MSU's first conference affiliation began in 1923 with the
Little 10, which consisted of Mankato State Teachers College, Winona, St. Cloud, Duluth, Bemidji and five JUCOs.
In 1932 the Minnesota Northern Teachers College Conference was formed with Mankato State Teachers College, Duluth, Winona, St. Cloud, Bemidji and Moorhead joining. Â This lasted until the mid 1950's when MSTC, Winona, St. Cloud, Bemidji and Moorhead formed the Minnesota State College Conference.
Â
In 1957 the Northern State Conference included Mankato State College, Winona, St. Cloud, Bemidji, Moorhead and Michigan Tech. The name of the conference was changed in the 1960's to the Northern Intercollegiate Conference. MSU left the NIC following the 1968-69 season to join the North Central Conference. Â MSU was readmitted into the NIC for the 1978-79, 1979-80 and 1980-81 seasons before rejoining the NCC in 1981-82.
Â
In 2008-09 Minnesota State joined the Northern Sun Conference (formerly known as the NIC), following the demise of the NCC.
Conference affiliation for Minnesota State men's hockey, which started in 1969-70, began in 1981-82 with membership in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association and also included teams from Bemidji State, St. Cloud State, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wisconsin-Superior and Wisconsin-River Falls. The Mavericks left the NCHA following the 1991-92 season and played as an independent until gaining entry in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association beginning in 1999-00. At the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, the men's hockey team joined the newly formed Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA).
The Minnesota State women's hockey program, which began in 1998-99, have been members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association since the league was formed in 1999-00.
Â
