Location of NSIC members: full and future. Not shown: men's wrestling associate Parkside.
The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference was founded in 1932 as the Northern Teachers Athletic Conference. Charter members included Bemidji State Teachers College (Bemidji State University), Duluth State Teachers College (University of Minnesota Duluth), Mankato State Teachers College (Minnesota State University, Mankato), Moorhead State Teachers College (Minnesota State University Moorhead), St. Cloud State Teachers College (St. Cloud State University), and Winona State Teachers College (Winona State University). In 1942 the conference name was changed to the State Teacher's College Conference of Minnesota. The conference switched its name to the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC) in 1962. 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).
In 2007 the NSIC Board of Directors voted to expand the conference to 14 schools. League presidents voted to accept into membership Augustana College (now Augustana University), St. Cloud State, Minnesota–Duluth, and Minnesota State. These four schools were members of the North Central Conference which disbanded after the 2007–2008 academic year. They became official members of the NSIC on July 1, 2008.
The NSIC and its member institutions have been members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Mankato State won the NAIA wrestling national titles in 1958 and 1959, while Moorhead State won a wrestling national title in 1964.[6] Forty-one wrestlers have claimed individual national titles in wrestling. Nine individuals have won national titles in Men's Swimming and Diving.[7] Northern State claimed national titles in women's basketball in 1992 and 1994.[8] Seven individuals have won individual titles in men's indoor track and field.[9] Four individuals have won national titles in women's indoor track and field. Eleven athletes have won national titles in men's outdoor track and field.[10] Six female athletes have won individual titles in outdoor track and field.[11] 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.[12]
Since becoming affiliated with NCAA Division II, NSIC members have won 23 team national championships and has also crowned 77 individual national champions.
Chronological timeline
Since 1932, 18 institutions have competed in the NSIC. Although all six charter members are in the conference today, only three of them have remained in the conference for the 80 years of its existence: Bemidji State, Minnesota State–Moorhead, and Winona State.
1957: The Michigan College of Mining and Technology (now Michigan Technological University) joined the STCCM to give the league six members. Bemidji State Teachers College was renamed Bemidji State College. Mankato State Teachers College was renamed Mankato State College. Moorhead State Teachers College becomes known as Moorhead State College. St. Cloud State Teachers College becomes St. Cloud State College and Winona State Teachers College becomes Winona State College.
1962: The conference changed its name to the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC).
1964: The Michigan College of Mining and Technology renamed itself to Michigan Technological University.
1975: Minnesota–Duluth re-joined the NIC, giving the NIC eight teams. Bemidji State College was renamed Bemidji State University. Mankato State College was renamed Mankato State University and Moorhead State College was renamed Moorhead State University. Also, St. Cloud State College was renamed to St. Cloud State University and Winona State College was renamed to Winona State University. Southwest Minnesota State College also underwent a name change, becoming Southwest State University.
1978: Mankato State re-joined the NIC and Northern State College (now Northern State University) joined the league as the ninth and tenth teams, respectively.
1979: The Northern Sun Conference (NSC) was created for women's athletics.
1981: St. Cloud State and Mankato State left for the NCC. The NIC was left with seven members.
1989: Northern State College was renamed to Northern State University.
1992: The Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men's conference) and the Northern Sun Conference (women's conference) merged to form the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The NSIC joins NCAA Division II.
2000: Moorhead State University was renamed Minnesota State University Moorhead.
2003: Minnesota–Morris left the NSIC and drops down to the NCAA Division III level and the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC), dropping NSIC membership to nine teams. Also, Southwest State University changed its name to Southwest Minnesota State University.[14]
2004: Minnesota–Duluth left the NSIC to join the NCC, leaving the NSIC with eight schools.
2008: The North Central Conference disbanded as various members in that league make a move to NCAA Division I. Former NSIC members Minnesota–Duluth, Minnesota State, and St. Cloud State re-joined the Northern Sun. Another NCC refugee, Augustana College (now Augustana University) joined the NSIC for the first time, increasing membership to 14 schools.
2012: Minot State University and the University of Sioux Falls begin full membership after joining NCAA Division II from the NAIA. This gave the league its largest membership at 16 schools.
2012: Lindenwood University and the University of Nebraska at Kearney, both members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association became associate members of the NSIC in the sport of women's swimming & diving. Following the end of the 2013–14 season, both schools left the NSIC to join the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) for that sport.
2019: Minnesota–Crookston and St. Cloud State discontinued their football programs at the end of the 2019–20 academic year.
^Minnesota State–Mankato left the NSIC after the 1967–68 school year, then re-joined from 1978–79 to 1980–81 and again effective in the 2008–09 school year.
