For Immediate Release
Monday, October 18
NSIC Media Relations
Officially Human

BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) is proud to announce a new partnership with Officially Human, an organization dedicated to restoring respect to sports officials and recognizing them as essential authorities on the fields and courts.

Founded in 2019 by Brenda Hilton, a veteran of over 20 years in college athletics, Officially Human aims to improve the treatment of sports officials through increased education, awareness, and communication with key stakeholders — including administrators, coaches, student-athletes, and fans.

"Our partnership with Officially Human reinforces the NSIC's commitment to promoting respect, integrity, and sportsmanship across all levels of competition," said NSIC Commissioner Erin Lind. "Officials play a critical role in the student-athlete experience, and we are proud to join a movement that prioritizes their well-being through education and awareness. This collaboration will help create more informed and respectful environments at our events — for our officials, student-athletes, coaches, and fans alike."

"Officially Human is proud to welcome the NSIC and its member institutions as partners in advancing the shared goal of promoting sportsmanship. We applaud Commissioner Lind for her leadership and unwavering commitment to 'humanizing' sports officials," state Hilton.

Through this partnership, the NSIC will provide its member institutions with access to Officially Human's educational resources. These include videos, training materials, and other informational tools designed to promote a culture of respect and support for game officials across all levels of sport.

ABOUT OFFICIALLY HUMAN
Based in Lombard, Ill. and founded in 2019, Officially Human is the leader in addressing the growing crisis in officiating that touches every sport, official, and level of competition. Officially Human offers tailored solutions to athletic host organizations of all sizes that improve the stakeholder experience at each of their sporting competitions. The comprehensive solutions package includes digital education, awareness building, event host communication strategies, and organizational support in addressing poor fan behavior. To learn more about Officially Human, visit officiallyhuman.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 union of Upper Midwest colleges and universities. The NSIC has won 27 team national championships and crowned 122 individual national champions. For additional information, visit NorthernSun.org.
 
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.