The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) has begun preparing for its expansion in the fall of 2008.
North Central Conference (NCC) members Augustana, Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State Mankato and St. Cloud State will join the NSIC next year. The NCC, which was formed in 1921, will break up after this school year.
The four new members will give the NSIC 14 schools.
The conference has announced its scheduling concepts for next year. It will go to two divisions (North and South) in football, with division champions and an overall champion.
In baseball, basketball, soccer and softball the format will be one division with a postseason tournament.
The NSIC has announced it also will have a men's and women's basketball tournament over Thanksgiving in Sioux Falls, S.D., beginning in 2008. From 1965 to 1989, the NCC had a popular annual holiday basketball tournament (in late December) in Sioux Falls.
Golden Bears are No. 3
The Concordia (St. Paul) volleyball team is ranked No. 3 in the AVCA Division II poll.
The Golden Bears, who have won NSIC titles and reached the championship match of the North Central Regional in each of the past four seasons, are 8-0. The Golden Bears have three returning starters from last year's squad, which won a school-record 36 matches (36-3).
Four NCC teams are ranked in the poll: Minnesota Duluth (No. 4), Nebraska-Omaha (No. 16), Augustana (No. 17) and Minnesota State Mankato (No. 25).
Southwest Minnesota State of the NSIC is No. 11.
Etc.
• For the 2006-07 school year, the National Collegiate Scouting Association ranked Bemidji State No. 16 in the Division II power rankings and Carleton No. 24 in the Division III rankings.
• St. Thomas was ranked No. 11 and Concordia (Moorhead) was No. 12 in the AVCA Division III women's volleyball preseason poll. Both teams are off to 3-1 starts.
• Minnesota State Mankato will induct four new individuals and a team into its Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 5. The individuals are Julie Cink (women's basketball), Jim Gale (wrestling), Stephen Henley (football) and Jen (Peck) Prindiville (women's track). The 1985-86 women's basketball team will also be inducted. Kim Beisser and Rob Schabert will join the school's Hall of Distinction.
• For the eighth consecutive year, Winona State was named the league favorite in the NSIC women's soccer preseason poll. The Warriors (2-1) have won three consecutive titles. Senior forward Holly Sutton was chosen the NSIC preseason offensive player of the year.
Joel Rippel • jrippel@startribune.com
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