North Star Athletic Association

The North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) that began play in the 2013–14 school year.[1] The conference currently has seven full member institutions in Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

North Star Athletic Association
AssociationNAIA
Founded2013
CommissionerRoger Ternes
Sports fielded
  • 18
    • men's: 9
    • women's: 9
No. of teams7 (6 in 2024-25)
HeadquartersJamestown, North Dakota
Region
Official websitewww.playnorthstar.com
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}

History

North Star Athletic Association
Location of NSAA members:
current, departing

Chronological timeline

  • 2013 - The North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) was founded. Charter members included Dakota State University, the University of Jamestown, Mayville State University, Presentation College and Valley City State University, effective beginning the 2013-14 academic year.
  • 2014 - Dickinson State University joined the NSAA, effective in the 2014-15 academic year.
  • 2014 - Waldorf University joined the NSAA as an affiliate member for football, effective in the 2014 fall season (2014-15 academic year).
  • 2015 - Bellevue University and Viterbo University joined the NSAA (along with Waldorf upgrading to join for all sports), effective in the 2015-16 academic year.
  • 2015 - The University of Winnipeg joined the NSAA as an affiliate member for baseball, effective the 2016 spring season (2015-16 academic year).
  • 2017 - Winnipeg left the NSAA as an affiliate member for baseball as the school dropped the sport, effective after the 2017 spring season (2016-17 academic year).
  • 2018 - Jamestown left the NSAA to join the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC), effective after the 2017-18 academic year.
  • 2021 - Iowa Wesleyan University joined the NSAA as an affiliate member for football, men's track and field, and women's track and field, effective the 2021-22 academic year.
  • 2023 - Presentation (S.D.) left the NSAA as the school closed after the 2022-23 academic year.[2]
  • 2023 - Iowa Wesleyan left the NSAA as an affiliate member as the school closed after the 2022-23 academic year.[3]
  • 2023 - Waldorf announced they will leave the NSAA at the conclusion of the 2023-24 academic year to join the GPAC.[4]

Member schools

Current members

The NSAA currently has seven full members, three of which are private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined[lower-alpha 1] Colors
Bellevue University Bellevue, Nebraska 1966 Nonsectarian 8,300 Bruins 2015    
Dakota State University Madison, South Dakota 1881 Public 3,307 Trojans 2013      
Dickinson State University Dickinson, North Dakota 1918 Public 1,800 Blue Hawks 2014    
Mayville State University Mayville, North Dakota 1889 Public 1,130 Comets 2013    
Valley City State University Valley City, North Dakota 1890 Public 1,423 Vikings 2013    
Viterbo University La Crosse, Wisconsin 1923 Catholic
(Franciscan)
3,088 V-Hawks 2015    
Waldorf University[lower-alpha 2] Forest City, Iowa 1903 For-profit[lower-alpha 3] 720 Warriors 2015[lower-alpha 4]    
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Waldorf will leave for the GPAC after the 2023-24 academic year.[4]
  3. Formerly affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) until 2010.
  4. Waldorf competed in the NSAA as an affiliate member for football only during the 2014-15 academic year; before becoming a full member, effective in the 2015–16 academic year.


Former members

The NSAA had two former full members, both of which were private schools:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Joined[lower-alpha 1] Left[lower-alpha 2] Subsequent
conference
Current
conference
Presentation College Aberdeen, South Dakota 1922 Catholic
(P.B.V.M.)
Saints 2013 2023 Closed in 2023
University of Jamestown[5] Jamestown, North Dakota 1883 Presbyterian
(PCUSA)
Jimmies 2013 2017 Great Plains (GPAC)
(2018–2024)
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition end.

Former affiliate members

The NSAA had three former affiliate members, one was a public school and the other two were private:

Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Joined[lower-alpha 1] Left[lower-alpha 2] NSAA
sport
Current
primary
conference
Conference
in former
NSAA sport
Iowa Wesleyan University[3] Mount Pleasant, Iowa 1842 United Methodist Tigers 2021 2023 football,
men's track & field,
women's track & field
Closed in 2023
University of Winnipeg[6] Winnipeg, Manitoba 1871 Public Wesmen 2015 2017 baseball Canada West
(U Sports)
dropped program
Waldorf University Forest City, Iowa 1903 For-profit Warriors 2014 2015[lower-alpha 3] football North Star (NSAA)
Notes
  1. Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
  2. Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition end.
  3. Waldorf became a full member of the NSAA in 2015-16.

Membership timeline

Iowa Wesleyan UniversityUniversity of WinnipegViterbo UniversityBellevue UniversityGreat Plains Athletic ConferenceWaldorf UniversityDickinson State UniversityValley City State UniversityPresentation College, South DakotaMayville State UniversityNCAA Division IIGreat Plains Athletic ConferenceUniversity of JamestownDakota State University

 Full member (all sports)   Full member (non-football)   Associate member (football-only)   Associate member (other) 

Conference sports

The North Star Athletic Association currently fields 18 sports (9 men's and 9 women's):

Conference sports
SportMen'sWomen's
BaseballGreen tickY
BasketballGreen tickYGreen tickY
Cross CountryGreen tickYGreen tickY
FootballGreen tickY
GolfGreen tickYGreen tickY
SoftballGreen tickY
Track & Field - IndoorGreen tickYGreen tickY
Track & Field - OutdoorGreen tickYGreen tickY
VolleyballGreen tickY

Men's sports

Men's sponsored sports by school
SchoolBaseballBasketballCross
country
FootballGolfTrack
& field
(indoor)
Track
& field
(outdoor)
Total NSAA
Sports
BellevueGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY Red XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY6
Dakota StateGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY Green tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY7
Dickinson StateGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY Green tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY7
Mayville StateGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XN Green tickYGreen tickYRed XNRed XN4
Valley City StateGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY Green tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY7
ViterboGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY Red XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY6
WaldorfGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY Green tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY7
Totals776576644

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the North Star Athletic Association which are played by NSAA schools

SchoolSoccerVolleyballWrestling
BellevueCAC
Dickinson StateHeart of America
ViterboCCAC
WaldorfGPACHeart of America

    Women's sports

    Women's sponsored sports by school
    SchoolBasketballCross
    country
    GolfSoftballTrack
    & field
    (indoor)
    Track
    & field
    (outdoor)
    VolleyballTotal NSAA
    Sports
    BellevueGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY Green tickY7
    Dakota StateGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY Green tickY7
    Dickinson StateGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY Green tickY7
    Mayville StateGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNRed XN Green tickY4
    Valley City StateGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY Green tickY7
    ViterboGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY Green tickY7
    WaldorfGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY Green tickY7
    Totals767766746

    Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the North Star Athletic Association which are played by NSAA schools

    SchoolSoccerWrestling
    BellevueCAC
    ViterboCCAC
    WaldorfGPACHeart of America

      Conference Championships

      Football

      NSAA champions by year
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