The Inter-Academic League (officially known as the Inter-Academic Association of Philadelphia and Vicinity, commonly known as the Inter-Ac) is an inter-scholastic athletic conference. This high school sports league consists of selective private schools in the Philadelphia area.
| Formerly | Interacademic Athletic Association |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1887 |
| No. of teams | 10 |
| Region | Delaware Valley, Pennsylvania, United States |
History
The schools were organized into a conference early in 1887 when they came together as the Interacademic Athletic Association (the name was later shortened to its present configuration). Two initial sports offered by the league were football and track and field.
It was one of the earliest permanent interscholastic football leagues,[1] and the rivalry between Penn Charter and Germantown Academy is perhaps the oldest football rivalry in the country.[2]
Early members were Germantown Academy, Haverford Grammar, Penn Charter, De Lancey, Friends' Central School, Swarthmore High School, and Episcopal Academy. In the first decade after the turn of the century the league increased the number of sports, adding ice hockey, baseball, tennis, and basketball.[1]
Member schools
Boys' Members:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Episcopal Academy | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania | 1785 | Episcopalianism | 1,268 | Churchmen | |
| Germantown Academy | Fort Washington, Pennsylvania | 1759 | Nonsectarian | 1,189 | Patriots | |
| Haverford School | Haverford, Pennsylvania | 1884 | Nonsectarian | 1,013 | Fords | |
| Malvern Preparatory School | Malvern, Pennsylvania | 1842 | Catholicism | 640 | Friars | |
| Springside Chestnut Hill Academy | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 1861 | Nonsectarian | 1,080 | Blue Devils | |
| William Penn Charter School | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 1689 | Quakerism | 960 | Quakers |
Girls' Members:
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy of Notre Dame de Namur | Radnor, Pennsylvania | 1856 | Catholicism | 559 | Irish | |
| Agnes Irwin School | Rosemont, Pennsylvania | 1869 | Nonsectarian | 606 | Owls | |
| Baldwin School | Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania | 1888 | Nonsectarian | 571 | Bears | |
| Episcopal Academy | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania | 1785 | Episcopalianism | 1,268 | Churchmen | |
| Germantown Academy | Fort Washington, Pennsylvania | 1759 | Nonsectarian | 1,189 | Patriots | |
| Springside Chestnut Hill Academy | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 1861 | Nonsectarian | 1,080 | Blue Devils | |
| William Penn Charter School | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 1689 | Quakerism | 960 | Quakers |