^Minnesota–Duluth left the NSIC after the 1950–51 school year, then re-joined from 1975–76 to 2003–04 and again effective in the 2008–09 school year.
^St. Cloud State left the NSIC after the 1980–81 school year, before re-joining effective the 2008–09 school year.
Future member
The NSIC will have one new member, a private school:[16]
Full member (all sports) Full member (non-football) Associate member (football-only) Associate member (sport)
Sports
A divisional format is used for basketball (M / W) and football (with Concordia–St. Paul in the North as Minnesota–Crookston and St. Cloud State no longer sponsor football after the 2019 fall season).
^ abcdDe facto Division I sport. The NCAA championships in bowling, women's gymnastics and the coeducational sport of skiing are open to members of all three divisions. In men's and women's ice hockey, the NCAA championship tournaments are open to members of Divisions I and II.
^ abRecognized by the NCAA as part of its Emerging Sports for Women program. The national championship is currently organized by the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association.
^While the NCAA-sponsored sport of skiing has coeducational teams with men's and women's squads, and covers both Alpine and Nordic disciplines, St. Cloud State fields only a women's Nordic team.
In addition to the above teams, at least two conference schools are now sponsoring esports: SMSU and Concordia-St Paul.
The NSIC has had 27 national championship teams in NCAA Division II play:
NCAA Division II National Champions
Year
School
Sport
2006
Winona State
Men's Basketball
2007
Concordia–St. Paul
Volleyball
2008
Minnesota–Duluth
Football
2008
Concordia–St. Paul
Volleyball
2008
Winona State
Men's Basketball
2009
Concordia–St. Paul
Volleyball
2009
Minnesota State
Women's Basketball
2010
Concordia–St. Paul
Volleyball
2010
Minnesota–Duluth
Football
2011
Augustana
Women's Cross Country
2011
Concordia–St. Paul
Volleyball
2012
Concordia–St. Paul
Volleyball
2013
Concordia–St. Paul
Volleyball
2015
St. Cloud State
Wrestling
2016
St. Cloud State
Wrestling
2016
Augustana
Men's Basketball
2016
Concordia–St. Paul
Volleyball
2017
Minnesota State
Softball
2017
Concordia–St. Paul
Volleyball
2018
St. Cloud State
Wrestling
2018
Augustana
Baseball
2019
St. Cloud State
Wrestling
2019
Augustana
Softball
2021
St. Cloud State
Wrestling
2022
Minnesota State
Women's Indoor Track & Field
2024
Minnesota State
Women's Basketball
2024
Minnesota State
Men's Basketball
NAIA
NAIA National Champions
Year
School
Sport
1958
Mankato State
Wrestling
1959
Mankato State
Wrestling
1964
Moorhead State
Wrestling
1985
Winona State
Women's Gymnastics
1987
Winona State
Women's Gymnastics
1992
Northern State
Women's Basketball
1994
Northern State
Women's Basketball
Commissioners
The NSIC has had five full-time commissioners in its history.
Tom Wistrcill (1993–1997)
Kurt Patberg (1997–2000)
Mike Lockrem (2000–2003)
Butch Raymond (2004–2014)
Erin Lind (2014–present)
Conference championships
Last updated November 25, 2023
Includes Regular Season and Tournament Championships
School
Total Championships
Men's Championships
Women's Championships
Minnesota–Duluth
212
94
118
Minnesota State
179
141
38
Winona State
131
81
50
MSU-Moorhead
126
99
27
St. Cloud State
86
69
17
Augustana
75
26
49
Southwest Minnesota State
59
20
39
Bemidji State
52
39
13
Northern State
47
31
16
Concordia–St. Paul
42
5
37
Wayne State
31
17
14
Mary
26
1
25
Minnesota–Morris
16
15
1
Michigan Tech
9
9
0
Upper Iowa
7
3
4
Sioux Falls
3
2
1
Minot State
3
1
2
Minnesota–Crookston
1
1
0
Wisconsin–Parkside
1
1
0
Football
NSIC Championships Won or Shared Per School
School
Conference
Division
Titles
Last Title
Titles
Last Title
Minnesota State
22
2022
10
2022
Minnesota–Duluth
20
2021
12
2019
Winona State
18
2007
3
2022
St. Cloud State
15
2011
1
2011
MSU-Moorhead
14
1995
0
N/A
Bemidji State
7
2022
4
2022
Michigan Tech
7
1974
—
—
Minnesota–Morris
6
1984
—
—
Northern State
3
1999
1
2015
Concordia–St. Paul
2
2005
0
N/A
Augustana
2
2023
3
2021
Sioux Falls
1
2016
2
2021
Southwest Minnesota State
1
1990
0
N/A
Wayne State
1
2022
1
2008
Mary
0
N/A
0
N/A
Upper Iowa
0
N/A
0
N/A
NSIC All-Time Standings (1932–2023)
School
W
L
T
Pct
Minnesota–Duluth
340
102
5
.766
Sioux Falls
123
40
0
.755
Minnesota State
273
92
8
.743
Augustana
134
70
0
.657
St. Cloud State
238
154
9
.605
Michigan Tech
71
53
1
.572
Winona State
314
279
8
.529
Northern State
195
176
3
.525
MSU-Moorhead
293
294
9
.499
Bemidji State
282
305
9
.481
Wayne State
128
149
0
.462
Minnesota–Morris
99
117
4
.459
Concordia–St. Paul
104
173
0
.375
Southwest Minnesota State
166
288
5
.367
Upper Iowa
67
144
0
.318
Mary
57
156
0
.268
Minot State
29
135
0
.177
Minnesota–Crookston
25
211
0
.106
NSIC North Division All-Time Standings (2008-2022)
School
W
L
Pct.
