The University of Indianapolis announced its decision to move from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC) on June 24, 2026.
According to University of Indianapolis President Tanuja Singh, various factors contributed to this decision such as geographic location, mission alignment and financial efficiency. Regarding location, the average trip to a university in the GMAC is roughly three hours shorter than that of the GLVC, according to an analysis conducted by the university’s athletic department. The same analysis anticipates that students will reclaim an average of 13 class hours per year.
“From where we are physically, geographically located, the travel time for our students was up to eight hours to go play teams in different towns,” said Singh. “They would drive about eight hours, come back, and then go to class the next day, and that was pretty untenable.”
The decrease in travel time will not only result in students having more time for academics, but it also affects the athletic budget, according to Singh. UIndy’s athletic travel budget was one of the highest in the GLVC, but Singh said she would rather allocate those resources to a better overall student experience.
“I believe that this [conference change] provides the perfect balance between great academic opportunities and great athletic opportunities,” said Singh.
According to the university’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Kim Pate, the move to the GMAC also aligns with UIndy’s mission as a whole.
“We realized that the schools in the GMAC look a lot more like us,” Pate said. “They’re all private, and we have similar missions focused on student success and a well-rounded student experience. We’re dealing with some of the same challenges, and I think we certainly align on how we navigate those challenges.”
As for the competition, Pate said that although there may be a few sports that are not positioned as competitively in the GMAC, the majority of UIndy athletic coaches supported the move. The discussion around switching conferences focused largely on how it would benefit the students and athletic department overall, according to Pate.
“This was a strategic decision, really focused on student athlete experience, mission, and alignment, with our priorities from an academic standpoint and financial stewardship,” said Pate. “This really just lines up with everything that I think we as a university are doing, and how we’ve outlined our priorities within our strategic vision and plan. Our number one focus is on student success and student athletic experience.”
Singh highlighted the importance of the university’s partnership with the GLVC, but in talking with Pate and other key stakeholders, the GMAC seems to be the best fit for UIndy at this time. UIndy will officially join the GMAC on July 1, 2027.
