ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP)--Rodeo is returning as a club sport at Northern State University, which hasn't had an active rodeo club since the 1960s.

The idea of adding rodeo came up last spring in an effort to attract more students with the closing of Si Tanka University in Huron, which had a rodeo team. There are three team members now--none of whom are Si Tanka transfers.

Because rodeo is a club sport, the team doesn't get money from the NSU athletic department. All money for expenses comes from the students or from sponsors, donations and fundraising.

The team also needs a rodeo arena.

"We have practice facilities, but we don't have a rodeo arena," said rodeo director Stacey Sanborn. "We couldn't host a rodeo unless it were early fall or late spring where it would be warm enough to hold one outside. We really need an arena that will have dirt all the time, so we can practice year-round and host rodeos when we need to."

The club practices at a private stable outside of Aberdeen.