Minnesota–Duluth
87
5
.946
Bemidji State
64
28
.696
St. Cloud State
54
26
.675
Northern State
51
41
.554
MSU-Moorhead
41
51
.446
Mary
30
62
.326
Minot State
16
52
.235
Concordia–St. Paul
1
11
.083
Minnesota–Crookston
6
74
.075
NSIC South Division All-Time Standings (2008-2022)
School
W
L
Pct.
Minnesota State
80
12
.870
Sioux Falls
49
19
.721
Winona State
59
33
.641
Augustana
56
36
.609
Wayne State
39
53
.424
Concordia–St. Paul
25
55
.313
Southwest Minnesota State
26
66
.283
Upper Iowa
16
76
.174
NSIC Champions
Year
School
Record
1932
Duluth State Mankato State MSU-Moorhead St. Cloud State
2-1-0
1933
St. Cloud State
4-0-0
1934
MSU-Moorhead
4-0-0
1935
MSU-Moorhead
4-0-0
1936
St. Cloud State
4-0-0
1937
Duluth State
3-0-0
1938
Duluth State Mankato State
3-0-0
1939
Winona State
4-0-0
1940
St. Cloud State
4-0-0
1941
St. Cloud State
4-0-0
1942
Mankato State St. Cloud State
4-0-0
1943
World War II (no champion)
1944
World War II (no champion)
1945
World War II (no champion)
1946
Duluth State Mankato State
2-0-2 3-0-1
1947
Bemidji State MSU-Moorhead Winona State
3-1-0
Year
School
Record
1948
Mankato State Minnesota–Duluth St. Cloud State
4-1-0
1949
Mankato State
3-1-0
1950
Bemidji State Mankato State
3-0-1
1951
St. Cloud State
4-0-0
1952
Mankato State MSU-Moorhead St. Cloud State
3-1-0
1953
St. Cloud State
4-0-0
1954
St. Cloud State
4-0-0
1955
St. Cloud State
4-0-0
1956
St. Cloud State
3-0-1
1957
Bemidji State Winona State
3-1-0
1958
Mankato State
5-0-0
1959
Bemidji State Mankato State Michigan Tech
4-1-0
1960
Mankato State
4-0-1
1961
Mankato State
5-0-0
1962
Winona State
5-0-0
1963
Michigan Tech
4-1-0
1964
Winona State
5-0-0
1965
Michigan Tech
4-1-0
Year
School
Record
1966
MSU-Moorhead
4-1-0
1967
St. Cloud State
5-0-0
1968
Mankato State Winona State
4-1-0
1969
Michigan Tech
4-1-0
1970
Michigan Tech Minnesota–Morris St. Cloud State
5-1-0
1971
MSU-Moorhead
6-0-0
1972
Michigan Tech
6-0-0
1973
MSU-Moorhead
5-1-0
1974
Michigan Tech
6-0-0
1975
Minnesota–Morris
6-0-0
1976
Minnesota–Morris
7-0-0
1977
Minnesota–Morris
7-0-0
1978
Minnesota–Morris
8-0-0
1979
Minnesota–Duluth MSU-Moorhead
7-1-0
1980
Minnesota–Duluth
8-0-0
1981
MSU-Moorhead
6-0-0
1982
MSU-Moorhead
5-0-1
1983
Winona State
5-1-0
1984
Minnesota–Morris MSU-Moorhead
5-1-0
1985
Minnesota–Duluth
6-0-0
1986
Minnesota–Morris
4-0-2
Year
School
Record
1987
Minnesota–Duluth
5-1-0
1988
MSU-Moorhead
6-0-0
1989
MSU-Moorhead
5-1-0
1990
Minnesota–Duluth Northern State Southwest State
5-1-0
1991
MSU-Moorhead
5-0-0
1992
Northern State
5-1-0
1993
Winona State
5-1-0
1994
Winona State
5-0-1
1995
Minnesota–Duluth MSU-Moorhead
5-0-1
1996
Minnesota–Duluth
6-0-0
1997
Winona State
6-0-0
1998
Winona State
6-0-0
