Women’s gymnastics to join Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2024-25

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) will add Simpson College as an affiliate member in women's gymnastics beginning with the 2024-25 academic year.

"We are pleased to add Simpson College as our ninth member in women's gymnastics," said WIAC Commissioner Danielle Harris. "Simpson's membership strengthens our conference and provides their student-athletes with a championship experience."

Simpson, which conducted its inaugural season during the 2022-23 academic year, will join conference members University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wis.-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stout and UW-Whitewater, along with affiliate institutions Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.), Hamline University (Minn.) and Winona State University (Minn.).

"We are thrilled for Simpson women's gymnastics to be joining the WIAC as an affiliate member," said head coach Emily Barrett Payne. "Being able to compete for a conference championship will elevate our student-athletes' experience and our program as a whole. We are incredibly excited for this opportunity and look forward to all the excitement ahead as a member of the WIAC!"

Simpson returns 14 gymnasts from last year's roster and added eight new faces to the 2024 squad, which kicks off the season on Jan. 12 in La Crosse, Wis. The Storm will compete against six WIAC programs throughout the year.

"Conference affiliation is a critical component in creating stability and competitive experiences for our student-athletes," said Director of Athletics Marty Bell. "We are sincerely grateful the WIAC is providing our young program with this opportunity."

ABOUT THE WIAC
The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) competes at the NCAA Division III level and is the ninth-oldest conference in the NCAA. The conference celebrated its 100th year in 2012-13 and is widely recognized as the premier Division III conference in the country as evident by the number of NCAA championships captured annually by WIAC teams and the overall finish of WIAC institutions in the Division III Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings.