With Dayton’s recent decision to join the Midwestern Collegiate Conference, the North Star Conference—a women’s league NIU joined in February—will find itself scrambling for members once again.

Dayton’s move was completed with men’s basketball as the primary concern, but it also meant Dayton’s women’s athletic program will have to leave the North Star after the 1987-88 athletic seasons are over. As a result, the North Star will have to find a replacement for Dayton in the next year to keep the conference’s membership list at six.

Six teams are necessary so the North Star’s conference champion can receive an automatic invitation to the National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s basketball championship, said Valparaiso women’s Athletic Director Bette Galow. The conference does not have an automatic bid, but NIU and North Star officials have said repeatedly basketball is the conference’s prime area of concern, followed by volleyball.

NIU women’s Athletic Director Susie Pembroke-Jones serves on two NCAA committees, chairing the Mideast Women’s Basketball Advisory Committee in 1986-87 and retaining membership on the Division I Women’s Basketball National Committee.

Some North Star athletic directors met last week in Dallas, at the NCAA convention to discuss the North Star’s immediate situation. Commissioner Elaine Dreidame, who also heads Dayton’s women’s athletics, resigned and DePaul women’s Athletic Director Jean Ponsetto replaced her. Marquette women’s AD Catherine Shiely was named vice president and treasurer.

Notre Dame assistant AD Brian Boulac, who was not present in Dallas, said North Star personnel will meet Aug. 10 to discuss expansion and the league’s future.

“What we’re going to look at is the future,” said Ponsetto, indicating the North Star would look for schools with similar academic and athletic philosophies. “There are other institutions who we like, and (who) we will contact to have them make a presentation. We don’t have any intention to disband. Losing Dayton is certainly a situation we’re not thrilled about.”

Ponsetto declined to mention the potential candidates to replace Dayton, but she said last November—before NIU was offered admission—that Cleveland State and Illinois-Chicago were possibilities.

The North Star soon might face more than Dayton’s departure. Boulac said last Wednesday the MCC has offered Notre Dame admission. He said the Fighting Irish were waiting to see how Dayton and Marquette would answer the MCC. Dayton accepted and Marquette declined. Unlike Dayton and Marquette, Notre Dame would not have included men’s basketball if it joined.

Boulac said Athletic Director Eugene Corrigan would make Notre Dame’s decision. Boulac said since the offer, Corrigan has been involved in conventions and meetings. Ponsetto said Marquette still might join the MCC in the future. Marquette decided against the MCC this year because the men’s basketball coach just completed his first year and Marquette also was selecting a new men’s athletic director.

NIU also might be on the move if the MCC acts upon NIU men’s Athletic Director Robert Brigham’s inquiry, but Commissioner James Shaffer said two weeks ago the conference is leaning toward keeping itself aligned with private universities.

“I’m not worried about it (the loss of more schools),” Ponsetto said, “because we have the kind of institutions that don’t need the conference. If the conference were to fold, we would have some of the better independents. I’m not really shattered by our stability. If in 10 years it’s the same, we might consider disbanding. We’re in the formidable years.”

Pembroke-Jones was unavailable for comment because she did not return phone calls to her office.

The North Star has had a history of reshuffling its membership since it was formed in 1982. Original members Dayton, Marquette, Notre Dame and DePaul still remain for the upcoming season. Other originals Evansville, Detroit, Butler, Loyola, St. Louis and Xavier joined the MCC for the 1985-86 season when the MCC started a women’s league to go along with its men’s league.

Valparaiso just completed its first year in the North Star as an associate member. It will be a full-fledged member this season.