The conference was formed in 2002 after teams in the southwestern region of the
Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association separated to form the Great Rivers Lacrosse Conference. In 2017, it was announced that the GRLC would be dissolved as an MCLA Conference. Illinois, Illinois State, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Purdue were all moved to the
Upper Midwest Lacrosse Conference (UMLC), while Creighton, Kansas State, Missouri State, Missouri S&T, Saint Louis, Southern Illinois and Washington University in St. Louis were moved to the
Lone Star Alliance (LSA). ==Teams==