Mount Mercy to join new league

Mount Mercy University will join the Heart of America Athletic Conference beginning the 2016-17 academic year, the league announced Thursday.

The Heart of America's Council of Presidents approved the applications of Mount Mercy and Clarke University in Dubuque. The schools are currently members of the NAIA's Midwest Collegiate Conference.

'We are proud to officially welcome Mount Mercy and Clarke into the Heart of America Athletic Conference,” said Commissioner Lori Thomas in a release on the conference website. 'With a strong desire to balance the athletics and academic interests of its student-athletes these two outstanding member institutions share the same values and further strengthens our conference.”

'We are honored to be invited to join the Heart of America Athletic Conference,” said Mount Mercy University President Laurie Hamen. 'The Heart has not only been a leader in competing for national athletic championships but has demonstrated a deep commitment to excellence in academics, leadership and service. Mount Mercy is committed to providing our student-athletes with the best possible athletic experience and membership in the Heart allows us to join other like-minded institutions in the pursuit of a superior student experience.”

Grand View in Des Moines and William Penn in Oskaloosa will join the league next year, with Mount Mercy and Clarke bringing the number of conference schools to 14. Other league schools are Avila University (Kansas City, Mo.), Baker University (Baldwin City, Kan.), Benedictine College (Atchison, Kan.), Central Methodist University (Fayette, Mo.), Culver-Stockton College (Canton, Mo.), Evangel University (Springfield, Mo.), Graceland University (Lamoni, Iowa), MidAmerica Nazarene University (Olathe, Kan.), Missouri Valley College (Marshall, Mo.), and Peru State College (Peru, Neb.).

All those schools play varsity football, which suggests Mount Mercy will add the sport, which has been long rumored.