UAFS Athletics officially joins MIAA after four years in Lone Star Conference

FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The University of Arkansas-Fort Smith has officially joined the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, according to a post on X .

UAFS joins the MIAA after four years in the Lone Star Conference and becomes the first member from the state of Arkansas to join the conference.

The school will become the 14th member of the MIAA , which now includes schools from five states, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.

The other schools in the conference are the University of Central Missouri, the University of Central Oklahoma, Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, Missouri Southern State University, Missouri Western State University, the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Newman University, Northeastern State University, Northwest Missouri State University, Pittsburg State University, Rogers State University and Washburn University.

The athletic director for UAFS says this change will make it a little more manageable for athletes to get their homework done since they won’t be taking more than 10-hour long bus trips multiple times a year.

UAFS joined Division II athletics in 2010 after being in the National Junior College Athletics Association. Before joining the Lone Star Conference in 2019, the school was in the Heartland Conference.

“It really improves our student-athlete experience,” UAFS Athletic Director Curtis Janz said. “Our opponents will be much closer bus trips will be much shorter.”

UAFS will make its home MIAA debut in September when the women’s volleyball team takes on the Pittsburg State Gorillas.

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