RELEASED:  Monday, December 15, 2008

WIAC Announces Addition of Finlandia University in Men’s Soccer

MADISON, Wis.--The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) announced  today that Finlandia University located in Hancock, Michigan will be joining the WIAC as an affiliate member in the sport  of men’s soccer effective with the 2009-10 academic year.

With the addition of Finlandia University, five institutions will be fielding men’s soccer teams in the WIAC including current conference members UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, UW-Superior and UW-Whitewater. 

“We are extremely pleased and fortunate to have an institution such as Finlandia University join our conference”, commented WIAC Commissioner Gary Karner.  “The addition of Finlandia elevates the sport of men’s soccer to championship status within the WIAC thereby providing our men’s soccer teams the opportunity to compete for a conference championship and for our student-athletes to vie for all-conference recognition and other individual honors”, added Karner.     

 “On behalf of Finlandia University and our men’s soccer program, we are positively ecstatic about our affiliate membership within the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference,” remarked Chris Salani director of athletics at Finlandia.   “Our association within arguably the strongest DIII athletics conference in the country will provide unprecedented opportunities for continued development of our men’s soccer program and provides our men’s soccer student-athletes a level of distinction and opportunity to be very proud of,” stated Salani.

The Lions are the fifth institution to gain admission into the WIAC as an affiliate member joining  Lawrence University for wrestling and Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.), Hamline University (Minn.) and Winona State University (Minn.) for women’s gymnastics.