The conference was created by a split within the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA) between members who wanted to allow freshmen and transfers to play and schools that did not.
This fault line also separated the teachers colleges that had joined over the years and the church-sponsored schools that had been founders.
[8] Due to World War II, Daniel Baker did not field a football team in the fall of 1942,[9] then in February 1943 ended its basketball season early.
[11] The Texas Conference reorganized in December 1945; at that time, Trinity University again departed and Daniel Baker did not return, leaving the conference with six teams: Abilene Christian, Austin, Howard Payne, McMurry, Southwestern, and Texas Wesleyan.
[17] Later, Eastern New Mexico University became the only school from outside of Texas to join the conference, with participation to start in the 1954 track season.