List of NAIA football programs

This is a list of schools in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) that have football as a varsity sport.^[1] In the 2024 season, there are a total of 97 NAIA football programs.

Map of NAIA football programs, 2024

NAIA football programs

Institution	Nickname	City	State	Program Established	Conference for football	Primary conference
Arizona Christian University	Firestorm	Phoenix	Arizona	2014	Frontier Conference	Great Southwest Athletic Conference
Arkansas Baptist College	Buffaloes	Little Rock	Arkansas	2007	Sooner Athletic Conference	Continental Athletic Conference
Ave Maria University	Gyrenes	Naples	Florida	2011	The Sun Conference
Avila University	Eagles	Kansas City	Missouri	1999	Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Baker University	Wildcats	Baldwin City	Kansas	1890	Heart of America Athletic Conference
Benedictine College	Ravens	Atchison	Kansas	1902	Heart of America Athletic Conference
Bethany College	Terrible Swedes	Lindsborg	Kansas	1893	Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Bethel University	Wildcats	McKenzie	Tennessee	1900	Mid-South Conference
Bethel College	Threshers	Newton	Kansas	1914	Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Bluefield University	Rams	Bluefield	Virginia	1941; 2012	Appalachian Athletic Conference
Briar Cliff University	Chargers	Sioux City	Iowa	2003	Great Plains Athletic Conference
Campbellsville University	Tigers	Campbellsville	Kentucky	1988	Mid-South Conference
Carroll College	Fighting Saints	Helena	Montana	1920	Frontier Conference
Central Methodist University	Eagles	Fayette	Missouri	1896	Heart of America Athletic Conference
Clarke University	Pride	Dubuque	Iowa	N/A	Heart of America Athletic Conference
Concordia University Ann Arbor[a]	Cardinals	Ann Arbor	Michigan	2011	Mid-States Football Association	Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
Concordia University-Nebraska	Bulldogs	Seward	Nebraska	2000	Great Plains Athletic Conference
Culver–Stockton College	Wildcats	Canton	Missouri	N/A	Heart of America Athletic Conference
Cumberland University	Phoenix	Lebanon	Tennessee	1894	Mid-South Conference
University of the Cumberlands	Patriots	Williamsburg	Kentucky	1985	Mid-South Conference
Dakota State University	Trojans	Madison	South Dakota	2006	North Star Athletic Association (Frontier Conference in 2025)
Dakota Wesleyan University	Tigers	Mitchell	South Dakota	1897	Great Plains Athletic Conference
Defiance College[b]	Yellow Jackets	Defiance	Ohio	1903	Mid-States Football Association	Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
Dickinson State University	Blue Hawks	Dickinson	North Dakota	1925	North Star Athletic Association (Frontier Conference in 2025.)
Doane University	Tigers	Crete	Nebraska	1891	Great Plains Athletic Conference
Dordt University	Defenders	Sioux Center	Iowa	2008	Great Plains Athletic Conference
Eastern Oregon University	Mountaineers	La Grande	Oregon	1929	Frontier Conference	Cascade Collegiate Conference
Evangel University	Valor	Springfield	Missouri	1977	Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Faulkner University	Eagles	Montgomery	Alabama	N/A	Mid-South Conference	Southern States Athletic Conference
Florida Memorial University	Lions	Miami Gardens	Florida	1945; 2020	The Sun Conference
Friends University	Falcons	Wichita	Kansas	N/A	Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Georgetown College	Tigers	Georgetown	Kentucky	1893	Mid-South Conference
Graceland University	Yellowjackets	Lamoni	Iowa	1910	Heart of America Athletic Conference
Grand View University	Vikings	Des Moines	Iowa	2008	Heart of America Athletic Conference
Hastings College	Broncos	Hastings	Nebraska	1895	Great Plains Athletic Conference
College of Idaho	Coyotes	Caldwell	Idaho	1905; 2014	Frontier Conference	Cascade Collegiate Conference
Indiana Wesleyan University	Wildcats	Marion	Indiana	2018	Mid-States Football Association	Crossroads League
University of Jamestown	Jimmies	Jamestown	North Dakota	1914	North Star Athletic Association[c]
Judson University	Eagles	Elgin	Illinois	2021	Mid-States Football Association	Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
Kansas Wesleyan University	Coyotes	Salina	Kansas	1893	Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Keiser University	Seahawks	West Palm Beach	Florida	2018	The Sun Conference
Kentucky Christian University	Knights	Grayson	Kentucky	2008	Appalachian Athletic Conference
Langston University	Lions	Langston	Oklahoma	1922	Sooner Athletic Conference
Lawrence Technological University	Blue Devils	Southfield	Michigan	1933; 2018	Mid-States Football Association	Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
Lindsey Wilson College	Blue Raiders	Columbia	Kentucky	2010	Mid-South Conference
Louisiana Christian University	Wildcats	Pineville	Louisiana	1908; 2000	Sooner Athletic Conference	Red River Athletic Conference
Madonna University	Crusaders	Livonia	Michigan	2020	Mid-States Football Association	Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
Marian University	Knights	Indianapolis	Indiana	2007	Mid-States Football Association	Crossroads League
Mayville State University	Comets	Mayville	North Dakota	N/A	North Star Athletic Association (Frontier Conference in 2025)
McPherson College	Bulldogs	McPherson	Kansas	1917	Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
MidAmerica Nazarene University	Pioneers	Olathe	Kansas	1979	Heart of America Athletic Conference
Midland University	Warriors	Fremont	Nebraska	1895	Great Plains Athletic Conference
Missouri Baptist University	Spartans	St. Louis	Missouri	2014	Heart of America Athletic Conference	American Midwest Conference (Heart of America Athletic Conference as full-member in 2025.)
