The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) is a College Athletic Conference which operates in the midwestern United States. Nine of its members are in Minnesota, with two members in South Dakota and one member in the states of Iowa, Nebraska and North Dakota.1 It participates in the NCAA's Division II. It was founded in 1932.2 With the recent NSIC expansion, the original six member schools have been reunited.3 With the inclusion of the four new member institutions, it is one of the largest Division II conferences in the country.
The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference was founded in 19322 as the Northern Teachers Athletic Conference. Charter members included Bemidji State University, Mankato State (Minnesota State University, Mankato), Moorhead State University (Minnesota State University Moorhead), St. Cloud State University, Duluth State (University of Minnesota Duluth), and Winona State University. In 1942 the conference name was changed to the State Teacher's College Conference of Minnesota.3 The conference switched its name to the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC) in 1962.3 In the spring of 1992 the NSIC was formed out of the merger of the NIC, the men's conference, and the women's Northern Sun Conference (NSC). The NSC had existed since 1979.4
Since 1932, 16 institutions have competed in the NSIC. Bemidji State, Minnesota State, Moorhead (formerly called Moorhead State) and Winona State are charter members and have remained in the conference for the 75 years of its existence. Minnesota State, Mankato (formerly called Mankato State), St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth (formerly called Duluth State) were also charter members. The University of Minnesota Duluth left the conference in 1951 to join the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.5 Minnesota Morris joined the conference in 1966. Minnesota State, Mankato left the conference in 1968.3Southwest Minnesota State University joined in 1969.2 Minnesota Duluth rejoined prior to the 1975-76 season. Northern State University joined and Minnesota State, Mankato joined for their second stint in 1978.23 In 1981 St. Cloud State and Minnesota State, Mankato left to join the North Central Conference.3 Wayne State College joined in 1998 followed by Concordia University, St. Paul and the University of Minnesota, Crookston in 1999.2 After the 2002-03 season, Minnesota Morris left the conference to join Division III and the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference.6 The University of Mary and Upper Iowa University joined the conference in 2006.7
The NSIC and its member institutions have had been members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Mankato State won wrestling national titles in 1958 and 1959, while Moorhead State won a wrestling national title in 1964.8 41 wrestlers have claimed individual national titles in wrestling8 Nine individuals have won national titles in Men's Swimming and Diving.9 Northern State claimed national titles in women's basketball in 1992 and 1994.10 Seven individuals have won individual titles in men's indoor track and field.11Four individuals have won national titles in women's indoor track and field.11 11 athletes have won national titles in men's outdoor track and field.12 Six female athletes have won individual titles in outdoor track and field.13 Winona State won two team titles in women's gymnastics. In 1992, the NSIC entered the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). In the Fall of 1995, the NSIC and its member institutions became eligible for championship competition in the NCAA Division II ranks. The Northern Sun earned its first Division II national championship in a team sport sponsored by the conference when Winona State won the men's basketball championship in 2005-06.14
The NSIC Board of Directors will use a division format in football, while using a single division format for men's and women's basketball, baseball, soccer and volleyball.17
North Division: Bemidji State, Mary, Minnesota-Crookston, Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota State Moorhead, Northern State, St. Cloud State
South Division: Augustana, Concordia-St. Paul, Minnesota State, Mankato, Southwest Minnesota State, Upper Iowa, Wayne State, Winona State
Conference football champions
Schools are listed by current names
1932 Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota State Mankato, Minnesota State Moorhead, Saint Cloud State 2-1-0 2-1-0 2-1-0 2-1-0