The Summit League will visit the University of South Dakota later this month to gather information about the school's athletic programs -- a move that may open the door for South Dakota to join the 10-team conference.
The league, however, has no plans to visit UND because of the school's ongoing controversy over the Sioux nickname and logo.
UND and South Dakota both are in their first season of NCAA Division I competition. When both schools announced their Division I intentions, conference affiliation was listed as a crucial component of the move.
"I'm not presenting any information to the (league's) presidents council on the University of North Dakota until the logo issue is resolved one way or the other," Summit League commissioner Tom Douple said. "I don't want it to be an issue for our members."
Summit League officials will be on the South Dakota campus in Vermillion on Jan. 20-21.
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Douple said there is no timetable on league expansion.
"But we're always looking at our options," Douple said.
North Dakota State and South Dakota State both are members of The Summit League.
In a legal settlement reached in 2007 with the NCAA, which had threatened to punish the school if it didn't change the nickname, UND agreed to drop it if it is unable to reach an understanding with namesake tribes in North Dakota within three years.