Missouri Valley College	Vikings	Marshall	Missouri	1892	Heart of America Athletic Conference
Montana State University-Northern	Lights	Havre	Montana	1957	Frontier Conference
Montana Technological University	Orediggers	Butte	Montana	1902	Frontier Conference
University of Montana Western	Bulldogs	Dillon	Montana	N/A	Frontier Conference
Morningside University	Mustangs	Sioux City	Iowa	1898	Great Plains Athletic Conference
Mount Marty University	Lancers	Yankton	South Dakota	2021	Great Plains Athletic Conference
Nelson University	Lions	Waxahachie	Texas	1996	Sooner Athletic Conference
North American University[d]	Stallions	Stafford	Texas	2020	Sooner Athletic Conference	Red River Athletic Conference
Northwestern College	Red Raiders	Orange City	Iowa	1950	Great Plains Athletic Conference
Oklahoma Panhandle State University	Aggies	Goodwell	Oklahoma	N/A	Sooner Athletic Conference
Olivet Nazarene University	Tigers	Bourbonnais	Illinois	1976	Mid-States Football Association	Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
Ottawa University	Braves	Ottawa	Kansas	1891	Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Ottawa University Arizona	Spirit	Surprise	Arizona	2018	Sooner Athletic Conference	Great Southwest Athletic Conference
Peru State College	Bobcats	Peru	Nebraska	1900	Heart of America Athletic Conference
University of Pikeville	Bears	Pikeville	Kentucky	2001	Appalachian Athletic Conference
Point University	Skyhawks	West Point	Georgia	2012	Appalachian Athletic Conference
Reinhardt University	Eagles	Waleska	Georgia	2013	Appalachian Athletic Conference
Rocky Mountain College	Battlin' Bears	Billings	Montana	1931	Frontier Conference
St. Ambrose University	Fighting Bees	Davenport	Iowa	1893; 1974	Heart of America Athletic Conference	Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
St. Andrews University[e]	Knights	Laurinburg	North Carolina	2017	Appalachian Athletic Conference
University of St. Francis (IL)	Fighting Saints	Joliet	Illinois	1986	Mid-States Football Association	Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
University of Saint Francis (IN)	Cougars	Fort Wayne	Indiana	1998	Mid-States Football Association	Crossroads League
University of Saint Mary	Spires	Leavenworth	Kansas	2000	Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Saint Thomas University	Bobcats	Miami Gardens	Florida	2019	The Sun Conference
Saint Xavier University	Cougars	Chicago	Illinois	1993	Mid-States Football Association	Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
Siena Heights University	Saints	Adrian	Michigan	2012	Mid-States Football Association	Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
Simpson University	Red Hawks	Redding	California	2023	Independent (Frontier Conference in 2025)	California Pacific Conference
Southeastern University	Fire	Lakeland	Florida	2014	The Sun Conference
Southern Oregon University	Raiders	Ashland	Oregon	1927	Frontier Conference	Cascade Collegiate Conference
Southwestern College	Moundbuilders	Winfield	Kansas	1903	Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Sterling College	Warriors	Sterling	Kansas	1893	Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Tabor College	Bluejays	Hillsboro	Kansas	N/A	Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
Taylor University	Trojans	Upland	Indiana	N/A	Mid-States Football Association	Crossroads League
Texas College	Steers	Tyler	Texas	1922; 2004	Sooner Athletic Conference	Red River Athletic Conference
Texas Wesleyan University	Rams	Fort Worth	Texas	1933; 2017	Sooner Athletic Conference
Thomas University	Night Hawks	Thomasville	Georgia	2022	The Sun Conference	Southern States Athletic Conference
Union Commonwealth University	Bulldogs	Barbourville	Kentucky	1905; 1922; 1984	Appalachian Athletic Conference
Valley City State University	Vikings	Valley City	North Dakota	N/A	North Star Athletic Association (Frontier Conference in 2025)
Waldorf University	Warriors	Forest City	Iowa	1965	Great Plains Athletic Conference
Warner University	Royals	Lake Wales	Florida	2013	The Sun Conference
Wayland Baptist University	Pioneers	Plainview	Texas	2012	Sooner Athletic Conference
Webber International University	Warriors	Babson Park	Florida	2003	The Sun Conference
William Penn University	Statesmen	Oskaloosa	Iowa	1892	Heart of America Athletic Conference
William Woods University	Owls	Fulton	Missouri	2024	Heart of America Athletic Conference	American Midwest Conference (Heart of America Athletic Conference as full-member in 2025.)

1. Concordia Ann Arbor announced that they would discontinue all athletic programs after the 2024–25 academic year.
2. Transitioning from the NCAA Division III.
3. Joining Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NCAA Division II) in 2025.
4. North American announced that they would discontinue their football program after the 2024–25 academic year.
5. St. Andrews will permanently close its doors after the 2024–25 academic year.

Future NAIA football programs

School	Nickname	City	State	Conference for football	Primary conference	Begins play
University of Rio Grande	RedStorm	Rio Grande	Ohio	Appalachian Athletic Conference	River States Conference	2025[2]
Mount Mercy University	Mustangs	Cedar Rapids	Iowa	Heart of America Athletic Conference		2026[3]

See also

• List of NAIA institutions
• List of current NAIA football coaches
• NAIA football national championship
• List of NAIA national football championship series appearances by team
• List of NCAA Division I FBS football programs
• List of NCAA Division I FCS football programs
• List of NCAA Division II football programs
• List of NCAA Division III football programs
• List of community college football programs
• List of NCAA institutions with club football teams
• List of defunct college football teams