NSIC holds firm that football is required

If St. Cloud State wants to stay in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, the Huskies can't drop football.

The NSIC Board tweaked its required sports rule, but held firm in having football be a must-have offering.

"I think the idea of the task force was to give the schools a little more flexibility but preserve the key sports in our conference," said NSIC commissioner Butch Raymond. "I think it's important to have a foundation of required sports. I think that's one of the things that make a league operate in the way it needs to operate."

The NSIC league office announced today the new bylaws, which contain the following stipulations:

E Required men's sports: football, basketball and one spring sport of choice.

E Required women's sports: volleyball, soccer, basketball and one spring sport of choice.

E Removal of the option to allow members to ask permission to withdraw from participation in any of the required sports.

St. Cloud State President Earl Potter requested review of the bylaw as his school is pondering cutting sports, including football.

In the former rules, the required men's sports were football, basketball and baseball or outdoor track. The required women's sports were volleyball, soccer, basketball, softball and outdoor track or tennis. Also, schools were able to ask for permission to withdraw from any of the required sports.

"It's not a huge surprise," said MSUM athletic director Doug Peters. "It did clear some things up."

Steve Ludwig, St. Cloud State's vice president of administration, said the NSIC bylaw change is one of the pieces the school will consider as it proceeds.

Ludwig said the school's main options at this point are to cut football, cut no sports or cut four other sports other than football.

"We wanted that before we make sure we knew the requirement before we made a final decision," Ludwig said. "Now we know clearly what the conditions are of the conference."

Readers can reach Forum reporter Eric Peterson at (701) 241-5513.

Peterson's blogs can be found at www.areavoices.com