NAIA Women's Track and Field Schools: A Complete List (2023)

The National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics, otherwise known as the NAIA, is an athletics association similar to the NCAA. NAIA member colleges tend to be smaller, private schools, where over 65,000 student-athletes compete annually.

NAIA track and field colleges are probably most similar to those at the NCAA Division 3 level in terms of overall college experience. From a competitive standpoint, the top NAIA track and field programs mirror competition similar to NCAA Division 2 schools.

Some benefits of adding a few NAIA track and field colleges to your target list include: 

• Athletic aid. Most NAIA programs offer 12 athletic scholarships per team (funding permitted).Coaches can divide these scholarships—and renew them—as they see fit depending on athletic performance, academic eligibility, and even a recruit’s overall character.
• Cost-effective. Because NAIA track and field colleges offer both academic and athletic scholarships, it’s possible for women’s track recruits to drive their total college costs down.
• Accessibility. Unlike their NCAA counterparts, NAIA coaches don’t have to adhere to strict recruiting rules or contact periods. Instead, they can communicate with prospective track and field athletes at any time—and vice versa.
• Well-rounded experience. NAIA schools offer an appealing sports-life balance, with opportunities to pursue other interests outside of track and field, a chance to land a part-time job or internship, and a strong focus on academics. 

How many women’s NAIA track and field schools are there? 

There are currently 173 NAIA track and field colleges that offer indoor, outdoor or both indoor and outdoor women’s track field programs. Only 36 of these schools don’t have an NAIA women’s outdoor track and field team, and only compete indoors. Indoor track and field teams compete in the winter season, while outdoor programs operate during the spring. 

NAIA women’s track and field rankings 

NAIA track and field rankings can be found for indoor and outdoor programs. Sites that keep track of top NAIA track and field colleges and overall team stats and performances include the Track & Field Results Reporting System and the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Here are the top 10 NAIA track and field colleges according to the NCSA Power Rankings:

1. Soka University of America
2. Loyola University New Orleans
3. Aquinas College – Michigan
4. University of Michigan
5. John Brown University
6. Bethel University
7. Fresno Pacific University
8. Taylor University
9. Indiana Wesleyan University
10. Concordia University – Nebraska

Here is the full list of the top NAIA women’s track and field colleges according to the NCSA Power Rankings. 

NAIA women’s track and field colleges

School

City and State

Type

Conference

Division

Pippa Passes, Kentucky

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Phoenix, Arizona

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Little Rock, Arkansas

Private

NAIA – Associate Member

NAIA

Ave Maria, Florida

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Muskogee, Oklahoma

Private

Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)

NAIA

Baldwin City, Kansas

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Bellevue, Nebraska

Private

North Star Athletic Association

NAIA

Atchison, Kansas

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Lindsborg, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

North Newton, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Mishawaka, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

McKenzie, Tennessee

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Blue Mountain, Mississippi

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Bluefield, Virginia

Private

Apalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Gainesville, Georgia

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Owensboro, Kentucky

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Mount Vernon, Georgia

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Sioux City, Iowa

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Dayton, Tennessee

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Eugene, Oregon

Private

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Vallejo, California

Public

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Whiting, Indiana

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Campbellsville, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Helena, Montana

Private

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Conway, Arkansas

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Fayette, Missouri

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Dubuque, Iowa

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Howell, Michigan

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Omaha, Nebraska

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Columbia, Missouri

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Columbia, South Carolina

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Columbia, South Carolina

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Seward, Nebraska

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Salem, Oregon

Private

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Paragould, Arkansas

Private

Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)

NAIA

Canton, Missouri

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Lebanon, Tennessee

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Madison, South Dakota

Public

North Star Athletic Association

NAIA

Mitchell, South Dakota

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Dickinson, North Dakota

Public

North Star Athletic Association

NAIA

New Orleans, Louisiana

Private

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

NAIA

Crete, Nebraska

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Sioux Center, Iowa

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

La Grande, Oregon

Public

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Prescott, Arizona

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Springfield, Missouri

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Olympia, Washington

Public

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Nashville, Tennessee

Private

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

NAIA

Temple Terrace, Florida

Private

Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)

NAIA

Miami Gardens, Florida

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Henderson, Tennessee

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Wichita, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Georgetown, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Goshen, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

Winona Lake, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

Lamoni, Iowa

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Des Moines, Iowa

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Hannibal, Missouri

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Saint Louis, Missouri

Public

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Hastings, Nebraska

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Fullerton, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Huntington, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

Austin, Texas

Private

Red River Athletic Conference

NAIA

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Richmond, Indiana

Public

River States Conference

NAIA

Kokomo, Indiana

Public

River States Conference

NAIA

Gary, Indiana

Public

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Marion, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

