North Central Conference

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North Central Conference
ConferenceNCAA
Founded1922
Ceased2008
Sports fielded
  • 18
    • men's: 9
    • women's: 9
DivisionDivision II
No. of teams8
HeadquartersSioux Falls, South Dakota
RegionMidwest
Official websitehttp://northcentral.prestosports.com
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

The North Central Conference (NCC), also known as North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, was a college athletic conference which operated in the north central United States. It participated in the NCAA's Division II.

History[edit]

The NCC was formed in 1922. Charter members of the NCC were South Dakota State College (now South Dakota State University), College of St. Thomas (now the University of St. Thomas), Des Moines University, Creighton University, North Dakota Agricultural College (now North Dakota State University), the University of North Dakota, Morningside College (now Morningside University), the University of South Dakota, and Nebraska Wesleyan University.

The University of Northern Iowa was a member of the NCC from 1934 until 1978. UNI currently competes in Division I in the Missouri Valley Conference; in FCS football, it competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. In 2002 Morningside College left the NCC to join the NAIA. The University of Northern Colorado left the conference in 2003, followed in 2004 by North Dakota State University and South Dakota State University. These three schools all transitioned their athletics programs from Division II to Division I; they became founding members of the Division I FCS Great West Football Conference, which started play in the fall of 2004. Since that time, Northern Colorado moved on to the Big Sky Conference in all sports in 2006. In the fall of 2006, North Dakota State and South Dakota State were admitted to The Summit League; they have also moved on to rejoin old conference mate Northern Iowa in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

It was announced on November 29, 2006, that the 2007–08 athletic season would be the final season for the NCC and that the conference would cease operations on July 1, 2008.[1]

Chronological timeline[edit]

  • In 1922, the North Central Conference (also known as the North Central Intercollegiate Conference) was founded with nine charter members: College of St. Thomas, Creighton University, Des Moines University, Morningside College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, North Dakota Agricultural College, University of North Dakota, South Dakota State College of Agricultural and Mechanical Arts, and the University of South Dakota.
  • In 1926, Des Moines University left the NCC, which the school eventually would later close its doors in 1929. Nebraska Wesleyan also left, joining the Nebraska Conference. The North Central Conference was left with seven members.
  • In 1928, Creighton University and the College of St. Thomas (now University of St. Thomas) left the NCC. St. Thomas became a full member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference while Creighton left to join the Missouri Valley Conference. The NCC was left with five members.
  • In 1934, Iowa State Teachers College joined the NCC from the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Also, Omaha University joined the NCC to bring membership back up to seven schools.
  • In 1942, Augustana College left the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference to join the North Central Conference as its eighth member.
  • In 1946, Omaha University left the NCC to join the Central Intercollegiate Conference. The NCC is left with seven members.
  • In 1960, North Dakota Agricultural College was renamed North Dakota State University
  • In 1961, the Iowa State Teachers College was renamed the State College of Iowa
  • In 1964, South Dakota State College was renamed South Dakota State University
  • In 1967, State College of Iowa was renamed to the University of Northern Iowa
  • In 1968, Mankato State College joins the NCC from the Northern Intercollegiate Conference, bringing league membership up to eight teams.
  • In 1975, Mankato State College is renamed Mankato State University.
  • In 1976, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (Omaha University was renamed to UNO in 1968) rejoined the NCC, while Mankato State University leaves the NCC due to not fielding a team in the 1976 season. Membership in the NCC remains at eight schools.
  • In 1978, the University of Northern Colorado left the Great Plains Athletic Conference and joined the North Central Conference. In the same year, the University of Northern Iowa left the NCC to move to the Association of Mid-Continent Universities. Membership remained at eight schools.
  • In 1981, Mankato State University and St. Cloud State University joined the North Central Conference from the Northern Intercollegiate Conference, giving the NCC its largest membership total in history at 10 schools and it would remain at this level for the next 21 years. Membership at this time included: Augustana, Mankato State, Morningside, Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, South Dakota, South Dakota State, and St. Cloud State.
  • In 1998, Mankato State University is officially renamed to Minnesota State University, Mankato.
  • In 2002, Morningside College, one of the North Central Conference's charter members, leaves the league and moves out of NCAA Division II to the NAIA level. The NCC is left with nine members.
  • In 2003, the University of Northern Colorado announces plans to move up to NCAA Division I and leaves the NCC with eight members.
  • In 2004, charter members North Dakota State and South Dakota State also announce plans to move to Division I and leave the North Central Conference. SDSU, NDSU and Northern Colorado founded the FCS Great West Football Conference. The University of Minnesota-Duluth left the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference to join the NCC as its seventh member.
  • In 2006, Central Washington University and Western Washington University of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference joined the North Central Conference as affiliate members in the sport of football only to give the conference nine football schools.
  • In 2008, the two remaining charter members of the North Central Conference, the University of South Dakota and the University of North Dakota, announce plans to leave the conference and move up to Division I. This move led to the rest of the league members making a move. Central Washington and Western Washington joined up with other schools in the Pacific Northwest to form a football league in the GNAC. Augustana, Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota State and St. Cloud State remained in NCAA Division II by joining the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Finally Nebraska-Omaha also remained in Division II by joining the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) before moving to Division I a year later. These moves resulted in the dissolution of the North Central Conference after having existed for 86 years.

