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Your Complete List of Men’s NAIA Basketball Schools

Men's basketball free throw

Men’s basketball athletes who want to play sports at the collegiate level have typically heard of the NCAA and its three division levels. However, many families often overlook another regulatory body—the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics. NAIA basketball colleges are in good company—not only is the NAIA the oldest college athletics governing body in the U.S., it’s also growing in popularity and size. Most men’s basketball programs at the NAIA level are made up of smaller, private colleges, though don’t let that deter you—student-athletes on NAIA basketball teams share similar experiences and levels of competition as those who compete at NCAA D3 basketball colleges

Perhaps the biggest draw of playing NAIA men’s basketball is that unlike their NCAA D3 counterparts, NAIA basketball colleges do offer athletic scholarships. Each year, NAIA basketball schools offer NAIA basketball scholarships at both the NAIA D1 and NAIA D2 levels. There are typically 11 scholarships per team allotted at the D1 level, while NAIA basketball teams at the D2 levels are given a maximum of 6 scholarships per team. NAIA basketball coaches can split up these scholarships any way they see fit—that means that while it’s possible for some elite athletes to receive full rides to NAIA basketball schools, it’s also likely that coaches will split up one scholarship among a few recruits.

Men’s basketball athletes interested in competing at the collegiate level shouldn’t limit their college lists to NCAA D1, D2 and D3 schools. Instead, they should also consider adding a few NAIA basketball schools to their target lists too. Not only are NAIA coaches more accessible to recruits than those who coach at the NCAA level—who must follow NCAA basketball recruiting rules and contact periods—they’re also allowed to communicate with potential recruits at any time in the recruiting process.

Men’s basketball recruits who have a high academic and athletic caliber, match NAIA basketball recruiting guidelines and want a similar experience to their NCAA D3 counterparts—with the bonus of a potential athletic scholarship—should look at our full list of NAIA basketball colleges below.

How many NAIA basketball schools are there?

Student-athletes who want to compete at some of the most selective academic levels should pursue opportunities at NAIA basketball schools. But just how many NAIA basketball schools are there? There are currently over 200 NAIA basketball colleges to explore—these basketball teams are comprised of elite players both on and off the court. Potential recruits who want to secure a coveted roster spot at one of these top NAIA basketball schools should be prepared to work hard not only on developing their athletic skills but also their overall GPA and test scores.

When creating a target list of schools, it’s important to explore a complete list of NAIA basketball schools, consider NAIA basketball rankings and be prepared to size up the competition of NAIA basketball teams in terms of physical measurables, like height, and position-specific stats. It’s also essential to start communicating with coaches, as NAIA coaches can contact basketball recruits at any high-school grade level. For a complete list of NAIA basketball colleges, including their conference, location and NAIA division level, look at our NAIA basketball rankings and complete list of NAIA basketball schools below.

Men’s NAIA basketball rankings and top NAIA basketball schools

Here are the top NAIA basketball schools, according to the NCSA Power Rankings.

While the NCSA Power Rankings offer a good overview of top NAIA basketball schools, student-athletes who want to compete at NAIA basketball colleges shouldn’t limit their search to only the most elite schools who regularly appear at the top of the NAIA basketball rankings, but also explore opportunities at all of the 200+ NAIA basketball schools as well as the NCAA and junior college levels, too. When creating a target list, consider a school’s athletic and academic caliber—and whether they match your own athletic skills, physical measurables, and grades/test scores—along with your personal preferences, too.

