Pioneer Football League
From SportsPaper Wiki
| Status |
|---|
| Active |
| Years Active |
| 1991-present |
| Prior Name(s)/Conference(s) |
| n/a |
| Successor Conference(s) |
| n/a |
The Pioneer Football League (PFL) is a collegiate athletic conference that operates in the United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a college football-only conference. It has member schools that range from New York, North Carolina, and Florida in the east to California in the west. It is headquartered in St. Louis, in the same complex that also contains the offices of the Missouri Valley Conference and Missouri Valley Football Conference. Unlike most other Division I FCS conferences, the Pioneer League consists of institutions that choose not to award athletic scholarships ("grants-in-aid") to football players.
Member schools
Current members
| School | Location | Joined |
|---|---|---|
| Butler Bulldogs | Indianapolis, Indiana | 1991 |
| Davidson Wildcats | Davidson, North Carolina | 2001 |
| Dayton Flyers | Dayton, Ohio | 1991 |
| Drake Bulldogs | Des Moines, Iowa | 1991 |
| Marist Red Foxes | Poughkeepsie, New York | 2009 |
| Morehead State Eagles | Morehead, Kentucky | 2001 |
| San Diego Toreros | San Diego, California | 1992 |
| Stetson Hatters | DeLand, Florida | 2013 |
| Valparaiso Crusaders | Valparaiso, Indiana | 1991 |
Former members
| Institution | Location | Founded | First Football Year |
Type | Enrollment | Joined | Left | Nickname | Primary Conference while joining the PFL |
Current Primary Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Peay State University | Clarksville, Tennessee | 1927 | 1930 | Public | 8,650 | 2001 | 2006 | Governors | OVC | |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek, North Carolina | 1887 | 1925 (2008) | Private | 9,471 | 2008 | 2018 | Fighting Camels/Lady Camels | Atlantic Sun (ASUN) | Big South |
| University of Evansville* | Evansville, Indiana | 1854 | 1898 | Private | 3,050 | 1991 | 1998 | Purple Aces | Missouri Valley | |
| Jacksonville University* | Jacksonville, Florida | 1934 | 1934 (1998) | Private | 7,426 | 2001 | 2020 | Dolphins | Atlantic Sun (ASUN) | |
| Mercer University | Macon, Georgia | 1833 | 1892 (2013) | Private | 8,300 | 2013 | 2014 | Bears | Atlantic Sun (ASUN) | Southern |
Future Members
| Institution | Location | Founded | First Football Year |
Type | Enrollment | Year Joining | Nickname | Current Primary Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presbyterian College | Clinton, South Carolina | 1880 | 1913 | Private | 1,172 | 2021 | Blue Hose | Big South |
| University of St. Thomas | St. Paul, Minnesota | 1885 | 1904 | Private | 9,878 | 2021 | Tommies | MIAC (Division III) |