1999
Northern State
8-0-0
2000
Winona State
7-1-0
2001
Winona State
9-0-0
2002
Minnesota–Duluth
9-0-0
2003
Concordia–St. Paul Winona State
7-1-0
2004
Winona State
7-0-0
2005
Concordia–St. Paul Winona State
6-1-0
2006
Bemidji State
8-0-0
2007
Winona State
9-0-0
North Division
South Division
NSIC Overall
Year
School
Record
School
Record
School
Record
2008
Minnesota–Duluth
6-0
Minnesota State Wayne State
5-1 5-1
Minnesota–Duluth
10-0
2009
Minnesota–Duluth
6-0
Minnesota State
6-0
Minnesota–Duluth
10-0
2010
Minnesota–Duluth
6-0
Augustana Winona State
5-1 5-1
Minnesota–Duluth
10-0
2011
Minnesota–Duluth St. Cloud State
5-1 5-1
Minnesota State
6-0
Minnesota State Minnesota–Duluth St. Cloud State
8-2 8-2 8-2
2012 *
Bemidji State Minnesota–Duluth
6-1 6-1
Winona State
6-1
Minnesota–Duluth
10-1
2013
Minnesota–Duluth
7-0
Minnesota State
7-0
Minnesota State
11-0
2014
Minnesota–Duluth
7-0
Minnesota State
7-0
Minnesota–Duluth Minnesota State
11-0
2015
Minnesota-Duluth Northern State Bemidji State
6-1
Minnesota State Augustana
6-1
Minnesota State
10-1
2016
Minnesota-Duluth
7-0
Sioux Falls
7-0
Sioux Falls
11-0
2017
Minnesota-Duluth
7-0
Minnesota State
7-0
Minnesota State
11-0
2018
Minnesota-Duluth
7-0
Minnesota State
7-0
Minnesota–Duluth Minnesota State
11-0
2019
Minnesota-Duluth
7-0
Minnesota State
7-0
Minnesota State
11-0
2020
n/a
n/a
n/a
2021
Bemidji State
6-0
Augustana Sioux Falls
5-1
Bemidji State Minnesota Duluth Augustana
9-2
2022
Bemidji State
6-0
Minnesota State Winona State
5-1
Bemidji State Minnesota State Wayne State
9-2
Year
School
Record
2023 **
Augustana
9-1-0
*Minnesota State finished 2012 with an 11-0 overall conference record and 7-0 division record, however the conference and division titles were stripped after Mankato was found to have played with two ineligible players. Minnesota–Duluth (overall) and Winona State (South Division) were granted the 2012 titles retroactively. Mankato's win–loss record, however, remains the same.
**Following the 2022 season Upper Iowa left the conference. This led to a removal of the North and South divisions during the 2023 season.
Volleyball
NSIC Championships Per School
School
Conference
Tournament
Titles
Last Title
Titles
Last Title
Minnesota–Duluth
24
2018
3
2018
Concordia–St. Paul
14
2017
7
2023
Southwest Minnesota State
4
2016
2
2017
Wayne State
3
2023
1
2007
St. Cloud State
2
2021
2
2022
MSU-Moorhead
2
2000
0
N/A
Northern State
2
2019
0
N/A
Bemidji State
1
1988
0
N/A
Augustana
0
N/A
0
N/A
Mary
0
N/A
0
N/A
Minnesota–Crookston
0
N/A
0
N/A
Minnesota State
0
N/A
0
N/A
Upper Iowa
0
N/A
0
N/A
Winona State
0
N/A
0
N/A
The NSIC Tournament was only held from 2004 to 2007, then resumed in 2012.
