Mayville, N.D. - Mayville State University President Dr. Brian Van Horn and Interim Athletic Director Rocky Larson have announced that Mayville State University will be joining the Frontier Conference of the NAIA starting in 2025-26.

The decision comes after a nearly year-long exploration of options and discussions following the realization that Mayville State's current conference, the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA), will disband following the 2024-25 year.

"We're excited to join the Frontier Conference and begin the next chapter of Mayville State Athletics," said Mayville State President Dr. Brian Van Horn. "This decision came with many considerations, including the high value placed on rivalries that are so strong in the current North Star. This move will allow NSAA teams to continue playing together within a geographic region that makes sense. We are happy that the new conference commitment will allow us to continue our affiliation with the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)."

The North Star lost two member schools due to closure in the last year. In addition, former NSAA member schools, Waldorf and Viterbo have joined other conferences, and in 2023, Dickinson State made a commitment to join the Frontier Conference beginning in 2025. Jamestown University will join the NSAA for the 2024-25 year only, as they await their entrance into the NCAA Division II Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

At the conclusion of the 2024-25 year, the North Star will be down to five member schools, leaving those schools in a position of needing to find another conference, as a minimum of six schools are needed to maintain the conference structure.

Along with Mayville State, current North Star Athletic Association members Dickinson State University, Bellevue University, Dakota State University, and Valley City State University will join the Frontier Conference in 2025.

The Frontier conference was organized as the Montana Small College Conference in 1934 with charter members Montana State School of Mines, Montana State Normal College, Northern Montana College, Intermountain Union College, and Billings Polytechnic Institute.

The conference currently has six full members, Carroll College, Helena, Mont.; Montana State University-Northern, Havre, Mont.; Montana Technological University, Butte, Mont.; University of Montana Western, Dillon, Mont.; University of Providence, Great Falls, Mont.; and Rocky Mountain College, Billings, Mont.; and four affiliate members, Arizona Christian University, Glendale, Ariz.; College of Idaho, Caldwell, Idaho; Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, Ore; and Southern Oregon University, Ashland, Ore.

WATCH HERE for Wednesday's virtual press conference.

For more information on the Frontier Conference:
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