Hawkins, Texas

Private

Red River Athletic Conference

NAIA

Siloam Springs, Arkansas

Private

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Elgin, Illinois

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Salina, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

West Palm Beach, Florida

Public

The Sun Conference

NAIA

Grayson, Kentucky

Private

Apalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Riverside, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Langston, Oklahoma

Public

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Southfield, Michigan

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Lewiston, Idaho

Public

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Marietta, Georgia

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Columbia, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Sylvania, Ohio

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

New Orleans, Louisiana

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Batesville, Arkansas

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Livonia, Michigan

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Indianapolis, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

McPherson, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Atherton, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Olathe, Kansas

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Fremont, Nebraska

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Midway, Kentucky

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Milligan University, Tennessee

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Saint Louis, Missouri

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Marshall, Missouri

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Havre, Montana

Public

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Montreat, North Carolina

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Sioux City, Iowa

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Sumter, South Carolina

Private

Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)

NAIA

Yankton, South Dakota

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Mount Vernon, Ohio

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

Portland, Oregon

Private

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Stafford, Texas

Private

Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)

NAIA

Kirkland, Washington

Private

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Orange City, Iowa

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Oakland City, Indiana

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Circleville, Ohio

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Private

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Goodwell, Oklahoma

Public

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Bartlesville, Oklahoma

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Bourbonnais, Illinois

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Klamath Falls, Oregon

Public

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Ottawa, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Phoenix, Arizona

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

San Antonio, Texas

Private

Red River Athletic Conference

NAIA

Angwin, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Parkville, Missouri

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Peru, Nebraska

Public

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

West Point, Georgia

Private

Apalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Pasadena, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Waleska, Georgia

Private

Apalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Billings, Montana

Private

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Chicago, Illinois

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Chicago, Illinois

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Santee, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Savannah, Georgia

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Atlanta, Georgia

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Portsmouth, Ohio

Public

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Adrian, Michigan

Private

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Redding, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Aliso Viejo, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Lakeland, Florida

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Ashland, Oregon

Public

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Waxahachie, Texas

Private

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Bethany, Oklahoma

Private

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Winfield, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Spring Arbor, Michigan

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

Davenport, Iowa

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Laurinburg, North Carolina

Private

Apalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Miami, Florida

Private

The Sun Conference

NAIA

Sterling, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Hillsboro, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Talladega, Alabama

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Upland, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

Athens, Tennessee

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Fort Worth, Texas

Private

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Caldwell, Idaho

Private

Cascade Collegiate Conference

NAIA

Santa Clarita, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Thomasville, Georgia

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Tougaloo, Mississippi

Private

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

NAIA

Palos Heights, Illinois

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Cleveland, Georgia

Private

Appalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Barbourville, Kentucky

Private

Apalachian Athletic Conference

NAIA

Lancaster, California

Public

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Merced, California

Public

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Saint Louis, Missouri

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Jamestown, North Dakota

Private

Great Plains Athletic Conference

NAIA

Dearborn, Michigan

Public

Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

NAIA

Mobile, Alabama

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Dillon, Montana

Public

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Texas

Public

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Pikeville, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Great Falls, Montana

Private

Frontier Conference

NAIA

Rio Grande, Ohio

Private

River States Conference

NAIA

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Private

Crossroads League

NAIA

Leavenworth, Kansas

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Chickasha, Oklahoma

Public

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Joliet, Illinois

Private

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA

Williamsburg, Kentucky

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Hobbs, New Mexico

Private

Red River Athletic Conference

NAIA

Valley City, North Dakota

Public

North Star Athletic Association

NAIA

Costa Mesa, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

La Crosse, Wisconsin

Private

North Star Athletic Association

NAIA

Denmark, South Carolina

Private

Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)

NAIA

Forest City, Iowa

Private

North Star Athletic Conference

NAIA

Lake Wales, Florida

Private

The Sun Conference

NAIA

Takoma Park, Maryland

Private

Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)

NAIA

Plainview, Texas

Private

Sooner Athletic Conference

NAIA

Babson Park, Florida

Private

Sun Conference

NAIA

Beckley, West Virginia

Public

River States Conference

NAIA

Irvine, California

Private

California Pacific Conference

NAIA

Santa Barbara, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Wilberforce, Ohio

Private

Mid-South Conference

NAIA

Marshall, Texas

Private

Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

NAIA

Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Private

Southern States Athletic Conference

NAIA

Rocklin, California

Private

Golden State Athletic Conference

NAIA

Oskaloosa, Iowa

Private

Heart of America Athletic Conference

NAIA

Fulton, Missouri

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

Walnut Ridge, Arkansas

Private

American Midwest Conference

NAIA

New Orleans, Louisiana

Private

Red River Athletic Conference

NAIA

York, Nebraska

Private

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference

NAIA