FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
BURNSVILLE, Minn. – In light of the NCAA Board of Governors' decision to direct all institutions and conferences to meet specific requirements to conduct fall sports and the NCAA Division II Presidents Council's announcement that all NCAA Division II fall championships are canceled, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference's (NSIC) Board of Directors canceled NSIC fall competition & championships, and has suspended all athletic competition through December 31, 2020.
Concordia-St. Paul continues its plan to resume in-person courses this fall, with the first day of class set for September 8.
"This decision was not an easy one for NSIC leadership to make, but health and safety is always our highest priority. We recognize how disappointing this news is to our student-athletes and we are proud of their resilience and patience as they worked through strict summer protocols to train for a season that they knew was in jeopardy. We know that our student-athletes are strong, resilient, and used to overcoming obstacles – characteristics that will serve them well during this time. The contributions our student-athletes make to our CSP community go well beyond their competitive performance and we commit to supporting them as we navigate this challenging time together."
The NSIC recognizes the value an NCAA championship experience provides for student-athletes and that was a factor in the analysis. However, health and safety concerns prevailed in the league's decision. Additionally, current recommendations for testing, exposure, and quarantine make it very difficult for a season to be successfully completed at an institution or across the conference without severe disruptions.
"The league's initial decision to delay the start of fall sports was made with the rationale to allow campuses the ability to focus solely on reopening safely for their broader university communities," said NSIC Commissioner Erin Lind. "In light of the recent decisions made by the NCAA Board of Governors, it is no longer feasible to conduct outside competition this fall semester. Our student-athletes deserve a competitive experience that provides a greater degree of safety and certainty than current conditions would allow. We believe now is the right time to provide clarity to our student-athletes so we can turn our efforts towards helping institutions reopen and ensuring a safe return to campus to start the academic year."
Although the NSIC will not conduct a league schedule for 2020 fall sports, competition is an integral part of the student-athlete experience, therefore, the membership is committed to exploring meanginful opportunities and experiences for fall student-athletes in the spring, if it can be done reasonably and safely.
The conference will continue to monitor the landscape and conditions surrounding the pandemic, locally, regionally, and nationally, and make any decisions or announcements, as necessary.
About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men's league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women's league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a 16-team union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 23 team national championships and crowned 77 individual national champions.