Full list of NAIA men's basketball colleges

School
City and State
Type
Conference
Division
Pippa Passes, Kentucky
Private
River States Conference
NAIA
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Phoenix, Arizona
Private
Golden State Athletic Conference
NAIA
Little Rock, Arkansas
Private
NAIA – Associate Member
NAIA
Ave Maria, Florida
Private
Sun Conference
NAIA
Kansas City, Missouri
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Private
Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)
NAIA
Baldwin City, Kansas
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Bellevue, Nebraska
Private
North Star Athletic Association
NAIA
Atchison, Kansas
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Mesa, Arizona
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Lindsborg, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
North Newton, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Mishawaka, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
McKenzie, Tennessee
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Blue Mountain, Mississippi
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Bluefield, Virginia
Private
Apalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Owensboro, Kentucky
Private
River States Conference
NAIA
Mount Vernon, Georgia
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Sioux City, Iowa
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Dayton, Tennessee
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Eugene, Oregon
Private
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Vallejo, California
Public
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Whiting, Indiana
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Campbellsville, Kentucky
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Private
River States Conference
NAIA
Helena, Montana
Private
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Conway, Arkansas
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
McPherson, Kansas
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Fayette, Missouri
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Dubuque, Iowa
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Brunswick, Georgia
Public
Sun Conference
NAIA
Columbia, Missouri
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Columbia, South Carolina
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Seward, Nebraska
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Salem, Oregon
Private
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Paragould, Arkansas
Private
Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)
NAIA
Canton, Missouri
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Lebanon, Tennessee
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Madison, South Dakota
Public
North Star Athletic Association
NAIA
Mitchell, South Dakota
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Dickinson, North Dakota
Public
North Star Athletic Association
NAIA
New Orleans, Louisiana
Private
Gulf Coast Athletic Conference
NAIA
Crete, Nebraska
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Sioux Center, Iowa
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
La Grande, Oregon
Public
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Prescott, Arizona
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Springfield, Missouri
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Olympia, Washington
Public
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Montgomery, Alabama
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Boston, Massachusetts
Private
Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)
NAIA
Nashville, Tennessee
Private
Gulf Coast Athletic Conference
NAIA
Temple Terrace, Florida
Private
Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)
NAIA
Miami Gardens, Florida
Private
Sun Conference
NAIA
Henderson, Tennessee
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Wichita, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Georgetown, Kentucky
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Goshen, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Winona Lake, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Lamoni, Iowa
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Des Moines, Iowa
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Hannibal, Missouri
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Saint Louis, Missouri
Public
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Hastings, Nebraska
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Fullerton, California
Private
Golden State Athletic Conference
NAIA
Huntington, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Austin, Texas
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Richmond, Indiana
Public
River States Conference
NAIA
Kokomo, Indiana
Public
River States Conference
NAIA
Gary, Indiana
Public
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
South Bend, Indiana
Public
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
New Albany, Indiana
Public
River States Conference
NAIA
Marion, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Hawkins, Texas
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Knoxville, Tennessee
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Elgin, Illinois
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Salina, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
West Palm Beach, Florida
Public
The Sun Conference
NAIA
Grayson, Kentucky
Private
Apalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Riverside, California
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Langston, Oklahoma
Public
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Southfield, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Lewiston, Idaho
Public
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
San Dimas, California
Private
Golden State Athletic Conference
NAIA
Marietta, Georgia
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Columbia, Kentucky
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Pineville, Louisiana
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Alexandria, Louisiana
Public
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Shreveport, Louisiana
Public
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Sylvania, Ohio
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
New Orleans, Louisiana
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Batesville, Arkansas
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Livonia, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Indianapolis, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Mayville, North Dakota
Public
North Star Athletic Association
NAIA
McPherson, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Atherton, California
Private
Golden State Athletic Conference
NAIA
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Olathe, Kansas
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Macon, Georgia
Public
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Fremont, Nebraska
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Midway, Kentucky
Private
River States Conference
NAIA
Milligan University, Tennessee
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Saint Louis, Missouri
