North Star Athletic Association

North Star Athletic Association
Locations

Association	NAIA
Founded	2013
Commissioner	Roger Ternes
Sports fielded	18 men's: 9 women's: 9
No. of teams	7 (6 in 2024-25)
Headquarters	Jamestown, North Dakota
Region	Midwest: The Dakotas, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin
Official website	www.playnorthstar.com

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. On December 28, 2023, the conference announced it will disband following the 2024–25 school year.^[2]

History

North Star Athletic Association

200km
125miles

Dickinson State

Viterbo

Waldorf

Bellevue

Dakota State

Mayville State

Valley City State

Jamestown

Location of NSAA members:

current,

departing before 2025,

future

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, beginning the 2013–14 academic year.
2014 – Dickinson State University joined the NSAA in the 2014–15 academic year.
2014 – Waldorf University joined the NSAA as an affiliate member for football 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) in the 2015–16 academic year.
2015 – The University of Winnipeg joined the NSAA as an affiliate member for baseball in 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 after the 2017 spring season (2016–17 academic year).
2018 – Jamestown left the NSAA to join the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) 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 in the 2021–22 academic year.
2023 – Presentation (S.D.) left the NSAA as the school closed after the 2022–23 academic year.^[3]
2023 – Iowa Wesleyan left the NSAA as an affiliate member as the school closed after the 2022–23 academic year.^[4]
2023 – Waldorf announced they will leave the NSAA at the conclusion of the 2023–24 academic year to join the GPAC.^[5]
2023 – Viterbo announced they will leave the NSAA at the conclusion of the 2023–24 academic year to join the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC).^[6]
2024 – The NSAA announced Jamestown will rejoin the conference beginning in the 2024-25 season.^[7]
2025 – The NSAA will disband following the conclusion of the 2024-25 athletic season.^[2] Jamestown will transition to NCAA Division II and join the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, while Dickinson State will re-join its former home of the Frontier Conference.^[8]^[9] The remaining members (Bellevue, Dakota State, Mayville State, and Valley City State) have not yet announced any plans to join a new conference following the NSAA's dissolution.

Member schools

Current members

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

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined^[a]
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^[b]	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	1,623	Vikings	2013
Viterbo University^[c]	La Crosse, Wisconsin	1923	Catholic (Franciscan)	3,088	V-Hawks	2015
Waldorf University^[d]	Forest City, Iowa	1903	For-profit^[e]	720	Warriors	2015^[f]

Notes

^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
^ Dickinson State will join the Frontier Conference after the 2024-25 academic year.^[9]
^ Viterbo will leave for the CCAC after the 2023-24 academic year.^[6]
^ Waldorf will leave for the GPAC after the 2023-24 academic year.^[5]
^ Formerly affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) until 2010.
^ 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.

Future member

The NSAA currently has one future member, which is also a private school:

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Enrollment	Nickname	Joined^[a]	Current conference
University of Jamestown^[7]^[b]	Jamestown, North Dakota	1883	Presbyterian (PCUSA)	1,500	Jimmies	2013; 2024	Great Plains (GPAC)

Notes

^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
^ Jamestown was previously a member of the NSAA from 2013–18.

Former members

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

Institution	Location	Founded	Affiliation	Nickname	Joined^[a]	Left^[b]	Subsequent conference	Current conference
Presentation College	Aberdeen, South Dakota	1922	Catholic (P.B.V.M.)	Saints	2013	2023	Closed in 2023
University of Jamestown^[c]	Jamestown, North Dakota	1883	Presbyterian (PCUSA)	Jimmies	2013	2018	Great Plains (GPAC) (2018–2024)

Notes

^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
^ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition end.
^ Jamestown will be returning to the NSAA for the 2024–25 academic year only.

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^[a]	Left^[b]	NSAA sport	Current primary conference	Conference in former NSAA sport
Iowa Wesleyan University^[4]	Mount Pleasant, Iowa	1842	United Methodist	Tigers	2021	2023	football, men's track & field, women's track & field	Closed in 2023
University of Winnipeg^[10]	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^[c]	football	North Star (NSAA)

Notes

^ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
^ Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition end.
^ Waldorf became a full member of the NSAA in 2015-16.

