DENVER-- The Western Athletic Conference announced today that an invitation for affiliate membership has been issued to and accepted by the University of North Dakota to join the conference in baseball starting with the 2013-14 academic year.

"We are honored to have been invited to join the Western Athletic Conference in baseball," UND Director of Athletics Brian Faison said. "This conference affiliation will provide our baseball program with an exciting home for the future."

North Dakota joins fellow current-Great West Conference members Chicago State, Northern Colorado, Texas-Pan American and Utah Valley as additions to the WAC for next season.

"I'm thrilled to be going into a league that has a name as prestigious as the WAC," said UND Head Baseball Coach Jeff Dodson. "This is a great day for UND Baseball."

UND already has a relationship with the WAC as the women's swimming team is an affiliate member in its second season in the league. The addition will give the WAC a total of 10 teams for baseball as North Dakota will join CSU Bakersfield, Chicago State, Grand Canyon, New Mexico State, Northern Colorado, Sacramento State, Seattle U, Texas-Pan American and Utah Valley in 2014.

UND opens its 2013 campaign in a week, heading to Minneapolis for a four-game set with Mount Marty College Feb. 18-19.