| Year |
Team(s) |
| 1985 |
Northern
Iowa* |
| 1986 |
Eastern
Illinois |
| 1987 |
Northern
Iowa |
| 1988 |
Western
Illinois |
| 1989 |
S.W.
Missouri St. |
| 1990 |
Northern
Iowa/S.W. Missouri St.* |
| 1991 |
Northern
Iowa |
| 1992 |
Northern
Iowa |
| 1993 |
Northern
Iowa |
| 1994 |
Northern
Iowa |
| 1995 |
Northern
Iowa / Eastern Illinois* |
| 1996 |
Northern
Iowa |
| 1997 |
Western
Illinois |
| 1998 |
Western
Illinois |
| 1999 |
Illinois
St. |
| 2000 |
Western
Illinois |
| 2001 |
Northern
Iowa |
| 2002 |
Western
Illinois / Western Kentucky* |
| 2003 |
Southern
Illinois / Northern Iowa* |
| 2004 |
Southern
Ilinois |
| 2005 |
Northern
Iowa / Southern Illinois* / Youngstown St.# |
| 2006 |
Youngstown
St. |
| |
|
*NCAA
I-AA at-large qualifier.
-# In 2005, YSU became the first gateway co-champion to not
receive a at-large berth to the NCAA play-off. |
