Chicago State University's athletic teams have found a new battleground in the Northeast Conference, as confirmed by the university and the conference this past Tuesday. Starting in the fall of 2024, the Cougars are slated to join as the conference's eighth full member, following a unanimous approval from the CSU board of trustees on Monday, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Cougar sports teams have been on the prowl for competition as NCAA Division I independents since they departed from the Western Athletic Conference in fall 2022. With this move, the NEC offers a new lease on athletic life for the university's 15 men's and women's teams. CSU President Zaldwaynaka "Z" Scott heralded the NEC as "the best fit for the university and our athletic programs," emphasizing the conference's commitment to the holistic support of student-athletes. Meanwhile, Athletic Director Monique Carroll lauded the NEC's vision for growth, which resonates with CSU's direction, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The school has also thrown its hat into the ring with plans to introduce a women’s triathlon program next fall and is diving into a fundraising drive to tackle the addition of FCS football. "Having D-1 athletics on your campus helps enrollment and student engagement. It builds good alumni," President Scott told WLS.
The basketball-centric NEC, where Chicago State aims to shine, is currently home to a coterie of institutions across New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Joining such a league is expected to smooth the path for CSU teams into NCAA tournaments and championships, a challenging feat for independent teams. Moreover, CSU officials, fueled by the energy and spirit that a football home game embodies, are gearing up to have their football squad hitting the turf by the 2025 season, although the question of where home games will be played remains to be tackled. "There's nothing like a football home game in the fall. You can't replicate that with other sports," Northeast Conference commissioner Noreen Morris said in an interview with WLS.
With Merrimack and Sacred Heart heading out of the NEC for greener pastures in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference after this academic year, Chicago State's entry is poised to bolster the conference's roster. The Cougars are ready to bring their A-game to the NEC's arenas and, perhaps soon, football fields, making the next academic year one to watch for the Chicago-based university.
