General | 5/14/2026 10:00:00 AM

For Immediate Release
Thursday, May 14, 2026
NSIC Media Relations
NSIC SAAC Summit Website

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - The 2026 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Summit, sponsored by ISG, will take place Sunday-Tuesday, May 17-19 on the campus of the University of Minnesota Crookston. Over 65 representatives from NSIC institutions will participate in a variety of activities to enhance leadership skills, learn about aspects of wellbeing and life after college, and collaborate amongst NSIC SAAC leadership.

The event kicks off on Sunday afternoon with a session on "Own Your Story, Own Your Mind, Champion Your Future" presented by UMC alum Cathy Helin, the Founder of Bearcat Coaching. Later that afternoon the group will engage in leadership round table discussions with the NSIC Board of Directors, followed by the presentation of the NSIC SAAC Cup, presented by ISG. The first day will wrap up with a student-athlete and administrator activity.

Monday morning will begin with a session with U.S. Council for Athletes' Health (USCAH) focusing on Student-Athlete Wellbeing & Healthcare Literacy Post College. The group will then have a session on Player to Ref and after lunch, the group will participate in community engagement activities.  Later Monday afternoon the group will have three sessions which include compliance education, train the trainer programming from the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, and a feedback session. The day will conclude with dinner and a lip sync battle.  

On Tuesday morning, the group will hold its annual NSIC SAAC business meeting before departing.  

Follow along with all the activities via the NSIC Social Media channels: Facebook / Instragram / X.

About ISG
ISG, a 100 percent employee owned firm, has a rich history, which extends over 48 years of building trusting relationships with clients, stakeholders, and the community. As a full-service architecture, engineering, environmental, and planning firm with over 400 professionals in offices throughout Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota, ISG provides exceptional services, strategies, and guidance to a wide range of markets nationwide. ISG was named among the 100 fastest growing firms, best places to work for, and market excellence leader in the United States by Zweig Group, recognized as a Top 500 Design Firm by Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine, and has earned spots on numerous Top Workplace and project recognition lists. To learn more about ISG, visit ISGInc.com.

About the NSIC
The NSIC is a 16-team, 18-sport, NCAA Division II conference with institutions located in Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The NSIC is a model Division II conference that uses high-level athletics competition to develop champions in the classroom and community while empowering student-athletes to be impactful and positive leaders. Formed in 1992 by the merger of the Northern Intercollegiate Conference (men's league) and the Northern Sun Conference (women's league), the NSIC has flourished over the past quarter century, maturing into a 16-team union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 27 team national championships and crowned 126 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org. 

About NSIC SAAC
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) serves as the primary governance arm representing student-athlete interests in Division II affairs. SAAC members serve as student-athlete liaisons that monitor and discuss happenings on campuses, within conference and at the national level. For additional information, go to: NorthernSun.org/SAAC

About NCAA Division II
The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes can earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA's three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.