ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- St. Cloud State University President Dr. Roy Saigo and Director of Athletics Dr. Morris Kurtz have announced that the university will formally seek membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) for its Division II programs.

St. Cloud State's association with the North Central Conference (NCC) will end following the 2007-08 season. SCSU will meet with the NSIC in January and seek membership beginning with the 2008-09 season.

St. Cloud State has enjoyed a competitive non-conference relationship with the NSIC and recognizes it as an emerging force in NCAA Division II. SCSU also views the Northern Sun as an organization that serves institutions with an academic and athletic philosophy similar to St. Cloud State University's mission, vision and values.

St. Cloud State has been a member of the North Central Conference in men's athletics since 1981 and women's athletics since 1984. Since then, the Huskies have won 28 conference championships in men's sports and nine in women's sports.

The St. Cloud State men's athletics department was a charter member of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC) in 1932. The Northern Sun Conference (NSC) for women's sports was formally announced in 1979-80 and SCSU was a charter member of that organization. Later, the two combined to become the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference for men's and women's athletics.

Husky Athletics offers student-athlete opportunities in 21 Division II sports and two Division I sports.

Founded in 1869, St. Cloud State University is the second largest university in Minnesota with 16,000 students. Approximately one hour northwest of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the campus is located in the city of St. Cloud along the banks of the Mississippi River.

St. Cloud State has one of only three business colleges in Minnesota nationally accredited at the undergraduate and graduate level. In addition, the university is the 15th largest producer of new educators in the country. St. Cloud State offers 50 master's degree programs, and has the only accredited mass communications graduate program in the state of Minnesota.

(Source St. Cloud State Sports Information)