The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) seeks to fully integrate life, academics, sport and fitness into the higher education environment. It began, in 1937, when Dr. James Naismith and local leaders formed the National College Basketball Tournament staged at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The goal of the tournament was to establish a forum for small colleges and universities to determine a national basketball champion. The original eight-team tournament expanded to 32 teams in 1938. The NAIB got its start three years after that first men's basketball tournament, on March 10, 1940 in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1952, the NAIB was transformed into the NAIA, and with that came the sponsorship of men's golf, tennis and outdoor track and field.

In 1948, the NAIB became the first national organization to open their intercollegiate postseason to black student-athletes. In 1952, the NAIB was transformed into the NAIA, and with that came the sponsorship of additional sports. The NAIA began sponsoring intercollegiate championships for women in 1980, the first coed national athletics association to do so.

The NAIA has not been afraid to enact changes while others have watched and waited. Stepping forward in 1952, the NAIA became the first to tackle racial integration, when then Indiana State coach John Wooden brought the first African-American student athlete to the national tournament. The association furthered its commitment in 1953 when it became the first collegiate association to invite historically black institutions into its membership. And in 1957, Tennessee State becomes the first historically black institution to win a collegiate basketball national championship. In 1980, the NAIA wasn't afraid to be the first to offer athletic opportunities to women, by establishing a women's championship programs in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, indoor and outdoor track and field, softball, swimming and diving, tennis and volleyball.[1] Also, the NAIA is the only collegiate athletic association to admit international members with the acceptance of five Canadian members and the recent acceptance of the College of the Bahamas.

For the 2007-08 academic year, the NAIA has 287 member institutions. Currently, the headquarters are located in Kansas City, Missouri.blank">http://naia.cstv.com/genrel/062707aaa.html.

Sports: football (men), soccer, volleyball (women), cross country, basketball, swimming, track and field, wrestling (men), baseball (men), softball (women), golf, and tennis.

_Ice hockey (men) was sponsored until 1984. Gymnastics (women) was sponsored until 1988.