MADISON, Wis.--The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) announced today that Finlandia University will be joining the WIAC as an affiliate member in the sport of baseball effective immediately.



With the addition of Finlandia University, the WIAC will have seven institutions sponsoring baseball to include current conference members UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout and UW-Whitewater.



“We are extremely pleased and fortunate to have an institution with the outstanding academic profile and competitive baseball program of Finlandia University join our conference”, commented WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner. “The addition of Finlandia is an extremely positive development for both Finlandia and the WIAC,” added Karner.



“I would like to thank Commissioner Karner, the WIAC Directors of Athletics, and the WIAC Chancellors for their support throughout this process. This is a tremendous opportunity for our baseball student-athletes and coaches to compete against like institutions on a regular basis. We will now have the ability to stabilize our team travel to provide our student-athletes a true Division III experience, including a regular season conference schedule which we have lacked”, stated Finlandia University director of athletics, Curtis Wittenberg.



"I'm excited that our program is joining the WIAC," said Finlandia University head coach Evan Brandt. "There's something special about the history and tradition of the WIAC. We're going to take on some of the best teams in the country and that will be a challenge for us. At the same time, our players are excited to meet that challenge head on."



The WIAC is comprised of eight institutions from the University of Wisconsin System competing at the NCAA Division III level to include UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout and UW-Whitewater. The conference also has affiliate members in the sports of women’s gymnastics (Gustavus Adolphus College, Hamline University, Winona State University) and men’s and women’s ice hockey (UW-Superior) (Northland College - beginning in 2019-20).