The Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC) was a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). As the name implies, member teams were located in the states of North Dakota and South Dakota. The conference folded after the 2011–12 academic year.
History The Dakota Athletic Conference was formed from a merger between the North Dakota College Athletic Conference (NDCAC) and the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference (SDIC), effective the 2000-01 academic year. Ten schools were a part of the conference in its history, consisting of the following:
Formerly from the NDCAC: Dickinson State University, Jamestown College, the University of Mary, Mayville State University, Minot State University and Valley City State University Formerly from the SDIC: Black Hills State University, Dakota State University, Si Tanka University-Huron and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
The DAC was one of the only NAIA conferences to have a television contract; America One owned the broadcast rights to the conference, although most of the games were only carried through the network's subscription service, B2 Networks.
Chronological timeline 2000 – The Dakota Athletic Conference (DAC) was founded due to a merger of the North Dakota College Athletic Conference (NDCAC) and the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference (SDIC). Charter members included Dickinson State University, Jamestown College, the University of Mary, Mayville State University, Minot State University and Valley City State University from the NDCAC, and Black Hills State University, Dakota State University, Si Tanka University–Huron and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology from the SDIC, beginning the 2000–01 academic year. 2005 – Si Tanka–Huron left the DAC after the school was declared to cease operations after the 2004–05 academic year. 2006 – Mary left the DAC to join the Division II ranks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) after the 2005–06 academic year. 2011 – On July 1, 2011 Dakota State announced they were leaving the DAC to become an NAIA Independent. Additionally, member schools Black Hills State, Minot State and South Dakota Mines also left the DAC while in the process of transitioning to NCAA Division II as NCAA D-II Independents: (Black Hills State would later join the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and Minot State would later join the NSIC during the 2012–13 academic year, while South Dakota Mines would later the RMAC during the 2014–15 academic year), all effective after the 2010–11 academic year. 2012 – The DAC would cease operations as an athletic conference at the end of the 2011–12 academic year; as many schools left to join their respective new home primary conferences: Dickinson State left for the Frontier Conference while Jamestown, Mayville State and Valley City State became NAIA independent schools (though they would eventually join the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA); Jamestown, Mayville State and Valley City State as part of the charter members during the 2013–14 school year, alongside former DAC conference member and NAIA Independent Dakota State; and Dickinson State followed suit during the 2014–15 school year coming from the Frontier).
Member schools Final members The DAC ended with four full members, only one was a private school:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Subsequentconference(s) Currentconference Dickinson State University Dickinson, North Dakota 1916 Public 2,572 Blue Hawks 2000 2012 North Star (NSAA)(2014–2025) Frontier(2012–14, 2025–Present) Jamestown College Jamestown, North Dakota 1883 Presbyterian 900 Jimmies 2000 2012 NAIA Independent(2012–13)Great Plains (GPAC)(2018–24)North Star (NSAA)(2013–18,2024–2025) Northern Sun (NSIC)(2025–Present) Mayville State University Mayville, North Dakota 1889 Public 780 Comets 2000 2012 NAIA Independent(2012–13)North Star (NSAA)(2013–2025) Frontier(2025–Present) Valley City State University Valley City, North Dakota 1890 Public 1,220 Vikings 2000 2012 NAIA Independent(2012–13),North Star (NSAA)(2013–2025) Frontier(2025–Present)
Notes
Former members The DAC had six former full members, only two were private schools:
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Subsequentconference Currentconference Black Hills State University Spearfish, South Dakota 1881 Public 4,739 YellowJackets 2000 2011 D-II Independent(2011–12) Rocky Mountain (RMAC)(2012–present) Dakota State University Madison, South Dakota 1881 Public 2,282 Trojans 2000 2011 NAIA Independent(2011–13)North Star (NSAA)(2013–2025) Frontier(2025–present) Minot State University Minot, North Dakota 1913 Public 3,851 Beavers 2000 2011 D-II Independent(2011–12) Northern Sun (NSIC)(2012–present) Si Tanka University at Huron Huron, South Dakota 1883 Nonsectarian N/A ScreamingEagles 2000 2005 Closed in 2005 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, South Dakota 1885 Public 2,345 Hardrockers 2000 2011 D-II Independent(2011–14) Rocky Mountain (RMAC)(2014–present) University of Mary Bismarck, North Dakota 1959 Catholic 2,758 Marauders 2000 2006 Northern Sun (NSIC)(2006–present)
Notes
Membership timeline
Sports Member schools fielded men's and women's teams in cross country, basketball, track and field and golf. Men's-only sports were baseball, football and wrestling, while soccer, softball and volleyball were only offered for women.
References