Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference

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The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) is a NCAA Division II college athletic league in the Upper Midwest of the United States. It currently has 16 full members and one affiliate member, and it sponsors 18 sports (10 for women and 8 for men). The conference’s headquarters are in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and most of its member schools are public universities in Minnesota, with a few in neighboring states.

What NSIC is
- A regional, multi-sport conference competing in Division II of the NCAA.
- Mainly composed of public universities in Minnesota, with members in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska.
- Known for offering women’s soccer (which NSIC sponsors) but not men’s soccer.

History in brief
- 1932: Founded as the Northern Teacher’s Athletic Conference with six charter schools.
- 1942–1962: Went through several name changes and reorganizations, becoming the State Teacher’s College Conference of Minnesota and later the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC).
- 1992: The NIC (men’s) and the Northern Sun Conference (women’s) merged to form the NSIC, and the league joined NCAA Division II.
- 1998–2000: Expanded from seven teams to 10, then added more schools over the next years. Minnesota Duluth, St. Cloud State, Concordia–St. Paul, and others joined or returned as membership changed.
- 2008: Expanded to 14 schools by adding Augustana University (SD), St. Cloud State, Minnesota State, and Minnesota Duluth (after they left NCC).
- 2010–2012: Expanded to 16 members, adding the University of Sioux Falls and Minot State University (both moved from NAIA to NCAA Division II in 2012).
- 2012: The NSIC reached its largest size (16 full members). Lindenwood, Nebraska–Kearney, Truman State, and William Jewell joined as associates in women’s swimming & diving.
- 2013–2014: Lindenwood and Nebraska–Kearney left as NSIC associates in 2014; other affiliate movements followed.
- 2019–2020: Minnesota–Crookston and St. Cloud State stopped football; Parkside (university in Wisconsin) joined as an affiliate for wrestling in 2020.
- 2023: Upper Iowa left the NSIC to join the GLVC, reducing the conference to 15 members and later leading to a temporary removal of North/South divisions for 2023–24 and 2024–25.
- 2025: University of Jamestown joined, restoring the NSIC to 16 members.

Current full members
- Augustana University (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
- Bemidji State University (Bemidji, Minnesota)
- Concordia University–St. Paul (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
- University of Jamestown (Jamestown, North Dakota)
- University of Mary (Mary, North Dakota)
- Minnesota State University, Mankato (Mankato, Minnesota)
- Minnesota State University Moorhead (Moorhead, Minnesota)
- University of Minnesota Crookston (Crookston, Minnesota)
- University of Minnesota Duluth (Duluth, Minnesota)
- Minot State University (Minot, North Dakota)
- Northern State University (Aberdeen, South Dakota)
- St. Cloud State University (St. Cloud, Minnesota)
- University of Sioux Falls (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
- Southwest Minnesota State University (Marshall, Minnesota)
- Wayne State College (Wayne, Nebraska)
- Winona State University (Winona, Minnesota)

Affiliate member
- University of Wisconsin–Parkside (Parkside) for wrestling (joined in 2020)

What NSIC schools compete for
- The NSIC sponsors 18 sports: 8 men’s and 10 women’s sports.
- Men compete in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and wrestling.
- Women compete in basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and volleyball.
- The NSIC is notable for sponsoring women’s soccer—an uncommon feature for a Division II conference, and it does not sponsor men’s soccer.

Achievements and championships
- Since joining NCAA Division II, NSIC members have won numerous national championships and produced many individual national champions.
- The conference has claimed dozens of team and individual titles across sports like basketball, wrestling, track and field, volleyball, and more.
- NSIC schools have often excelled in NCAA Division II events, with multiple programs earning national championships over the years.

Quick facts
- Total full members: 16
- Affiliate member: 1 (Parkside for wrestling)
- Region: Upper Midwest (Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska)
- Notable fact: The NSIC is the largest Division II conference in the region by membership at various times, and it has grown and adapted through multiple realignments since its founding.

This summary captures the NSIC’s purpose, history of membership, current schools, the sports it supports, and its role in NCAA Division II athletics.