KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes (NAIA) has announced the addition of Hesston College as a member institution beginning in the fall of 2025.

The admittance of the Larks comes following a vote from the Council of Presidents, who approved Hesston’s membership application on Saturday, April 5, at the NAIA National Convention in San Diego, California.

A member of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference since 2019, Hesston College announced in November 2023 that it would begin the transition to a four-year athletic model parallel to a shift in its academic focus toward bachelor's degree offerings. 

In its first year as a member of the NAIA, Hesston will compete in the Continental Athletic Conference (CAC), a non-traditional conference that allows schools that are considered independents a clear path to postseason play. Hesston will join Haskell Indian Nations University (Lawrence, Kan.) as the second CAC member institution in the state of Kansas. 

Hesston also joins the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) as a Division I member as an institution that offers athletic scholarships. Central Christian College and Sterling College are the only other NCCAA DI members in Kansas and are also members of the NAIA. They are joined by DII members located in Kansas in Manhattan Christian College, Barclay College, and Kansas Christian College.