ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Athletics will add three sports – men's golf, women's golf and men's cross country – to compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference for the 2026-27 season. The return of the three programs increases SCSU's overall athletic program offerings from 17 to 20 (eight male and 12 female sports). SCSU will hire a new head coach to lead both golf programs, as well as an assistant coach for the track & field / cross country program to support its men's and women's distance runners.
 
"We are excited to be bringing these programs back to SCSU along with some roster enhancements that will provide additional opportunities for our students," said SCSU Director of Athletics Holly Schreiner. "We are extremely appreciative of the university's support and commitment to providing a great experience for all St. Cloud State student-athletes."

St. Cloud State previously sponsored men's golf for 84 seasons from 1931-32 to 2019-20 (no competition from 1941-46 due to World War II) and women's golf for 45 seasons from 1975-76 to 2019-20. The men's team won 10 conference championships, including the 2013 and 2014 NSIC titles, competed in 13 consecutive NCAA regionals from 2002-14 and advanced to the NCAA Championships twice, earning a 16^th place finish in 2004 and a 17^th place finish in 2006. The women's team competed in three NCAA regionals from 2002-04 and advanced to the NCAA Championships once, earning an eighth-place finish in 2004.
 
Men's cross country was sponsored at SCSU for 52 seasons from 1964-2015 and enjoyed a dominate stretch in its first two-plus decades. The Huskies won 11 conference titles and earned national runner-up finishes at the 1967 NAIA National Championships and the 1983 NCAA Division-II National Championships. The second-place finishes were the school's top national championship finishes until the wrestling team won its first national title in 2015. Individually, SCSU had 11 runners achieve All-American status a total of 22 times across NAIA and NCAA competition with Van Nelson (1965, 1966, 1967) and Kurt Threinen (1982) earning the highest individual finishes at third overall. Additionally, eight Huskies won 14 individual conference championships, including most recently Nick Hirsch capturing the 2004 NCC title.
 
St. Cloud State will be the 11^th school in the NSIC to sponsor men's golf, and the 14^th to sponsor women's golf. The 2027 NSIC Men's Golf Tournament is slated for April 20-23, 2027, at a host site to be determined, while the 2027 NSIC Women's Golf Tournament is scheduled for April 15-18, 2027, in Blue Springs, Mo. SCSU will be the 15^th school in the NSIC to sponsor men's cross country, with its first NSIC Championships meet scheduled for Nov 7, 2026, in Sioux Falls, S.D.