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Marshall, Missouri
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Havre, Montana
Public
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Butte, Montana
Public
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Montreat, North Carolina
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Sioux City, Iowa
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Sumter, South Carolina
Private
Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)
NAIA
Yankton, South Dakota
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Mount Vernon, Ohio
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Portland, Oregon
Private
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Stafford, Texas
Private
Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)
NAIA
Espanola, New Mexico
Public
Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)
NAIA
Kirkland, Washington
Private
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Orange City, Iowa
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Oakland City, Indiana
Private
River States Conference
NAIA
Circleville, Ohio
Private
River States Conference
NAIA
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Goodwell, Oklahoma
Public
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Bourbonnais, Illinois
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Public
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Ottawa, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Phoenix, Arizona
Private
Golden State Athletic Conference
NAIA
San Antonio, Texas
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Angwin, California
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Parkville, Missouri
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Dallas, Texas
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Peru, Nebraska
Public
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Private
River States Conference
NAIA
West Point, Georgia
Private
Apalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Waleska, Georgia
Private
Apalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Rochester Hills, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Billings, Montana
Private
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Chicago, Illinois
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Chicago, Illinois
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Santee, California
Private
Golden State Athletic Conference
NAIA
Portsmouth, Ohio
Public
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Adrian, Michigan
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Redding, California
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Lakeland, Florida
Private
Sun Conference
NAIA
Ashland, Oregon
Public
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
New Orleans, Louisiana
Public
Gulf Coast Athletic Conference
NAIA
Waxahachie, Texas
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Bethany, Oklahoma
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Winfield, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Spring Arbor, Michigan
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Davenport, Iowa
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Laurinburg, North Carolina
Private
Apalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Miami, Florida
Private
The Sun Conference
NAIA
Sterling, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Hillsboro, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Talladega, Alabama
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Upland, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
Athens, Tennessee
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Tyler, Texas
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Fort Worth, Texas
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Caldwell, Idaho
Private
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Santa Clarita, California
Private
Golden State Athletic Conference
NAIA
Thomasville, Georgia
Private
Sun Conference
NAIA
Tougaloo, Mississippi
Private
Gulf Coast Athletic Conference
NAIA
Palos Heights, Illinois
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Cleveland, Georgia
Private
Appalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Barbourville, Kentucky
Private
Apalachian Athletic Conference
NAIA
Lancaster, California
Public
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Merced, California
Public
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Saint Louis, Missouri
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Jamestown, North Dakota
Private
Great Plains Athletic Conference
NAIA
Dearborn, Michigan
Public
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Mobile, Alabama
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Dillon, Montana
Public
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Texas
Public
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Lima, Ohio
Private
Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference
NAIA
Pikeville, Kentucky
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Great Falls, Montana
Private
Frontier Conference
NAIA
Rio Grande, Ohio
Private
River States Conference
NAIA
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Private
Crossroads League
NAIA
San Marcos, California
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Leavenworth, Kansas
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Chickasha, Oklahoma
Public
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Joliet, Illinois
Private
Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA
Williamsburg, Kentucky
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Hobbs, New Mexico
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
Valley City, North Dakota
Public
North Star Athletic Association
NAIA
Costa Mesa, California
Private
Golden State Athletic Conference
NAIA
La Crosse, Wisconsin
Private
North Star Athletic Association
NAIA
Denmark, South Carolina
Private
Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)
NAIA
Forest City, Iowa
Private
North Star Athletic Conference
NAIA
Portland, Oregon
Private
Cascade Collegiate Conference
NAIA
Lake Wales, Florida
Private
The Sun Conference
NAIA
Takoma Park, Maryland
Private
Continental Athletic Conference (Independent)
NAIA
Plainview, Texas
Private
Sooner Athletic Conference
NAIA
Babson Park, Florida
Private
Sun Conference
NAIA
Beckley, West Virginia
Public
River States Conference
NAIA
Irvine, California
Private
California Pacific Conference
NAIA
Santa Barbara, California
Private
Golden State Athletic Conference
NAIA
Wilberforce, Ohio
Private
Mid-South Conference
NAIA
Marshall, Texas
Private
Gulf Coast Athletic Conference
NAIA
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Private
Southern States Athletic Conference
NAIA
Rocklin, California
Private
Golden State Athletic Conference
NAIA
Oskaloosa, Iowa
Private
Heart of America Athletic Conference
NAIA
Fulton, Missouri
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
Walnut Ridge, Arkansas
Private
American Midwest Conference
NAIA
New Orleans, Louisiana
Private
Red River Athletic Conference
NAIA
York, Nebraska
Private
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
NAIA