Crossroads League

Crossroads League
Formerly	Mid-Central College Conference (1959–2012)
Association	NAIA
Founded	1959; 67 years ago
Commissioner	Larry DeSimpelare
Sports fielded	15 men's: 7; women's: 8; ;
No. of teams	10 (11 in 2027)
Region	Midwestern United States; Region VIII
Website	crossroadsleague.com
Locations

The Crossroads League (formerly the Mid-Central College Conference) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Its members are private Christian colleges in Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. The current conference commissioner is Larry DeSimpelare.

History

Crossroads League

50km
31miles

Huntington

Manchester

Mount Vernon Nazarene

Spring Arbor

Taylor

Marian

Bethel

Indiana Wesleyan

Goshen

Saint Francis

Grace

Location of Crossroads members:

current,

future

In June 2012, the conference voted to change its name to the Crossroads League, a name to better reflect the conference having grown beyond its Central Indiana roots.

Chronological timeline

1959 – On June 1, 1959, the Crossroad League was founded as the Mid-Central College Conference (MCCC). Charter members included Concordia Senior College, Grace College (now Grace College & Seminary), Huntington College, Indiana Institute of Technology (Indiana Tech) and Tri-State College (now Trine University), beginning the 1959–60 academic year.
1963 – On September 17, 1963, the MCCC joined the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as a sponsored athletic conference, beginning the 1963–64 academic year.
1966 – Saint Francis College (now the University of Saint Francis of Indiana) joined the MCCC in the 1966–67 academic year.
1969 – On Nov. 6, 1969, Goshen College joined the MCCC, beginning the 1970–71 academic year.
1972 – Concordia Senior College left the MCCC after the 1971–72 academic year.
1973 – Marion College (now Indiana Wesleyan University) joined the MCCC in the 1973–74 academic year.
1978 – Indiana Tech left the MCCC after the 1977–78 academic year.
1979 – Grace left the MCCC after the 1978–79 academic year.
1980 – Tri-State announced that it would leave the MCCC on May 8, and Saint Francis (Ind.) announced the same on May 12, both effective after the 1980–81 academic year.
1980 – On November 5, 1980, Bethel College (now Bethel University) joined the MCCC, with Grace re-joining as well, both effective beginning the 1981–82 academic year.
1986 – Bethel initially withdrew from the MCCC after the 1985–86 academic year. However, on August 25, 1986, Bethel was reinstated into the conference for the 1986–87 academic year.
1986 – Women's sports were introduced in the MCCC, beginning the 1986–87 academic year.
1987 – On September 14, 1987, Marian College (now Marian University) joined the MCCC in the 1987–88 academic year.
1994 – Taylor University joined the MCCC, with Saint Francis (Ind.) re-joining, both effective beginning the 1994–95 academic year.
2004 – Spring Arbor University joined the MCCC in the 2004–05 academic year.
2010 – On November 30, 2010, Mount Vernon Nazarene University joined the MCCC in the 2010–11 academic year.
2012 – On June 27, 2012, the MCCC was rebranded as the Crossroads League, beginning the 2012–13 academic year.
2027 – Manchester University will join the Crossroads, beginning the 2027–28 academic year.

Member schools

Current members

The Crossroads League currently has ten full members; all are private, Christian schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined
Bethel University	Mishawaka, Indiana	1947	Missionary	1,167	Pilots	1981
Goshen College	Goshen, Indiana	1894	Mennonite	847	Maple Leafs	1970
Grace College & Seminary	Winona Lake, Indiana	1948	Charis Fellowship	2,304	Lancers	1959; 1981
Huntington University	Huntington, Indiana	1897	United Brethren in Christ	1,776	Foresters	1959
Indiana Wesleyan University	Marion, Indiana	1920	Wesleyan Church	16,535	Wildcats	1973
Marian University	Indianapolis, Indiana	1851	Catholic (S.S.F.)	3,486	Knights	1987
Mount Vernon Nazarene University	Mount Vernon, Ohio	1964	Nazarene	1,671	Cougars	2011
University of Saint Francis	Fort Wayne, Indiana	1890	Catholic (S.S.F.P.A.)	1,763	Cougars	1966; 1994
Spring Arbor University	Spring Arbor, Michigan	1873	Free Methodist	2,441	Cougars	2004
Taylor University	Upland, Indiana	1846	Nondenominational	2,548	Trojans	1994

Notes

↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
↑ Grace left the Crossroads after the 1978–79 school year and rejoined effective in the 1981–82 school year.
↑ Saint Francis left the Crossroads after the 1980–81 school year and rejoined effective with the 1994–95 school year.