Member schools[edit]

Final members[edit]

The NCC had seven full members in the conference's final season, one was a private school:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Subsequent
conference(s)
Current
conference
Augustana University[a] Sioux Falls, South Dakota 1860 Lutheran ELCA 1,650 Vikings 1941 2008 Northern Sun (NSIC)
(2008–present)
University of Minnesota–Duluth Duluth, Minnesota 1902,
1947
Public[b] 10,497 Bulldogs 2004 2008 Northern Sun (NSIC)
(2008–present)
Minnesota State University–Mankato Mankato, Minnesota 1868 Public[c] 15,649 Mavericks 1968,
1981
1976,
2008
Northern Sun (NSIC)
(2008–present)
University of Nebraska–Omaha Omaha, Nebraska 1908 Public[d] 14,093 Mavericks 1934
1976
1946
2008
Mid-America (MIAA)
(2008–11)
D-I Independent
(2011–12)
Summit[e][f]
(2012–present)
University of North Dakota Grand Forks, North Dakota 1883 Public 13,817 Fighting Sioux[g] 1922 2008 Great West (GWC)[e]
(2008–12)
Big Sky[e]
(2012–18)
Summit[e][h]
(2018–present)
St. Cloud State University St. Cloud, Minnesota 1869 Public[c] 17,231 Huskies 1981 2008 Northern Sun (NSIC)
(2008–present)
University of South Dakota Vermillion, South Dakota 1862 Public 8,641 Coyotes 1922 2008 Great West (GWC)[e]
(2008–11)
Summit[e][h]
(2011–present)
Notes
  1. ^ Formerly known as Augustana College until 2015.
  2. ^ Part of the University of Minnesota System.
  3. ^ a b Part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System.
  4. ^ Part of the University of Nebraska System.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
  6. ^ Since joining NCAA Division I, Nebraska–Omaha hasn't sponsored football after dropping the sport their reclassifying move from NCAA Division II.
  7. ^ North Dakota now competes as the Fighting Hawks since the 2015–16 school year.
  8. ^ a b Their football team competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC).

Final affiliate members[edit]

The NCC had two affiliate members for football only in the conference's final season, both of which are public schools.

