The North Star Athletic Association (NSAA) was a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) that began play in the 2013–14 school year. The conference disbanded with six full member institutions in Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. On December 28, 2023, the conference announced it would disband following the 2024–25 school year.
History
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 and men's and women's track & field in the 2021–22 academic year. 2023 – Presentation (S.D.) left the NSAA as the school closed after the 2022–23 academic year. 2023 – Iowa Wesleyan left the NSAA as an affiliate member as the school closed after the 2022–23 academic year. 2024 – Waldorf left the NSAA to join the GPAC after the 2023–24 academic year. 2024 – Viterbo left the NSAA to join the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) after the 2023–24 academic year. 2024 – Jamestown rejoined the NSAA for the 2024–25 academic year. 2025 – The NSAA ceased operations as an athletic conference after the 2024–25 academic year; as many schools left to join their respective new home primary conferences beginning the 2025–26 academic year: Jamestown transitioned to the NCAA Division II ranks and joined the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) The remaining five schools (Bellevue, Dakota State, Mayville State and Valley City State; with Dickinson State rejoining) joined the Frontier Conference.
Member schools Final members The NSAA had six full members at the time it was disbanded, with two of which being private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Colors Subsequentconference(s) Currentconference Bellevue University Bellevue, Nebraska 1966 Nonsectarian 8,300 Bruins 2015 Frontier(2025–present) Dakota State University Madison, South Dakota 1881 Public 3,307 Trojans 2013 Frontier(2025–present) Dickinson State University Dickinson, North Dakota 1918 Public 1,800 Blue Hawks 2014 Frontier(2025–present) Jamestown, North Dakota 1883 Presbyterian 1,500 Jimmies 2013;2024 Northern Sun (NSIC)(2025–present) Mayville State University Mayville, North Dakota 1889 Public 1,130 Comets 2013 Frontier(2025–present) Valley City State University Valley City, North Dakota 1890 Public 1,623 Vikings 2013 Frontier(2025–present)
Notes
Former members The NSAA had three former full members, all of which were private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Nickname Joined Left Subsequentconference Currentconference Presentation College Aberdeen, South Dakota 1922 Catholic Saints 2013 2023Closed in 2023 Viterbo University La Crosse, Wisconsin 1923 Catholic V-Hawks 2015 2024 Chicagoland (CCAC)(2024–present) Waldorf University Forest City, Iowa 1903 For-profit Warriors 2015 2024 Great Plains (GPAC)(2024–present)
Notes
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 Left NSAAsport Currentprimaryconference Conferencein formerNSAA sport Iowa Wesleyan University Mount Pleasant, Iowa 1842 United Methodist Tigers 2021 2023 football,men's track & field,women's track & field Closed in 2023 University of Winnipeg Winnipeg, Manitoba 1871 Public Wesmen 2015 2017 baseball Canada West (CWUAA) dropped program Waldorf University Forest City, Iowa 1903 For-profit Warriors 2014 2015 football Great Plains (GPAC)
Notes
Membership timeline
Sports The North Star Athletic Association fielded 18 sports (9 men's and 9 women's):
+ Conference sportsSportMen'sWomen's Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football Golf Softball Track & Field - Indoor Track & Field - Outdoor Volleyball
Men's sports +Men's sponsored sports by school School Baseball Basketball Crosscountry Football Golf Track& field(indoor) Track& field(outdoor) Total NSAASports Bellevue 6 Dakota State 7 Dickinson State 7 Jamestown 7 Mayville State 4 Valley City State 7 Totals 6 6 5 5 6 5 5 38
Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the North Star Athletic Association which were played by NSAA schools
School Hockey Soccer Volleyball Wrestling Bellevue — CAC — — Dickinson State — — — HAAC Jamestown ACHA CAC IND KCAC
Notes
Women's sports +Women's sponsored sports by school School Basketball Crosscountry Golf Softball Track& field(indoor) Track& field(outdoor) Volleyball Total NSAASports Bellevue 7 Dakota State 7 Dickinson State 7 Jamestown 7 Mayville State 4 Valley City State 7 Totals 6 5 6 6 5 5 6 39
Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the North Star Athletic Association which were played by NSAA schools
School Hockey Soccer Swimming Wrestling Bellevue — CAC — — Dickinson State — — — HAAC Jamestown ACHA CAC KCAC
Notes
Conference Championships Football
NSAA championships won or shared per school School Conference Titles LastTitle Dickinson State 10 2024 Valley City State 2 2014 Jamestown 1 2013