Membership timeline

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
Sport	Men's	Women's
Baseball	Y
Basketball	Y	Y
Cross Country	Y	Y
Football	Y
Golf	Y	Y
Softball		Y
Track & Field - Indoor	Y	Y
Track & Field - Outdoor	Y	Y
Volleyball		Y

Men's sports

Men's sponsored sports by school
School	Baseball	Basketball	Cross country	Football	Golf	Track & field (indoor)	Track & field (outdoor)	Total NSAA Sports
Bellevue	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	6
Dakota State	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Dickinson State	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Mayville State	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	N	N	4
Valley City State	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Viterbo	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	6
Waldorf	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Totals	7	7	6	5	7	6	6	44

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

School	Soccer	Volleyball	Wrestling
Bellevue	CAC	—	—
Dickinson State	—	—	Heart of America
Viterbo	CCAC		—
Waldorf	GPAC	—	Heart of America

Women's sports

Women's sponsored sports by school
School	Basketball	Cross country	Golf	Softball	Track & field (indoor)	Track & field (outdoor)	Volleyball	Total NSAA Sports
Bellevue	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Dakota State	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Dickinson State	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Mayville State	Y	N	Y	Y	N	N	Y	4
Valley City State	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Viterbo	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Waldorf	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	7
Totals	7	6	7	7	6	6	7	46

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

School	Soccer	Wrestling
Bellevue	CAC	—
Dickinson State	—	Heart of America
Viterbo	CCAC	—
Waldorf	GPAC	Heart of America

Conference Championships

Football

NSAA championships won or shared per school

School	Conference
School	Titles	Last Title
Dickinson State	8	2022
Valley City State	2	2014
Jamestown	1	2013
Dakota State	0	n/a
Iowa Wesleyan	0	n/a
Mayville State	0	n/a
Presentation	0	n/a
Waldorf	0	n/a

NSAA all-time standings (2013–2022)

School	W	L	Pct
Dickinson State	59	4	.937
Valley City State	47	18	.723
Waldorf	34	29	.540
Dakota State	34	32	.515
Jamestown	12	18	.400
Iowa Wesleyan	3	9	.250
Presentation	15	52	.224
Mayville State	11	53	.172

NSAA champions by year

Year	School	Record
2013	Valley City State Jamestown	3-1
2014	Valley City State	6-0
2015	Dickinson State	5-1
2016	Dickinson State	6-0
2017	Dickinson State	8-0
2018	Dickinson State	6-1
2019	Dickinson State	6-1
2020	Dickinson State	9-0
2021	Dickinson State	8-0
2022	Dickinson State	6-0

Volleyball

NSAA championships per school

School	Conference		Tournament
School	Titles	Last Title	Titles	Last Title
Viterbo	6	2022	7	2022
Bellevue	2	2022	0	n/a
Jamestown	2	2014	2	2014
Dakota State	0	n/a	0	n/a
Mayville State	0	n/a	0	n/a
Dickinson State	0	n/a	0	n/a
Valley City State	0	n/a	0	n/a
Presentation	0	n/a	0	n/a
Waldorf	0	n/a	0	n/a

NSAA all-time standings (2013–2022)

School	Regular Season			Tournament
School	W	L	Pct	W	L
Jamestown	57	6	.905	8	3
Viterbo	90	20	.818	20	2
Bellevue	86	22	.796	9	8
Dakota State	75	58	.564	7	9
Mayville State	60	71	.458	6	9
Valley City State	53	80	.398	5	9
Presentation	40	92	.303	3	7
Dickinson State	36	87	.293	0	5
Waldorf	25	85	.227	0	4

NSAA regular season and tournament champions by year

Year	Regular Season	Tournament
2013	Jamestown
2014	Jamestown
2015	Viterbo
2016	Viterbo
2017	Viterbo
2018	vacated^[a]
2019	Viterbo
2020	Bellevue	Viterbo
2021	Viterbo
2022	Bellevue Viterbo	Viterbo

^ Viterbo was stripped of the 2018 volleyball regular season and tournament championships after a player was found to be ineligible.^[11]

Men's basketball

NSAA championships won or shared per school

School	Conference		Tournament
School	Titles	Last Title	Titles	Last Title
Bellevue	5	2021-22	3	2021-22
Jamestown	3	2016-17	1	2013-14
Dakota State	2	2015-16	2	2015-16
Mayville State	2	2022-23	4	2022-23
Presentation	1	2018-19	0	n/a
Dickinson State	1	2016-17	0	n/a
Viterbo	1	2021-22	0	n/a
Valley City State	0	n/a	0	n/a
Waldorf	0	n/a	0	n/a

NSAA all-time standings (2013-14 to 2022-23)

