The Midwest Classic Conference has officially changed its name. Eight Iowa schools are members of the league that offers 13-sports at the NAIA level. It will now be known as the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

Commissioner Rick Sanders says the change gives the league a better identity. Sanders says there are times when you would say the conference’s name and not know it was an athletic conference. He says some people confused it with a classic car show, so this will more clearly state that it’s an athletic conference.

Sanders does not feel the league will be confused with the Midwest Conference, which has Grinnell College as a member. He says they took the middle word which started out as Catholic, changed to Classic, and now is Collegiate to define who they are. The league does not sponsor football. Conference members who offer football compete in the Mid-States Football Association.