The NiU closes the move to the Horizon League for non-soccer sports in 2026-north Star

Note from the publisher: This story is updated after a press conference with Niu President Lisa Freeman, Niu -Vice President and Director for Athletics and Recreation Director Sean Frazier and Horizon League Commissioner Julie Roe Lach.

DEKALB -Niu is transferred most of its non-football sports by the Mid-American Conference to the Horizon League in 2026, since the university became the last hurdle for the 12th complete member of the Horizon.

The NiU board of trustees unanimously voted for approval of the payment of the entry fee of 1.4 million US dollars for the Horizon League during a special meeting on Thursday morning and took the last step in a process that was largely regarded as formality.

“This was an important journey, a massive elevator, but we are ready,” sports director Sean Frazier told the trustees during the meeting on Thursday. “The horizon fits in all things we have spoken – our common values, our basic values ​​and what we use for academic and sporty.”

The move comes almost two months after the Niu has announced this to do this Enter the Mountain West conference When only a football member in 2026. When the Mac statutes require members in football, the Niu had to find another conference to accommodate their non-football sport. However, the school has applied to keep its gymnastics and wrestling programs in the Mac as a partner member – how the horizon does not sponsor sports – and is still waiting for a decision by the league.

“Each of our athletes in each of our sports will have the opportunity to compete in the mountain vest regionally or in the case of football,” said Niu President Lisa Freeman.

Frazier later explained that Niu had other opportunities for gymnastics and wrestling if the Mac should refuse to apply the school. He also said the membership fee of the conference is usually between 5,000 and 10,000 US dollars.

When asked by board member Eric Wasowicz, how the university can benefit from a financial point of view, said Freeman said that the finances were “first class” when Niu explored the change conferences.

“We know that this is a positive resource decision and a positive development of development and competition decisions for athletes,” she said.

The NIU will pay its admission to Horizon League in six annual rates of 233,333.33 US dollars. In contrast to most sporting conferences, the horizon has no annual member fee.

As they are in the Mac, The Huskies Will Become the League's Western Most Member, Effective July 1, 2026. NiU Will Join Cleveland State University, University of Detroit Mercy, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Indiana University Indianapolis, University of Wisconsin-Milwauke, Northern Kentucky University, Oakland University, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Robert Morris University, Wright State University and Youngstown State University.

At the same time, the move marks the end of the decades of the NiU as a full member of the Mac-Das over two separate stints overspired and a return to Horizon League, which was a member from 1994 to 1997, when it was called the Midwest Collegiate conference.

A press conference with Freeman, Frazier and Commissioner of the Horizon League, Julie Roe Lach, is planned in the convocation center on Thursday at 1 p.m.