School	Regular Season			Tournament
School	W	L	Pct	W	L
Bellevue	78	34	.696	13	5
Jamestown	41	22	.651	6	4
Viterbo	59	50	.541	4	8
Mayville State	72	62	.537	15	5
Dickinson State	67	58	.536	7	10
Dakota State	66	68	.493	11	8
Valley City State	65	68	.489	4	10
Waldorf	40	75	.348	3	8
Presentation	41	94	.304	2	8

NSAA regular season and tournament champions by year

Year	Regular Season	Tournament
2013-14	Jamestown
2014-15	Dakota State Jamestown	Dakota State
2015-16	Dakota State
2016-17	Bellevue Dickinson State Jamestown	Bellevue
2017-18	Bellevue	Mayville State
2018-19	Bellevue Presentation	Mayville State
2019-20	Bellevue	Mayville State
2020-21	Mayville State	Bellevue
2021-22	Bellevue Viterbo	Bellevue
2022-23	Mayville State

Women's basketball

NSAA championships won or shared per school

School	Conference		Tournament
School	Titles	Last Title	Titles	Last Title
Jamestown	5	2017-18	3	2016-17
Mayville State	3	2019-20	3	2022-23
Dakota State	3	2022-23	2	2021-22
Bellevue	2	2019-20	1	2018-19
Valley City State	0	n/a	1	2017-18
Dickinson State	0	n/a	0	n/a
Presentation	0	n/a	0	n/a
Viterbo	0	n/a	0	n/a
Waldorf	0	n/a	0	n/a

NSAA all-time standings (2013-14 to 2022-23)

School	Regular Season			Tournament
School	W	L	Pct	W	L
Jamestown	59	3	.952	11	2
Mayville State	91	42	.684	16	7
Bellevue	69	33	.676	10	6
Valley City State	86	47	.647	9	9
Dakota State	77	56	.579	9	8
Dickinson State	55	69	.444	6	8
Viterbo	35	75	.318	2	8
Presentation	30	103	.226	1	9
Waldorf	19	93	.170	0	7

NSAA regular season and tournament champions by year

Year	Regular Season	Tournament
2013-14	Jamestown Mayville State	Mayville State
2014-15	Jamestown
2015-16	Jamestown
2016-17	Jamestown
2017-18	Jamestown	Valley City State
2018-19	Bellevue Mayville State	Bellevue
2019-20	Bellevue Mayville State	Mayville State
2020-21	Dakota State
2021-22	Dakota State
2022-23	Dakota State	Mayville State

Baseball

NSAA championships won or shared per school

School	Conference		Tournament
School	Titles	Last Title	Titles	Last Title
Bellevue	6	2023	5	2023
Mayville State	2	2018	3	2021
Jamestown	2	2015	1	2014
Dakota State	0	n/a	0	n/a
Dickinson State	0	n/a	0	n/a
Presentation	0	n/a	0	n/a
Valley City State	0	n/a	0	n/a
Viterbo	0	n/a	0	n/a
Waldorf	0	n/a	0	n/a
Winnipeg	0	n/a	0	n/a

NSAA all-time standings (2014 to 2023)^[a]

School	Regular Season			Tournament
School	W	L	Pct	W	L
Bellevue	148	20	.881	26	4
Jamestown	77	26	.748	13	8
Mayville State	131	78	.627	26	15
Waldorf	94	78	.547	6	14
Valley City State	99	102	.493	14	18
Dakota State	88	121	.421	7	14
Dickinson State^[b]	64	95	.403	13	14
Viterbo	66	109	.377	3	12
Presentation	53	156	.254	4	13
Winnipeg	6	41	.128	0	0

NSAA regular season and tournament champions by year

Year	Regular Season	Tournament
2014	Jamestown
2015	Jamestown Mayville State	Mayville State
2016	Bellevue
2017	Bellevue	Mayville State
2018	Mayville State	Bellevue
2019	Bellevue
2020	none^[c]
2021	Bellevue	Mayville State
2022	Bellevue
2023	Bellevue

^ Dickinson State was a member of the Frontier Conference, which does not sponsor baseball, in 2014. The 2014 NSAA tournament, known that year as the NSAA/Frontier Tournament, included Dickinson State. Regular-season games against Dickinson State in 2014, are not counted as conference games and are excluded from the teams' regular-season records, since Dickinson State was not an NSAA member. However, 2014 conference tournament games involving Dickinson State are counted as tournament wins and losses, since Dickinson State was a tournament participant that year.
^ Dickinson State dropped their baseball program after the 2017-18 season, and then reinstated it for the 2020-21 season.
^ The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Softball

