Could the Dakota Athletic Conference be returning to our region?

(WDAY TV) -- Just three years ago, the Dakota Athletic Conference was one of the most respected leagues in all of NAIA with some powerhouse programs, but in one fell swoop of realignment, four teams left the conference, leaving Valley City State, Jamestown and Mayville State to fend for themselves..they have been in the independent wasteland; but after

waiting 2 years; that odyssey appears to be over.

Kent Patberg: "I can say this with an almost educated estimation here,

that I would be absolutely shocked if this league doesn't form here."

Patberg is referring to a new conference involving the old DAC

schools; Mayville State; Jamestown, Valley City State and Dakota

Statem joining up with a new NAIA member in Presentation College in Aberdeen and with the hopes of Dickinson State coming back in two years...

Patberg: "When you're not in a league it hurts you from a recruiting

perspective these schools are doing what they need to do right now, they're not excited about being independent, but are about the formation of this new league."

Patberg is the former commissioner of the Northern Sun, who has been

dealing with conference realignment for 15 years and says even though

the old DAC schools are in this league, it's going by a new name....

Patberg: "We don't want to go by the DAC we dont want to be pigeon

holed as a Dakota league when we can be bigger than that and I think

that's pretty obvious for all of us."

Jamestown AD Lawrie Paulson had no comment on the potential of a new

league, Patberg says the league hopes for recognition from the NAIA in

July.

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