Dakota State leaving the Dakota Athletic Conference to become an independent

Dakota League dwindling in NAIA

MADISON, S.D. — One of the five remaining members of the Dakota Athletic Conference is leaving next July.

Dakota State University in Madison, S.D., will remain in the NAIA, but as an independent.

The DAC announced this week that it is becoming a five-school league starting next July, after the departure or pending departure of four schools to NCAA Division II. An NAIA league must have at least six teams for it to be eligible for automatic postseason berths, and the DAC planned to ask for a waiver.

The four remaining teams in the DAC all will be in North Dakota: Dickinson State, Jamestown College, Mayville State and Valley City State.