State University, are also conference alumni.

Category:NCAA Division II athletic conferences Category:Sports leagues established in 1972 Category:Sports in Michigan Category:Sports in Ohio Category:Sports in Wisconsin