It's been almost two years since I've lived in Minot. In such a short span, the city has changed significantly.

The addition of a Super Wal-Mart has really added to the development of the south side of town. A Barnes & Noble bookstore is finally coming in.

It's been less than four months since I've covered the University of Mary and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

The NSIC's landscape seems to be changing at a more rapid rate. Last Monday, it was decided that the NSIC would expand to 14 teams. North Central Conference schools Augustana College (Sioux Falls, S.D.), Minnesota State-Mankato, Saint Cloud (Minn.) State and Minnesota-Duluth were all welcomed into the conference.

The four schools will begin competing in the NSIC during the 2008-09 academic year. The NSIC will begin to discuss how the conference will conduct its scheduling at its annual spring meetings, which begin April 23.

University of Mary athletic director Al Bortke wasn't shy about stating that he believes the NSIC will turn into the top conference in the nation in NCAA Division II.

It's hard to argue with wise Al. He's been on this planet a lot longer than me. The coaches at U-Mary all agreed with their leader.

"Ithink it will make our conference a lot stronger than it already is," U-Mary women's basketball coach Fred Fridley said. "It is already a strong conference without those four teams. Now, show me a conference that's going to be better than the Northern Sun. With the addition of the four teams, it has solidified what the strength of the conference will be."

Men's basketball coach Juno Pintar echoed similar statements as Fridley.

"Our competition got a lot better,"Pintar said. "It might slow down our success level as we are making the move. We will be playing against four more good teams every year. It adds a lot more credability to our conference."

The NCC was always the highly regarded conference. With the NCC being defunct after next school year, perhaps the NSIC will eventually carry the same prestige.

Pintar believes it's overdue.

"Southwest Minnesota State got snubbed and didn't get in the regional playoffs,"Pintar said. "The NCC is the powerhouse conference and I believe the NSIC has caught up to the NCC. Now we have a better chance of being taken more seriously. I don't think we'll have teams like Southwest getting snubbed. Our conference will carry more weight in the regional rankings."

U-Mary football coach Myron Schulz sees some tough sledding for his team in the future. But, Schulz isn't balking at the challenges.

"They're all teams that have been trying to catch the Bison and the Sioux,"Schulz said. "It will up the ante. Their budgets are higher, they have a larger population base in their back yard and they have great traditions. It's only going to make us better."

Mike Thorson coached the U-Mary women's indoor track and field team to a conference title this past winter. The challenges of staying on top just multiplied, but Thorson's sleeves are rolled up and he's ready to go to work.

"The positives will outweigh the negatives,"Thorson said. "It's another challenge. If I'm not ready to accept the challenges, then I shouldn't be in coaching. It's a reason to get up and come to work the next day."

U-Mary volleyball coach Heidi Sunderland sees the competition level spiking (pun intended). Of the 14 teams the NSIC will field, six of them were in the top 25 in the nation this past season.

If those four schools weren't accepted into the NSIC, it would be easier for U-Mary to experience success in volleyball. But Sunderland is looking forward to watching her athletes respond to the elevated competition.

"Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa and Chicago have the best talents in volleyball and now it's in our back yard," Sunderland said. "Overall, I think it will be positive for our conference to have those schools. They are known around the nation. Volleyball will be one of the hardest sports in the conference. The level of volleyball is very high in the Midwest."

The U-Mary coaches have all seemed to welcome the challenge of putting a better product on the playing field. The Bismarck area could be in for a big treat when it comes to college sports.

"Ican't wait to get those schools in there and get them going,"Thorson said. "They will make everybody better. The track coaches in the NSIC said the University of Mary made everybody better. That's the way I look at it."

(Cindy Peterson is a Tribune sports writer.)