Currently in its first season as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Central Baptist College will join the Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference next season as a full member in the fall of 2011.

Central Baptist offers 12 total sports and plans to participate in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, women's volleyball, men's and women's cross country, men's golf, baseball and softball when it joins the MCAC next fall.

"We are pleased that Central Baptist College has been accepted to our conference," said MCAC Commissioner Al Waller.  "They are very similar to all the schools in the MCAC — both philosophically and athletically.  In addition, they will increase our numbers in many sports to at least six participating institutions, allowing us to have direct qualification to NAIA championships, and that is a big plus."

"Central Baptist College is very excited to become part of such a solid and competitive conference," said Central Baptist Athletic Director Lyle Middleton. "After searching for the past two years, we feel the schools that represent the MCAC are a good match for us in terms of the size of our institutions and the high level of commitment to college athletics. Once again, Central Baptist would like to thank the MCAC and Commissioner Al Waller for making us welcome."

Established in 1994, the MCAC currently consists of nine member institutions located in four different states, including Bellevue University (Omaha, Neb.), Central Christian College (McPherson, Kan.), College of the Saint Mary (Omaha, Neb.), College of the Ozarks (Point Lookout, Mo.), Haskell Indian Nations University (Lawrence, Kan.), Oklahoma Wesleyan University (Bartlesville, Okla.), Peru State College (Peru, Neb.), Southwestern Christian University (Bethany, Okla.) and York College (York, Neb.).  The conference will remain a nine-team league next season with the addition of Central Baptist and the departure of Peru State, which will be joining the Heart of America Athletic Conference in 2011-12.

To learn more about Central Baptist College visit www.cbc.edu.