NSIC All-Time Standings (1979 to 2019)
School
W
L
Pct
Tournament
W
L
Minnesota–Duluth
480
64
.882
13
5
Concordia–St. Paul
327
65
.834
26
6
Wayne State
279
113
.717
10
12
Southwest Minnesota State
420
190
.689
18
9
Augustana
139
101
.579
1
6
Minnesota State
149
115
.564
0
5
MSU-Moorhead
319
272
.540
5
3
Sioux Falls
77
83
.481
1
4
Winona State
277
333
.454
3
10
Northern State
256
309
.453
4
12
St. Cloud State
102
171
.374
2
1
Upper Iowa
97
179
.351
1
3
Bemidji State
186
424
.305
0
4
Minnesota–Morris
73
239
.234
0
0
Minnesota–Crookston
81
310
.207
0
4
Minot State
26
134
.163
0
0
Mary
39
236
.142
0
1
NSIC Regular Season Champions
Year
School
1979
Minnesota–Duluth
1980
Minnesota–Duluth
1981
Minnesota–Duluth
1982
St. Cloud State
1983
Minnesota–Duluth
1984
Minnesota–Duluth
1985
Minnesota–Duluth Southwest State
1986
Minnesota–Duluth
1987
Minnesota–Duluth
Year
School
1988
Bemidji State Minnesota–Duluth
1989
Minnesota–Duluth
1990
Minnesota–Duluth
1991
Minnesota–Duluth
1992
MSU-Moorhead
1993
Minnesota–Duluth
1994
Minnesota–Duluth
1995
Minnesota–Duluth
1996
Minnesota–Duluth
Year
School
1997
Minnesota–Duluth
1998
Minnesota–Duluth
1999
Minnesota–Duluth
2000
MSU-Moorhead
2001
Southwest State Wayne State
2002
Minnesota–Duluth
2003
Concordia–St. Paul
2004
Concordia–St. Paul
2005
Concordia–St. Paul
2006
Concordia–St. Paul
2007
Concordia–St. Paul
Year
School
2008
Concordia–St. Paul
2009
Concordia–St. Paul
2010
Concordia–St. Paul
2011
Concordia–St. Paul Minnesota–Duluth
2012
Concordia–St. Paul Minnesota–Duluth Southwest Minnesota State
(*)-Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no regular season conference champion was awarded during the 2020-21 season, only the winner of the North and South division were awarded.
(*)-Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no regular season conference championship was awarded during the 2020-21 season, on the North and South division champions were awarded.
NSIC Tournament Champions
Year
School
2000
Minnesota–Duluth
2001
Minnesota–Duluth
2002
Southwest Minnesota State
2003
Minnesota–Duluth
2004
Minnesota–Duluth
2005
Concordia–St. Paul
2006
Wayne State
2007
Concordia–St. Paul
2008
Concordia–St. Paul
2009
St. Cloud State
2010
Wayne State
2011
Winona State
2012
Wayne State
2013
Augustana
2014
Concordia–St. Paul
2015
Northern State
2016
Sioux Falls
2017
Northern State
2018
Augustana
2019
Minnesota-Duluth
2020
St. Cloud State
2021
Minnesota-Duluth
2022
Minnesota-Duluth
2023
Minnesota-Duluth
Baseball
NSIC Championships Per School
School
Conference
Tournament
Titles
Last Title
Titles
Last Title
Winona State
21
2001
3
2007
Minnesota State
11
2021
7
2022
St. Cloud State
10
2015
4
2023
Southwest Minnesota State
4
2002
4
2002
Minnesota–Duluth
4
2016
0
N/A
Wayne State
3
2009
5
2006
Augustana
3
2023
3
2019
Bemidji State
2
1997
0
N/A
MSU-Moorhead
2
1983
0
N/A
Northern State
1
1993
0
N/A
Minnesota–Morris
1
1970
0
N/A
Minot State
1
2018
0
N/A
Concordia–St. Paul
0
N/A
2
2008
Mary
0
N/A
0
N/A
Minnesota–Crookston
0
N/A
0
N/A
Upper Iowa
0
N/A
0
N/A
NSIC Regular Season Champions
The NSIC Tournament was used to determine the overall NSIC Champion from 2002 to 2006.
^"School Directories"(PDF). Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Archived from the original(PDF) on December 3, 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2007.
^"Cover"(PDF). Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Archived from the original(PDF) on December 3, 2007. Retrieved September 21, 2007.
^"Women's Basketball"(PDF). Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Archived from the original(PDF) on December 3, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
^"NAIA Wrestling"(PDF). National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original(PDF) on December 3, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
^"NAIA Swimming & Diving"(PDF). National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original(PDF) on December 3, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
^"NAIA Indoor Track & Field"(PDF). National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Archived from the original(PDF) on December 3, 2007. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
^"Taylor Center". Minnesota State Mavericks. Minnesota State University, Mankato. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
^"Taylor Center". Minnesota State Mavericks. Minnesota State University, Mankato. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2018.