After 23 years, Defiance College has announced that it will be leaving the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) and the NCAA at the conclusion of the 2023-24 academic year.  The Yellowjackets will be departing for membership in the NAIA.  Defiance joined the HCAC in the spring of 2000.  

With the HCAC having announced in June that Berea College will join the league this summer, the conference remains at 10 full-time core member institutions.  

With Defiance’s time in the conference coming to an end, HCAC Commissioner Jay Jones stressed, “We certainly wish Defiance College the best as they seek a new strategic direction for their athletics department.  One thing that has always stood out to me about Defiance is how many coaches and administrators around Division III and the HCAC in particular have connections to time spent working or playing for the college. In an era of great fluidity in higher education and college athletics, our league presidents have us well positioned for this news from a membership standpoint; however, it is always the personal connections that stand out and give us all some sadness with any announcement like today's."