Cougars. The university was a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC; now currently known as the River States Conference (RSC) since the 2016–17 school year) from 2007–08 to 2011–12 (all sports excluding men's basketball, which only competed as an NAIA Independent during that tenure until a few seasons after [2009–10]). The Cougars previously competed in the defunct West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) (then affiliated with the NAIA, later affiliated in the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA)) from 1946–47 to 1976–77. Mountain State competed in nine intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports included basketball, cross country, soccer and track & field; while women's sports included cheerleading, cross country, soccer, track & field and volleyball. Men's basketball Mountain State won the 2004 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament. Mountain State was the national runner-up in the 2003 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament. Additionally, the Cougars were the national runner-up in the 2008 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament and in the 2011 NAIA Division I men's basketball tournament. MSU advanced to the final four in 2012. References External links Official website Official athletics website Defunct private universities and colleges in West Virginia Educational institutions established in 1933 Educational institutions disestablished in 2012 1933 establishments in West Virginia Beckley, West Virginia