NSAA all-time standings (2013–2024) School W L T Pct Dickinson State 75 4 0 Valley City State 52 29 0 Waldorf 38 33 0 Dakota State 40 42 0 Jamestown 15 23 0 Iowa Wesleyan 3 9 0 Presentation 15 52 0 Mayville State 17 63 0
NSAA champions by year
Year School Record 2013 Valley City StateJamestown 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 2023 Dickinson State 8–0 2024 Dickinson State 8–0
Volleyball
NSAA championships per school School Conference Tournament Titles LastTitle Titles LastTitle Viterbo 7 2023 8 2023 Bellevue 3 2024 1 2024 Jamestown 3 2024 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 (2013–2024) School Regular season Tournament W L Pct W L Jamestown 66 7 8 4 Viterbo 102 20 22 2 Bellevue 103 27 13 9 Dakota State 86 69 10 11 Mayville State 67 86 6 11 Valley City State 66 89 6 11 Presentation 40 92 3 7 Dickinson State 38 107 0 6 Waldorf 26 96 0 5
NSAA regular season and tournament champions by year Year Regular season Tournament 2013 Jamestown 2014 Jamestown 2015 Viterbo 2016 Viterbo 2017 Viterbo 2018 vacated 2019 Viterbo 2020 Bellevue Viterbo 2021 Viterbo 2022 BellevueViterbo Viterbo 2023 Viterbo 2024 JamestownBellevue Bellevue
Men's basketball
NSAA championships won or shared per school School Conference Tournament Titles LastTitle Titles LastTitle Bellevue 6 2023–24 4 2023–24 Jamestown 3 2016–17 1 2013–14 Dakota State 2 2015–16 2 2015–16 Mayville State 2 2022–23 4 2022–23 Dickinson State 2 2024–25 1 2024–25 Presentation 1 2018–19 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 2024–25) School Regular season Tournament W L Pct W L Jamestown 52 26 7 5 Bellevue 90 49 15 6 Dickinson State 85 67 11 11 Mayville State 88 73 16 7 Viterbo 65 56 4 9 Valley City State 76 84 5 12 Dakota State 76 85 13 10 Waldorf 46 81 3 9 Presentation 41 94 2 8
NSAA regular season and tournament champions by year Year Regular season Tournament 2013–14 Jamestown 2014–15 Dakota StateJamestown Dakota State 2015–16 Dakota State 2016–17 BellevueDickinson StateJamestown Bellevue 2017–18 Bellevue Mayville State 2018–19 BellevuePresentation Mayville State 2019–20 Bellevue Mayville State 2020–21 Mayville State Bellevue 2021–22 BellevueViterbo Bellevue 2022–23 Mayville State 2023–24 Bellevue 2024–25 Dickinson State
Women's basketball
NSAA championships won or shared per school School Conference Tournament Titles LastTitle Titles LastTitle Dakota State 5 2024–25 3 2024–25 Jamestown 5 2017–18 3 2016–17 Mayville State 4 2023–24 4 2023–24 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 2024–25) School Regular season Tournament W L Pct W L Jamestown 66 11 13 3 Mayville State 110 50 18 8 Dakota State 102 58 13 9 Bellevue 80 49 10 8 Valley City State 99 61 10 11 Dickinson State 60 91 7 10 Viterbo 41 81 3 9 Presentation 30 103 1 9 Waldorf 20 104 0 8
NSAA regular season and tournament champions by year Year Regular season Tournament 2013–14 JamestownMayville State Mayville State 2014–15 Jamestown 2015–16 Jamestown 2016–17 Jamestown 2017–18 Jamestown Valley City State 2018–19 BellevueMayville State Bellevue 2019–20 BellevueMayville State Mayville State 2020–21 Dakota State 2021–22 Dakota State 2022–23 Dakota State Mayville State 2023–24 Mayville StateDakota State Mayville State 2024–25 Dakota State
Baseball
NSAA championships won or shared per school School Conference Tournament Titles LastTitle Titles LastTitle Bellevue 7 2024 6 2024 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 2024) School Regular season Tournament W L Pct W L Bellevue 169 22 29 4 Jamestown 77 26 13 8 Mayville State 137 95 28 16 Waldorf 103 92 10 16 Valley City State 110 115 16 20 Dakota State 105 127 8 16 Dickinson State 71 111 13 16 Viterbo 76 122 4 14 Presentation 53 156 4 13 Winnipeg 6 41 0 0
NSAA regular season and tournament champions by year Year Regular season Tournament 2014 Jamestown 2015 JamestownMayville State Mayville State 2016 Bellevue 2017 Bellevue Mayville State 2018 Mayville State Bellevue 2019 Bellevue 2020none 2021 Bellevue Mayville State 2022 Bellevue 2023 Bellevue 2024 Bellevue
Softball
NSAA championships won or shared per school School Conference Tournament Titles LastTitle Titles LastTitle Bellevue 4 2024 0 n/a Valley City State 3 2021 3 2023 Jamestown 2 2018 1 2017 Dickinson State 1 2016 5 2024 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) School Regular season Tournament W L Pct W L Bellevue 146 38 17 14 Jamestown 87 23 14 9 Valley City State 152 55 27 13 Dickinson State 132 66 30 11 Mayville State 82 135 9 16 Waldorf 59 116 6 14 Dakota State 73 144 8 16 Viterbo 59 126 4 10 Presentation 66 153 3 16 Great Falls 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 2015 Jamestown Dickinson State 2016 Dickinson State 2017 Bellevue Jamestown 2018 Jamestown Dickinson State 2019 Valley City State 2020none 2021 Valley City State Dickinson State 2022 Bellevue Valley City State 2023 Bellevue Valley City State 2024 Bellevue Dickinson State
Men's Indoor Track and Field
NSAA championships won or shared per school