Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

The Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) was a college athletic conference that existed from 1908 to 1970 in the United States.

At one time the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, or IIAC, was a robust league that claimed most of the Illinois institutions of higher education. It was nicknamed the "Little Nineteen," but in 1928 had a membership of 23 schools. Former Illinois State University track coach Joseph Cogdal, associated with the IIAC for 43 years of its 62-year history, noted that the league had roots in the 1870s when a number of schools banded together for oratorical contests. Their first intercollegiate football game was played in 1881 between Illinois State University and Knox College, and by 1894 a football association was established.

History
The IIAC was formed in April 1908 with eight charter members: Illinois State Normal University (now Illinois State University), Illinois Wesleyan University, Bradley Polytechnic Institute (now Bradley University), Millikin University, Monmouth College, Knox College, Lombard College and Illinois College. The first track meet was held on May 22, 1908. The group quickly expanded. Eastern Illinois State Teachers College (now Eastern Illinois University) and Western Illinois University joined in 1912 and 1914 respectively.

In 1920, the name "Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference" was adopted, providing the initials IIAC. Conference membership reached a peak of 23 member schools in 1928, when virtually all of the small colleges in Illinois were included.

Private schools withdrew during much of the 1930s, until in 1942 only the five state schools remained: Illinois State University, Eastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Western Illinois University. In 1950, the league name became the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, when Central Michigan University and Eastern Michigan University brought the membership to seven. In 1961-62, Eastern Michigan University and Southern Illinois University Carbondale withdrew; Northern Illinois University followed in 1965-66. The conference disbanded at the end of the 1969–70 academic year.

Former members

 * Notes:

Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

 * 1910 – Illinois Wesleyan
 * 1911 –
 * 1912 – Eastern Illinois, Carthage, and William & Vashti
 * 1913 – Eastern Illinois and William & Vashti
 * 1914 – Eastern Illinois
 * 1915 – Illinois College
 * 1916 –
 * 1917 – Lombard (IL)
 * 1918 – No champion
 * 1919 –
 * 1920 –, North Central, and Wheaton
 * 1921 –
 * 1922 –
 * 1923 – Lombard


 * 1924 – and Lombard
 * 1925 – Bradley and
 * 1926 – Bradley and
 * 1927 – Bradley


 * 1928 – Eastern Illinois and
 * 1929 – and
 * 1930 –, , and Southern Illinois
 * 1931 –
 * 1932 – and
 * 1933 –
 * 1934 – and
 * 1935 – and
 * 1936 – and


 * 1937 –, , and Illinois State Normal
 * 1938 – Northern Illinois State
 * 1939 – Western Illinois
 * 1940 – Illinois State Normal
 * 1941 – Illinois State Normal and Northern Illinois State
 * 1942 – Western Illinois
 * 1943 – No champion
 * 1944 – Northern Illinois State
 * 1945 – Illinois State Normal
 * 1946 – Northern Illinois State
 * 1947 – Southern Illinois
 * 1948 –
 * 1949 – Western Illinois

Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

 * 1950 – Illinois State Normal
 * 1951 – Northern Illinois State
 * 1952 – Central Michigan
 * 1953 – Central Michigan
 * 1954 – Central Michigan and Michigan State Normal
 * 1955 – Central Michigan and Michigan State Normal
 * 1956 – Central Michigan


 * 1957 – Eastern Michigan
 * 1958 – Western Illinois
 * 1959 – Western Illinois
 * 1960 – Southern Illinois
 * 1961 – Southern Illinois
 * 1962 – Central Michigan
 * 1963 – Northern Illinois


 * 1964 – Northern Illinois and Western Illinois
 * 1965 – Northern Illinois
 * 1966 – Central Michigan
 * 1967 – Central Michigan and Illinois State
 * 1968 – Central Michigan and Illinois State
 * 1969 – Western Illinois