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Sport played Current
primary
conference
Current
conference
in former
NCC sport
Central Washington University Ellensburg, Washington 1891 Public 12,342 Wildcats 2006 2008 football Great Northwest (GNAC)
(2001–present)
Lone Star (LSC)
(2022–present)
Western Washington University Bellingham, Washington 1893 Public 16,142 Vikings Dropped sport

Former members[edit]

The NCC had nine other full members during the conference's tenure, two were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Subsequent
conference(s)
Current
conference
Creighton University Omaha, Nebraska 1878 Catholic
(Jesuit)
6,716 Bluejays 1922 1928 Missouri Valley (MVC)[a]
(1928–48; 1976–2013)
Big East[a]
(2013–present)
Des Moines University Des Moines, Iowa 1864 Baptist 330[5] Tigers 1922 1926 Independent
(1926–29)
Closed in 1929
Morningside University[b] Sioux City, Iowa 1894 United
Methodist
1,149 Mustangs 1922 2002 NAIA/D-II Independent
(2002–03)
Great Plains (GPAC)[c]
(2003–present)
Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, Nebraska 1887 United
Methodist
1,601 Prairie Wolves 1922 1926 Great Plains (GPAC)
(1969–2016)
American Rivers (ARC)[d]
(2016–present)
North Dakota State University Fargo, North Dakota 1890 Public 13,229 Bison 1922 2004 D-I Independent
(2004–08)
Summit[a][e]
(2008–present)
University of Northern Colorado Greeley, Colorado 1889 Public 12,392 Bears 1978 2003 D-I Independent
(2003–06)
Big Sky[a]
(2006–present)
University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, Iowa 1876 Public 14,070 Panthers 1934 1978 D-I Independent
(1978–82)
Summit[a]
(1982–91)
Missouri Valley (MVC)[a]
(1991–present)
University of St. Thomas St. Paul, Minnesota 1885 Catholic
(Archdiocese of
Saint Paul and
Minneapolis
)
10,534 Tommies 1922 1928 Minnesota (MIAC)[d]
(1928–2021)
Summit[a][f]
(2021–present)
South Dakota State University Brookings, South Dakota 1881 Public 12,816 Jackrabbits 1922 2004 D-I Independent
(2004–08)
Summit[a][e]
(2008–present)
Notes
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
  2. ^ Formerly known as Morningside College until 2021.
  3. ^ Currently an NAIA athletic conference.
  4. ^ a b Currently an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
  5. ^ a b Their football team competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC).
  6. ^ Their football team competes in the Pioneer Football League (PFL).

Membership timeline[edit]

Western Washington UniversityCentral Washington UniversityUniversity of Minnesota DuluthSt. Cloud StateUniversity of Northern ColoradoMinnesota State University, MankatoAugustana UniversityUniversity of Nebraska OmahaUniversity of Northern IowaSouth Dakota State UniversityUniversity of South DakotaUniversity of St. ThomasNorth Dakota State UniversityUniversity of North DakotaNebraska Wesleyan UniversityMorningside UniversityDes Moines CollegeCreighton University

Sports[edit]

The NCC sponsored baseball, men's and women's basketball, football, cross-country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and wrestling.

Six of the seven members of the NCC sponsored Division I ice hockey, and five still do. In men's hockey, after a major conference realignment that took effect in 2013, Minnesota–Duluth, Nebraska–Omaha, North Dakota, and St. Cloud State field teams in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, while Minnesota State–Mankato is a member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). Before the realignment, all of these schools had been members of the WCHA for men's hockey. All of these schools, except for Omaha, have women's teams in the WCHA (Omaha women's hockey is a club sport). The women's side of the WCHA was not affected by this realignment.

Conference championships[edit]

Men's basketball[edit]

NCC Championships Per School
School Conference Tournament
Titles Last
Title
Titles Last
Title
South Dakota State 20 2002 2 2002
North Dakota 18 1995 3 1994
South Dakota 13 2007 2 2007
North Dakota State 10 1995 0 N/A
Northern Iowa 8 1969 0 N/A
Morningside 5 1983 0 N/A
Creighton 4 1927 0 N/A
St. Cloud State 4 2003 2 2003
Minnesota State 4 2008 1 2006
Nebraska-Omaha 4 2005 2 2008
Augustana 3 1989 0 N/A
Northern Colorado 1 1989 0 N/A

The NCC Tournament was held from 1991-1994, then it was brought back and used from 2001-2008.

NCC Regular Season Champions
NCC Tournament Champions