Northern State and Minnesota State Moorhead will join the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference as associate members in women’s swimming and diving.

The additions expand the RMAC’s membership in the sport to nine schools (Adams State, Colorado Mines, Grand Canyon, Mesa State, Nebraska-Kearney, Texas-Permian Basin and Incarnate Word).

The upcoming season is the third for Northern State and head coach Elyce Kastigar. Todd Peters has guided the Minnesota State Moorhead program since its inception 13 years ago.

The RMAC began sponsoring men’s and women’s swimming and diving in 2008-09 for the second time after a 25-year period when the sport was discontinued in 1984. Adams State will be entering its first year of competition for women’s swimming and diving in 2009-10. Next year, the Grizzlies will sponsor men’s swimming and diving for the first time since it was cut in the 1970s. Currently, five programs sponsor men’s swimming and diving (Colorado Mines, Grand Canyon, Incarnate Word, Mesa State and Texas-Permian Basin).

Colorado Mines will host the 2010 RMAC championships on February 11-13. Incarnate Word won both league championships last year in San Antonio. The Division II championships will be March 10-13, 2010, in Canton, Ohio.