On December 1, 2011, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference applied to become the 24th NCAA Division II athletic conference behind the strength of six charter members focused on creating a strong and sustainable league model in the Midwest region.
Bolstered by charter members Cedarville University, Central State University, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Trevecca Nazarene University, Urbana University, and Ursuline College, the league embarked on a transitional period of building a brand new athletic conference.
The Great Midwest was approved as a provisional Division II conference on February 21, 2012, and began the provisional year of competition on September 1, 2012. During that period, the Conference welcomed a provisional member in the University of Virginia-Wise as the institution applied for Division II membership. UVa-Wise was approved in July of 2012 for Division II membership to become the seventh league member for the 2012-13 academic year, but did not compete in league schedules as UVa-Wise concluded competition as an NAIA member.
In the fall of 2012, the Great Midwest entered into a partnership with four additional institutions that would begin competition for the 2013-14 academic year. Those instituitons, all located in West Virginia, included Alderson Broaddus University, Davis & Elkins College, Ohio Valley University, and Salem International University. With this addition, two institutions indicated the 2012-13 academic year would be their last with the conference, as UVa-Wise and Urbana resigned to join another league for 2013-14.
The first competition in the Great Midwest occurred on August 30, 2012, as Urbana hosted Bellarmine in a non-conference men's soccer match. The first conference competition was held on September 18 in the sport of volleyball as Cedarville defeated host Urbana. Trevecca Nazarene claimed the inaugural Presidents' Cup in the conference, awarded to the institution garnerning the most points per championships sponsored by the league. The Trjoans claimed conference titles in women's soccer, men's golf, women's golf, softball, and baseball in the first year.
Following a successful provisional year of NCAA membership, on August 29, 2013, the Great Midwest received formal notification that it had been approved as an active NCAA Division II conference for the 2013-14 academic year. The membership in 2013-14 included eight active NCAA Division II institutions (Alderson Broaddus, Cedarville, Central State, Davis & Elkins, Kentucky Wesleyan, Ohio Valley, Salem International, Ursuline) and one provisional NCAA member (Trevecca Nazarene).
The nine institutions competed together for the first two years as an active NCAA conference through the 2014-15 academic year, prior to additional alignment changes in the Midwest region. Following the 2014-15 academic year, Central State departed the conference. This coincided with a significant announcement from the Conference on additional expansion.
On May 11, 2015, Malone University declared intent to join the Great Midwest for the 2016-17 academic year. On June 29, 2015, five additional institutions indicated a desire to affilate with the Great Midwest as the University of Findlay, Hillsdale College, Lake Erie College, Ohio Domican University, and Walsh University, jointly announced they would be joining the Conference for the 2017-18 academic year.
The 2015-16 academic year featured eight full members and was the final year for Salem International University. The Tigers departed the conference at the conclusion of the 2015-16 season. With Malone's entry, the 2016-17 year featured eight full members and four associate members, as Mercyhurst University and Seton Hill University, both from Pennsylvania, joined for the sport of men's lacrosse, the first year the Conference would sponsor the growing sport. Lake Erie and Walsh entered as associate members in the 2016-17, a year prior to full membership, for the sport of men's lacrosse.
On March 30, 2017, Tiffin University announced its decision to also join the Great Midwest. The Dragons' membership was announced for the 2018-19 academic year. An additional associate member for men's lacrosse was also identified, as Wheeling Jesuit University elected to join in that sport for the 2017-18 academic year.
The full membership in 2017-18 included Alderson Broaddus, Cedarville, Davis & Elkins, Findlay, Hillsdale, Kentucky Wesleyan, Lake Erie, Malone, Ohio Dominican, Ohio Valley, Trevecca Nazarene, Ursuline and Walsh. There were three associate members in the sport of men's lacrosse, including Mercyhurst, Seton Hill and Wheeling Jesuit. Tiffin joined the league for the 2018-19 academic year bringing total membership in the league's seventh year to 14 total members and three associates.
Findlay captured the Presidents' Cup in just its second year as a conference member to celebrate the 2018-19 academic year. Moving into 2019-20, the conference membership sits with 13 full member institutions. Davis & Elkins officially departed the league following six full years for another conference and still remains as an associate member in the sports of men's lacrosse.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a shortened 2019-20 for Great Midwest institutions. Counting the fall and winter conference championships only, it was a successful quest to repeat for Findlay as the Oilers retained the Presidents' Cup. The league continued to expand in the spring of 2020 as Ashland University was announced as a full member starting for the 2021-22 academic year.
The 2021-22 year brought an anniversary celebration as the league entered its 10th season. The President's Cup remained in Findlay for the fourth-straight year. The Oilers also brought home an NCAA Division II National Championship in Women's Golf after a perfect spring season. The league continued its trend of expansion, adding Northwood as full members for the 2022-23 academic year. Thomas More University was also accepted into the NCAA Division II provisional membership process with Great Midwest competition set ot begin in 2023-24.
The Great Midwest conference office is located in Indianapolis and has been located in the greater Indianapolis metro area since inception in 2011. The Conference is led by Commissioner Tom Daeger who was appointed as the league's first commissioner on Nov. 21, 2011.
The conference will sponsor 26 sports, all championship sports, during the 2024-25 calendar year