A North Coast Athletic Conference that loses Hiram and gains John Carroll and Washington U. by 2026 would be a significantly more competitive group in Division III football. WashU athletics photo by Davis Nguy

The North Coast Athletic Conference has strengthened its football membership with the addition of Washington University in St. Louis as an affiliate member starting in the fall of 2026.

Barring no additional changes in sports sponsorship, affiliation or other status of schools, the addition will bring NCAC football sponsorship to 10 institutions including full-member institutions Denison, DePauw, Kenyon, Oberlin, Ohio Wesleyan, Wabash, Wittenberg and Wooster, along with newest full member John Carroll, which begins NCAC play in the fall of 2025.

WashU's football program currently competes in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, an affiliation which will be ending after 2025.

“The schools of the NCAC are pleased to partner with Washington University in St. Louis, an outstanding institution that shares our values around intercollegiate athletics and the student-athlete experience,” said Michael Frandsen, president of the NCAC and Wittenberg University. “We look forward to meeting the Bears on the gridiron in 2026.”

"This is a wonderful move for NCAC football," stated Executive Director Keri Alexander Luchowski. "It just makes sense to partner with an institution that aligns with the NCAC philosophy of highly competitive athletics within a rigorous academic environment. I’m so pleased to formally welcome the Bears back into the NCAC football family. We last worked together as part of a scheduling agreement with the UAA football-playing members; I look forward to re-establishing these relationships in the coming years throughout conference competition.”

The addition helps solidify conference football schedules into the future and allows members to play a nine-game schedule and still leave room for a competitive non-conference opportunity at the beginning of the season.

"We are excited about our acceptance into the North Coast Athletic Conference (in the sport of football. We look forward to competing for championships while prioritizing the student-athlete experience in the competitive arena and in the classroom," said chancellor Andrew D. Martin. "I am grateful to the NCAC member institutions and their leaders for their partnership and warm welcome. WashU looks forward to competing and making memories with this storied conference."

WashU is currently under a similar affiliate relationship with the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, a partnership that began with the 2018 season and will continue through the 2025 campaign. The Bears posted a fourth-place finish in the CCIW last fall; they are currently knotted in a three-way tie for second early this season. The majority of WashU athletic teams compete in the University Athletic Association.

Historically, the Bears have competed against the current lineup of NCAC programs 75 times, including taking on Wabash 45 times from 1915 to 2012. Since the NCAC’s first playing season in 1984, WashU played NCAC opponents 35 times, resulting in a nearly even 17-18 (.486) record. In the previous UAA-NCAC scheduling partnership, the Bears faced off with NCAC opponents 20 times, resulting in a 10-10 record against then-NCAC members. WashU has not competed against an NCAC team since 2012.

The NCAC anticipates football schedules for the fall of 2026 to be shared in the coming weeks.