Future members

The Crossroads will have one future full member, a private school:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joining	Current conference
Manchester University	North Manchester, Indiana	1860	Church of the Brethren	1,276	Spartans	2027	Heartland (HCAC)

Notes

↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
↑ Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.

Former members

The Crossroads had three former full members, all were private schools:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Nickname	Joined	Left	Subsequent conference(s)	Current conference
Concordia Senior College	Fort Wayne, Indiana	1957	Lutheran LCMS	Cadets	1959	1972	NAIA Independent (1972–77)	Closed in 1977
Indiana Institute of Technology	Fort Wayne, Indiana	1930	Nonsectarian	Warriors	1959	1978	Chicagoland (CCAC) (1978–98)	Wolverine–Hoosier (WHAC) (1998–present)
Trine University	Angola, Indiana	1884	Nonsectarian	Thunder	1959	1981	various	Michigan (MIAA) (2004–present)

Notes

↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
↑ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
↑ Trine had the following conference affiliations: an NAIA Independent from 1981–82 to 1991–92; the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) from 1992–93 to 2002–03; and an NCAA D-III Independent during the 2003–04 school year.
↑ Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.

Membership timeline

Full member (non-football) Full members (men only) Other Conference Other Conference

Sports

Conference sports
Sport	Men's	Women's
Baseball	Y
Basketball	Y	Y
Cross Country	Y	Y
Golf	Y	Y
Soccer	Y	Y
Softball		Y
Tennis	Y	Y
Track & Field Outdoor	Y	Y
Volleyball		Y

Notes

↑ Crossroads League adding men's volleyball as a sponsored sport in 2026–27.

Commissioners Cup

Each year, the member institution with the most points based on final rankings in each sport, is awarded the Commissioners Cup (formerly known as the All Sports Trophy). The current holder is Indiana Wesleyan University, which has won the last twelve cups in a row and holds the record for cups won, with eighteen.

Notable athletes

Stevimir Ercegovac (Taylor University), 4-time national shot put champion, Olympian
Steve Platt (Huntington University), professional basketball player
Steve Smith (University of St. Francis), College Slam Dunk Champion
Eric Stults (Bethel College), pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Justin Masterson (Bethel College), pitcher with the Boston Red Sox
Katie Sowers (Goshen College), first female and first openly gay coach to coach in a Super Bowl
Addison Wiley (Huntington University), professional distance runner

References

↑ "MCC Becomes Crossroads League". Indiana Wesleyan University. Retrieved 2012-08-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
↑ "2007-08 All Sport Points Standings". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2009-02-13.

External links

Official website

[2] Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

[3] Grace left the Crossroads after the 1978–79 school year and rejoined effective in the 1981–82 school year.

[4] Saint Francis left the Crossroads after the 1980–81 school year and rejoined effective with the 1994–95 school year.

[5] Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

[6] Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.

[7] Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.

[8] Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.

[9] Trine had the following conference affiliations: an NAIA Independent from 1981–82 to 1991–92; the Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) from 1992–93 to 2002–03; and an NCAA D-III Independent during the 2003–04 school year.

[D3-10] Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.

[11] Crossroads League adding men's volleyball as a sponsored sport in 2026–27.

[1] "MCC Becomes Crossroads League". Indiana Wesleyan University. Retrieved 2012-08-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)

[12] "2007-08 All Sport Points Standings". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2009-02-13.

v t e NAIA conferences
Single Division	American Midwest Conference Appalachian Athletic Conference^† California Pacific Conference Cascade Collegiate Conference Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Continental Athletic Conference (Independent schools) Crossroads League Frontier Conference^† Great Plains Athletic Conference^† Great Southwest Athletic Conference HBCU Athletic Conference Heart of America Athletic Conference^† Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference^† Mid-South Conference^† Red River Athletic Conference River States Conference Sooner Athletic Conference^† Southern States Athletic Conference Sun Conference^† Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference
Football-only	Mid-States Football Association^† NAIA independent football schools^†
Lacrosse-only	National Women's Lacrosse League
^†Conference sponsors football