NAIA History

Mission | The NAIA exists to advance character-driven intercollegiate athletics.

1937 | Dr. James Naismith and local leaders form National College Basketball

Tournament staged at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri

1938 | Basketball tournament expands to 32 teams

1940 | National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball (NAIB) formed; first

convention held

1948 | John Wooden’s Indiana State team brings first African-American student-athlete to the NAIB tournament

1952 | NAIB adopts new moniker – National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) - and introduces men’s championships in golf, tennis and outdoor track and field

1953 | NAIA becomes first collegiate association to invite historically black institutions into membership         

1957 | Tennessee State becomes the first historically black institution to win a collegiate basketball national championship

1980 | NAIA becomes first collegiate athletics association to sponsor both men’s and women’s championships by adding women’s basketball, cross country, gymnastics, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, softball, swimming and diving, tennis and volleyball championships

1986 | NAIA Council of Presidents moves from advisory to governance role

1988 | Strict academic eligibility standards for all participating student-athletes adopted

2000 | NAIA introduces Champions of Character initiative along with its new brand emphasizing character development among NAIA student-athletes

2001 | NAIA headquarters returns to metro Kansas City in partnership with the City of Olathe, Kansas  

2007 | NAIA opens new headquarters in downtown Kansas City, Missouri