The NSIC...
Founded in 1932, the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC) has enjoyed a varied existence in the upper Midwest region it calls home. In the spring of 1992 the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (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. The NSIC is currently made up of institutions from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North and South Dakota. In the 2008-09 academic year, the NSIC expanded to a 14-team league with the addition of Augustana College, University of Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State University, Mankato and St. Cloud State University.
Since 1932, various institutions have competed in the NSIC. Bemidji State University, Minnesota State University Moorhead and Winona State University are charter members and have remained in the conference for the 76 years of its existence. Minnesota State University, Mankato and St. Cloud State were also charter members, but left the league in 1981 (MSU left the league in 1969 and returned in 1977). The University of Minnesota Duluth, which departed the league in 2005-06 through 2007-08 seasons, was also an original member. Other current members joined in later years: Southwest Minnesota State University in 1969, Northern State University in 1978, Wayne State College (Nebraska) in 1998, Concordia University-St. Paul and the University of Minnesota, Crookston in 1999, the University of Mary and Upper Iowa University in 2006 and Augustana College in 2008. The University of Minnesota, Morris became a league member in 1966, however, the Cougars opted for the NCAA Division III ranks in 2003. Michigan Tech was part of the NIC from 1969 to 1977 as well.
Before the NSIC became eligible for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship competition in 1995, its member institutions had an extremely rich tradition in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The NIC’s and NSC’s tenure in the NAIA included several national championship teams and individuals as well as many national qualifiers.
The NSIC has gained national recognition in recent years as six teams have won National Championships. Winona State men’s basketball dynasty made three straight trips to the NCAA Division II National Championship game, winning the 2006 and 2008 games and losing the 2007 game on last second shot. During that period they won an NCAA record 57 consecutive games. Concordia University – St. Paul garnered the first women’s title in 2007 as its women’s volleyball team won the National Championship. In 2008 the Golden Bears lost their opening match, but rallied off 37 straight wins on their way to a second consecutive National Championship. In one of the more surprising runs in all of sports, the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs completed a perfect 15-0 season capped off with the 2008 NCAA DII Football National Championship. The Bulldogs, limited to only 24 scholarships by league rule, defeated multiple fully funded teams, including #1 Grand Valley State and #3 Northwest Missouri State in their unprecedented run.
Finally, Minnesota State University, Mankato went 32-2 on their way to winning the 2008-09 Women’s Basketball National Championship in a barn-burner, defeating Franklin Pierce 103-94 to set the NCAA DII Women’s Basketball Championship record for total points scored in a game.
Since 2000, the NSIC has participated in one of two officially-sanctioned NCAA Division II football bowl games in the country. Dating back to 1948, the Mineral Water Bowl is hosted by the Quarterback Club of Excelsior Springs, Mo. The game matches the highest-finishing team from the NSIC not selected for the NCAA Division II playoffs against the highest-finishing team from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) not participating in the NCAA Division II playoffs. The first NSIC/MIAA meeting in 2000 marked the Mineral Water Bowl’s inaugural year of the Division II era. Winona State defeated Missouri Western State, 43-41, in triple overtime, marking the Warriors first-ever postseason win at the Division II level.
The league gears up for the upcoming academic year with the annual NSIC Summer Kickoff Event the last weekend in July. The event includes the NSIC Golf Tournament, Hall of Fame Banquet, officiating clinics and meetings involving the conference leadership.
The Northern Sun Showcase television program returns to the airwaves again on Fox Sports Net North. Also, the Northern Sun Spotlight radio show will air on stations throughout the Midwest for 20 weeks during 2008-09 sports season.
Over the years, the NSIC, comprised of schools of modest size, has provided extremely competitive intercollegiate athletic programs for its members. Although the programs are not designed to be equal to Division I athletics, many former NSIC athletes have distinguished themselves in national and international competition. Each member school emphasizes the educational, entertainment and unifying value of sports while pointing with pride to the many advantages to be gained by attending these colleges and universities. As some affiliated with the conference have coined, the NSIC quite possibly is, “the most competitive conference in NCAA Division II.”