Eastern Illinois and South Dakota State will start competing in the Mid-Continent Conference, the conference announced Thursday. SDSU which was formerly associated with the North Central Conference recently made the jump to Division I was without a conference following the move of the Mid-Con meet to February and the demise of the NIC Championships. Eastern has been an independent since 1997.

"We are delighted to add Eastern Illinois and South Dakota State as associate members in men's and women's swimming and diving," said Tom Douple, Mid-Continent Commissioner. "These two new members will enhance the championship with additional participants, coaches and spectators."

SDSU and Eastern Illinois accepted invitations to join the conference as associate members. The schools will begin competing in men's and women's conference matches immediately and will participate in the 2006 Mid-Con Swimming and Diving Championships in Indianapolis in February.

"We're pleased to be invited to compete in the Mid-Continent Conference, and be involved again in a very competitive conference championship meet," said EIU Coach Ray Padovan, who is in his 40th year as men's coach and 27th as the women's coach.

The conference's swimming members are: Centenary College of Louisanna, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Oakland University, Valparaiso University and Western Illinois University. Non swimming members include Chicago State, Missouri-Kansas City, Oral Roberts, and Southern Utah.