Northern Colorado welcomed to Big Sky

GREELEY, Colo. – The presidents of the Big Sky Conference schools voted unanimously Tuesday to admit Northern Colorado, and the Bears will join the conference in July 2006.

“It’s one of the greatest things that could happen to this athletic department and school in decades,” Northern Colorado athletics director Jay Hinrichs said.

Presidents from the eight current conference members met in Portland to make Northern Colorado its ninth member.

“They add a lot to the conference,” Big Sky commissioner Doug Fullerton said. “They are within our geographical footprint and bring a market with them.”

Fullerton said there were a small number of issues involved.

“We want them to be playing right at the top of 1-AA football so there are some scholarship requirements,” he said. “But other than that, Northern Colorado is meeting most of the issues. We wanted to firm up the eligibility for champions.”

Northern Colorado will compete with 50 scholarships this fall, go to 57 next year and 63 – the number required in Division 1-AA in 2007-08 – the Bear’s first year in Division I.

Northern Colorado won’t be competing for conference championships immediately. That will be determined by the sport and on some transition criteria that the NCAA imposes on an institution that moves from Division II to Division I.

“Because of that, volleyball will be competing in 2006-07,” Hinrichs said. “Football and basketball in 2007-08, our first year after we’ve completed the transition.”

After 23 years in the Division II North Central Conference, the Bears played in the six-team Great West Football Conference last year and as an independent in the other sports.

“There was no decision here because it is paramount in any strategic plan to focus on a conference,” Hinrichs said.