University Of St. Thomas Will Be Kicked Out Of The MIAC

SAINT PAUL, MN — In a drastic move, the University of St. Thomas will be forced to leave the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. St. Thomas was a founding member of the MIAC, which began in 1920.

The university will be removed at the end of spring 2021. The conference Wednesday cited St. Thomas' dominance in sports as a reason for the move.

"After extensive membership discussions, the University of St. Thomas will be involuntarily removed from membership in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference," the MIAC said in a statement.

"The MIAC Presidents' Council cites athletic competitive parity in the conference as a primary concern. St. Thomas will begin a multi-year transition immediately and meanwhile is eligible to compete as a full member of the MIAC through the end of spring 2021. St. Thomas is one of seven founding members of the MIAC and will leave the conference in good standing with a long and appreciated history of academic and athletic success."

"Today is a difficult day for our community," St. Thomas President Julie Sullivan said in a statement reacting to the news.

"St. Thomas expended tremendous effort to remain in the MIAC and stabilize the conference. However, the presidents came to a consensus that the conference itself would cease to exist in its current form if St. Thomas remained."

Sullivan added that while "this decision is extremely disappointing, we will continue to prioritize the welfare and overall experience of our student-athletes. They embrace and represent both academic and athletic excellence and are important contributors to our university’s culture. Additionally, our coaches share the values of advancing comprehensive excellence and are among the best in the country."

The future of St. Thomas Athletics

Following the decision Wednesday, St. Thomas said it will "immediately begin a deliberative process to explore other conferences."

The university added that the "strength of our athletic programs, our institutional commitment to excellence and our location in the metro area will make us an attractive candidate to other conferences. While our athletic conference will change, one thing will not: our commitment to both academic and athletic excellence."

Historic Tommie-Johnnie rivalry

The annual Tommie-Johnnie football game will played once again this fall at Allianz Field in Saint Paul. "We would like to find a way for this historic rivalry to continue into the future," St. Thomas said Wednesday.

Local sports fans and media members were shocked by the move.