The board of trustees at Augustana University has unanimously approved several initiatives as part of President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin’s 2030 vision plan. One of the key elements of this plan is transitioning the Vikings athletics program to the Division I intercollegiate conference. The news was revealed after a report by the Argus Leader citing an email.
The email, reportedly from board chair Tom Davis, was addressed to staff, faculty, and students. However, it did not mention a specific timeline. Augustana would need to inform its current conference, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, by the end of this year if they plan to leave and begin the transition.
Sources also revealed that Augustana University conducted a meeting with all coaches on Thursday night to communicate the decision. The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) allegedly sent an email on Thursday night acknowledging Augustana’s decision and mentioning the Vikings’ goal to join a new conference by the 2021-22 academic year.
It is anticipated that the Vikings will commence the transition once they receive an invitation. The Vikings have been longstanding rivals in the conference with only a few Summit League members, initially in the North Central Conference of Division II. Notable members of the NCC have transitioned to the Big Sky conference, including North Dakota, South Dakota State, South Dakota, North Dakota, Omaha, and Northern Colorado.
