The Heart of America Athletic Conference is adding St Ambrose University next academic year as a full member of the league.

Conference presidents voted unanimously Friday, Feb. 13 to approve the Catholic university in Davenport, Iowa as a full member, making the Fighting Bees the 16th member of the Heart. St Ambrose has played football the past two seasons as an affiliate member, while their men’s wrestling has also competed as a Heart affiliate since 2021. The Bees are bringing 28 athletic programs to the Heart this fall, including eSports and lacrosse. They will leave the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference, where they had competed since 2015.