The River States Conference has announced that Oakland City University has been approved as a provisional member of the conference. The announcement comes after approval from the RSC Council of Presidents. Pending Oakland City’s reinstatement to the NAIA, the Mighty Oaks would become full members of the conference on July 1, 2020.
Oakland City is a past member of the NAIA and was in the conference from 1968-75 when the league was known as the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Founded in 1916, the KIAC rebranded in the summer of 2016 and changed its name to the River States Conference.
The Mighty Oaks’ reinstatement to the NAIA is pending the NAIA Council of President’s meeting next week.
“The River States Conference is delighted to see Oakland City University return to the NAIA and the conference,” said Michael Schell, RSC Commissioner. “They have been great to work with through the application process, and I look forward to seeing them compete this fall.”
“Oakland City University is excited to return to the NAIA and especially the River States Conference,” said Dr. Ron Dempsey, President of OCU. “The institutions in the RSC will provide our intercollegiate Mighty Oaks tremendous competition, and we are looking forward to developing some intra-conference rivalries. As president, I am proud that OCU is able to associate and compete with such a stellar group of colleges and universities.”
Oakland City has been a member of NCAA Division II as an independent. The Mighty Oaks sponsor 14 sports teams – six men’s, seven women’s and one co-ed. Oakland City participates in 13 of the 17 RSC Championship sports with the only exceptions being men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field.
The Mighty Oaks compete in men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s tennis and volleyball. Oakland City also has a co-ed cheerleading team. Oakland City would be eligible for conference and national postseason right away pending full membership.
Oakland City is located in Oakland City, Ind. Founded in 1885, the university has an enrollment of 1,500. The school’s mission statement states, “Oakland City University is a Christian, faith-based learning community dedicated to the enhancement of intellectual, spiritual, physical and social development for positive leadership.”
Oakland City brings the RSC membership back to 13 institutions. The Mighty Oaks increase the conference’s membership to four schools within the state of Indiana. The RSC membership, which is spread across five states, now includes four schools in Kentucky, four in Indiana, two in Ohio, two in Pennsylvania and one in West Virginia.
The addition of Oakland City increases NAIA national tournament automatic bids for the RSC in several sports. Baseball and softball return to having two automatic bids with Oakland City being the 10th team in each of those sports. Likewise, RSC men’s and women’s cross country and volleyball move back to two automatic qualifications with the Mighty Oaks being the 12th sponsored team in those areas.
Oakland City’s membership gives the RSC 13 men’s and women’s basketball teams, 11 women’s soccer teams, 10 men’s soccer teams, nine women’s tennis teams, seven men’s tennis teams, 10 women’s golf teams and 11 men’s golf teams.
Oakland City joins River States Conference member institutions Alice Lloyd (Ky.) College, Asbury (Ky.) University, Brescia (Ky.) University, Carlow (Pa.) University, Indiana University East, Indiana University Kokomo, Indiana University Southeast, Midway (Ky.) University, Ohio Christian University, Point Park (Pa.) University, University of Rio Grande (Ohio) and West Virginia University Institute of Technology.
(River States Conference press release)
