Several NIU women’s sports, including basketball, may no longer be members of the North Star Conference by the 1992-93 season.

NIU’s Athletic Board will vote on whether the women’s sports will be moved from the NSC to the Mid-Continent Conference at its Feb. 13 meeting.

Many members of the board expressed their unofficial approval of the move to the M-C at Wednesday’s NIU Athletic Board meeting.

The M-C administers league competition and championship events in nine men’s NCAA Division I sports. All nine schools must decide on whether to affiliate its respective women’s programs by the Feb. 15 deadline. NIU’s men’s basketball team is in its first season in the M-C, which was formed in 1982.

NIU’s women’s basketball, volleyball, softball and tennis teams currently belong to the NSC which was founded in 1983-84. With the board’s approval, each of these sports and women’s swimming would become an M-C member. NIU’s women have competed in the NSC since the 1987-88 academic year.

Eastern Illinois, Western Illinois and Northern Iowa also have the opportunity to move its women’s programs into the M-C.

“If (the other three schools) didn’t support the effort to move to the Mid-Continent, I would be much more concerned about (NIU’s move to the M-C),” NIU athletic director Gerald O’Dell said. “However, I don’t see that happening.”

If the other schools do back out on last-minute notice, then NIU may reconsider its decision.