NSAA championships won or shared per school

School	Conference		Tournament
School	Titles	Last Title	Titles	Last Title
Bellevue	3	2023	0	n/a
Valley City State	3	2021	3	2023
Jamestown	2	2018	1	2017
Dickinson State	1	2016	4^[a]	2021
Dakota State	0	n/a	0	n/a
Mayville State	0	n/a	0	n/a
Viterbo	0	n/a	0	n/a
Waldorf	0	n/a	0	n/a
Presentation	0	n/a	0	n/a

NSAA all-time standings (2014 to 2023)^[b]

School	Regular Season			Tournament
School	W	L	Pct	W	L
Bellevue	146	38	.793	17	14
Jamestown	87	23	.791	14	9
Valley City State	152	55	.734	27	13
Dickinson State	132	66	.667	30	11
Mayville State	82	135	.378	9	16
Waldorf	59	116	.337	6	14
Dakota State	73	144	.336	8	16
Viterbo	59	126	.319	4	10
Presentation	66	153	.301	3	16
Great Falls^[c]^[d]	n/a	n/a	n/a	3	2

NSAA regular season and tournament champions by year

Year	Regular Season	Tournament
2014	Valley City State	Dickinson State^[e]
2015	Jamestown	Dickinson State
2016	Dickinson State
2017	Bellevue	Jamestown
2018	Jamestown	Dickinson State
2019	Valley City State
2020	none^[f]
2021	Valley City State	Dickinson State
2022	Bellevue	Valley City State
2023	Bellevue	Valley City State

^ Total does not include 2014 NSAA/Frontier Tournament Championship when they were a member of the Frontier Conference.
^ Dickinson State and Great Falls were members of the Frontier Conference, which does not sponsor softball, in 2014. The NSAA tournament, known that year as the NSAA/Frontier Tournament, included Dickinson State and Great Falls. Regular-season games against those two clubs in 2014, are not counted as conference games and are excluded from the teams' regular-season records, since they were not NSAA members. However, 2014 conference tournament games involving either Dickinson State or Great Falls are included as tournament wins and losses, since both teams were tournament participants that year.
^ Great Falls was never a member of the NSAA, but played in the 2014 NSAA/Frontier Tournament, since the Frontier does not sponsor softball. Their record in that tournament is included here.
^ University of Great Falls was renamed University of Providence in 2017-18.
^ Dickinson State won the 2014 NSAA/Frontier Tournament as a member of the Frontier Conference. Dakota State finished the best out of all NSAA teams in the 2014 tournament as they finished third.
^ The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

^ "North Star Athletic Association Announces Formation". Valley City State University. April 22, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2013.
^ ^a ^b "NSAA, which held post season tournaments in Watertown, announces it will be disbanding". KWAT. December 28, 2023. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
^ Sand, Elisa (January 17, 2023). "Presentation College closing Aberdeen campus". Aberdeen News. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Iowa Wesleyan University Announces Closure". Iowa Wesleyan University. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Waldorf University to join Great Plains Athletic Conference". Great Plains Athletic Conference. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Viterbo University To Become Full CCAC Member Beginning In 2024-25". Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
^ ^a ^b "University of Jamestown (N.D.) returns to North Star Athletic Association". North Star Athletic Association. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
^ "NSIC Extends Invitation to the University of Jamestown". Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (Press release). November 21, 2023. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Frontier Adding Dickinson State as Newest Conference Member". Frontier Conference (Press release). December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
^ "University of Winnipeg announces cuts, eliminates wrestling and men's baseball". MetroNews. The Canadian Press. May 3, 2017. Archived from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
^ Sommerfeldt, Tod (September 12, 2019). "College volleyball: Viterbo forced to forfeit games from 2018". Retrieved October 19, 2020.

External links

Official website

North Star Athletic Association

Full members

v t e NAIA conferences
Single Division	American Midwest Conference Appalachian Athletic Conference^† California Pacific Conference Cascade Collegiate Conference Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Continental Athletic Conference (Independent schools) Crossroads League Frontier Conference^† Golden State Athletic Conference Great Plains Athletic Conference^† Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Heart of America Athletic Conference^† Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference^† Mid-South Conference^† North Star Athletic Association^† Red River Athletic Conference River States Conference Sooner Athletic Conference^† Southern States Athletic Conference Sun Conference^† Wolverine–Hoosier Athletic Conference
Football-only	Mid-States Football Association^† NAIA independent football schools^†
^†Conference sponsors football