The Summit League — NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference
The Summit League is an NCAA Division I conference of primarily Midwestern institutions. It organizes championships across multiple sports, provides NCAA tournament automatic bids, and is headquartered in Sioux Falls.
Overview
The Summit League is a U.S. collegiate athletic conference that competes at the NCAA Division I level. Its full members are mainly located in the Midwestern United States, with one member in Colorado. The league oversees regular-season schedules, conference tournaments and automatic qualification routes to national postseason events.
Characteristics and structure
The conference sponsors championships in a range of men's and women's sports and operates a central office that coordinates officiating, scheduling, media rights and academic compliance. Member institutions vary in size and mission but share the common framework of Division I competition. The Summit League also maintains partnerships and communications through an administrative hub that moved its corporate offices to Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 2018 from the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst, Illinois.
History and development
Originally founded in the early 1980s as the Association of Mid-Continent Universities, the conference later used the name Mid-Continent Conference before adopting the Summit League identity. Over several decades the league has experienced membership changes common to Division I conferences, with schools joining and departing as regional alignments and institutional priorities evolved.
Notable historical notes
The Summit League once sponsored intercollegiate football but discontinued that sport for the conference after the 1984 season. Several current and former Summit League institutions still operate football programs; those teams compete in separate football leagues such as the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The conference continues to focus on a broad portfolio of non‑football sports while maintaining conference championships and NCAA bid opportunities.
Importance and role
For member schools, the Summit League provides governance, a competitive schedule, and access to postseason play. Conference champions typically receive automatic berths to NCAA national tournaments, which are important for institutional visibility, student‑athlete experience and local alumni engagement. The league also emphasizes academic standards and community engagement as part of its mission.
Quick facts and resources
- Level: NCAA Division I
- Headquarters: Sioux Falls, South Dakota — moved from Elmhurst, Illinois in 2018 (HQ, Sioux Falls, Elmhurst)
- Geography: Primarily Midwestern member institutions (Midwest), plus one in Colorado (Colorado)
- Football: Conference dropped football after the 1984 season (history); several members play football in other leagues such as the Missouri Valley Football Conference
- Membership information and schools: see conference materials and individual school pages (members)
For official announcements, historical records and current schedules consult conference resources and member athletic departments. Additional institutional, media and governance information can be found via the links below.
Questions and answers
Q: What is the Summit League?
A: The Summit League is a NCAA conference that plays in NCAA Division I and consists of member universities and colleges located in the Midwestern United States, plus one member in Colorado.
Q: Where are the headquarters of the Summit League?
A: The headquarters of the Summit League are located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, having moved from the Chicago suburb of Elmhurst, Illinois in 2018.
Q: Did the Summit League ever sponsor football?
A: Yes, the Summit League once sponsored football but dropped it after the 1984 season.
Q: Do any members have football teams now?
A: Five members of the Summit League still have football teams; all play in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Q: What division does The Summit league compete in?
A: The Summit league competes in NCAA Division I.
Q: How many members does The summit league have?
A: The summit league has 11 members total - 10 located within Midwestern United States and 1 located in Colorado.
Q: When did they move their headquarters to Sioux Falls, South Dakota?
A: They moved their headquarters to Sioux Falls, South Dakota from Elmhurst, Illinois in 2018.
Related articles
Author
AlegsaOnline.com The Summit League — NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/98933
Sources
- summitleague.org : "The Summit League"
- horizonleague.org : "Purdue University Fort Wayne to Join Horizon League"
- jconline.com : "Goodbye IPFW, hello Purdue Fort Wayne"
- thesummitleague.org : "Summit League welcomes back UMKC"
- umkckangaroos.com : "UMKC Athletics Completes New Brand Identity"
- thesummitleague.org : "Summit League Adds Drake and Illinois State as Men’s Tennis Affiliate Members"
- valpo.edu : "Valpo Announces Discontinuation of Men’s Soccer, Men’s Tennis Programs"
- valpoathletics.com : "Valparaiso University to Join Summit League in Men’s Tennis, Men’s Swimming"