The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) is a NCAA Division III hockey conference that began playing men’s hockey in the 1919-20 season, and began playing women’s hockey in the 1998-99 season.  The MIAC is an all-sport NCAA Division III conference that was first established in 1920.

 

Current Membership

Men’s (9 schools)

Women’s (10 schools)

History

Men’s

The MIAC is one of the oldest, most historic collegiate conferences in the country, and many schools began playing as an alliance months before the conference was born, over a century ago.  In March of 1920, the MIAC was officially formed with local Minnesota schools, with several more to follow in the coming years.  Men’s hockey was one of the conference’s original sports, as they’ve become a top-notch league in a variety of other sports as well.

In the conference’s first years playing men’s hockey, not every school was able to play a full schedule against all opponents, so conference champions were not declared for these seasons.  However, in the 1927-28 season, full schedules were able to be played going forward.  During World War II, hockey seasons were not played, as many players fought in the war.

After WWII, the MIAC remained remarkably consistent in its membership for a long time, playing competitively against some of the other larger schools in the area, while the landscape of college athletics changed.  As we approached the 1980’s and 1990’s, the MIAC received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament immediately, and have kept it to this day.  No hockey conference has seen the stability of the MIAC, and they have over a century’s worth of history to prove it.

Timeline

  • 1919-20: (4) Hamline, Macalester, St. Olaf, St. Thomas
    • Four of the seven founding members of the MIAC sponsor men’s hockey, and play an unofficial season against the others, months before the conference is officially founded.
  • 1921-22: (5) Concordia, Hamline, Macalester, St. Olaf, St. Thomas
    • Concordia College of Moorhead, Minnesota joins the league after the first two seasons of play, giving the MIAC a western outpost, and launches men’s hockey.
  • 1924-25: (6) Augsburg, Concordia, Hamline, Macalester, St. Olaf, St. Thomas
    • Augsburg College (now University) joins the conference as the 6th member, and launches men’s hockey.
  • 1926-27: (7) Augsburg, Concordia, Hamline, Macalester, Saint Mary’s, St. Olaf, St. Thomas
    • Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota joins the conference and becomes the league’s seventh hockey-playing member.
  • 1932-33: (8) Augsburg, Concordia, Hamline, Macalester, Saint John’s, Saint Mary’s, St. Olaf, St. Thomas
    • Founding MIAC Member Saint John’s launches men’s hockey and begins play.
  • 1936-37: (9) Augsburg, Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, Macalester, Saint John’s, Saint Mary’s, St. Olaf, St. Thomas
    • Founding MIAC Member Gustavus Adolphus College launches men’s hockey and begins play.
  • 1942-43 – 1945-46:
    • The conference did not sponsor any sports from the fall of 1943 until the spring of 1945 due to ongoing World War II. However, due to the makeup of athletes, hockey stopped playing even earlier due to players leaving to enlist.
  • 1949-50: (10) Augsburg, Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, Macalester, Minnesota-Duluth, Saint John’s, Saint Mary’s, St. Olaf, St. Thomas
    • The University of Minnesota-Duluth joins the MIAC as an all-sports member, coming over from the independent ranks for hockey.
  • 1950-51: (9) Augsburg, Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, Macalester, Minnesota-Duluth, Saint John’s, Saint Mary’s, St. Thomas
    • Founding member St. Olaf College exits the conference to become an independent athletics program.
  • 1960-61: (8) Augsburg, Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, Macalester, Saint John’s, Saint Mary’s, St. Thomas
    • After just twelve seasons, UM-Duluth exits the conference, rejoining the independent ranks for hockey.
  • 1974-75: (9) Augsburg, Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, Macalester, Saint John’s, Saint Mary’s, St. Olaf, St. Thomas
    • Founding member St. Olaf rejoins the conference for all-sports, after initially leaving in 1950.
  • 1975-76: (8) Augsburg, Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, Saint John’s, Saint Mary’s, St. Olaf, St. Thomas
    • Sadly, founding member Macalester drops their men’s hockey program to the club level, where it remains today, leaving the conference with eight.
  • 1978-79: (9) Augsburg, Bethel, Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, Saint John’s, Saint Mary’s, St. Olaf, St. Thomas
    • Bethel College (now University) joins the conference, and launches men’s hockey.
  • 2021-22: (9) Augsburg, Bethel, Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, Saint John’s, Saint Mary’s, St. Olaf, St. Scholastica
    • In a controversial and widely-debated decision, St. Thomas was removed from the conference following a conference-wide vote, citing competitive balance as the main reason for the decision.  St. Thomas was allowed to make an unprecedented move, going straight from D-III to D-I.  This was allowed given the circumstances and the MIAC going to bat for UST when persuading the NCAA to allow it.
    • The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN joins the conference with St. Thomas’ exit.  The school previously played hockey in the NCHA.

Women’s

While the MIAC goes back over 100 years for men’s hockey, the women’s hockey seen in this league has plenty of history in its past as well.  As women’s hockey was starting to pop up across the country, the MIAC was ahead of its time, first sponsoring the sport for the 1998-99 season.

Many teams had started either varsity or club programs in the previous handful of years, and had played in the Midwestern Collegiate Women’s Hockey Alliance, often against one another and other larger midwestern universities that started women’s teams.

Over the last few decades, the MIAC has become one of the stronger leagues in the sport of women’s hockey, featuring numerous elite programs and a very competitive league top-to-bottom.

Timeline

  • 1998-99: (6) Augsburg, Gustavus, Saint Benedict, Saint Mary’s, St. Catherine, St. Thomas
    • The women’s league is started with two founding members (Augsburg &St. Thomas), two long-time members (Gustavus & Saint Mary’s), and two women’s-only schools that joined the league in the mid-1980’s (Saint Benedict & St. Catherine).
    • The league holds its first conference tournament in its first season, called the “Augsburg Invitational,” although not formally recognized by the MIAC due to the separate branding.
  • 1999-00: (8) Augsburg, Bethel, Concordia, Gustavus, Saint Benedict, Saint Mary’s, St. Catherine, St. Thomas
    • After a successful first season, members Bethel and Concordia launch women’s hockey at the varsity level, joining the MIAC.
  • 2000-01: (10) Augsburg, Bethel, Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, Saint Benedict, Saint Mary’s, St. Catherine, St. Olaf, St. Thomas
    • MIAC members Hamline and St. Olaf launch varsity women’s hockey, as membership grows to ten.
    • After just two seasons, the MIAC reaches its long-time lineup of schools in extremely short time.
  • 2021-22: (10) Augsburg, Bethel, Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, Saint Benedict, Saint Mary’s, St. Catherine, St. Olaf, St. Scholastica
    • As stated above, St. Thomas was removed from the conference following a conference-wide vote, citing competitive balance as the main reason for the decision.  St. Thomas was allowed to make an unprecedented move, going straight from D-III to D-I, as the MIAC and NCAA helped facilitate the move given the circumstances.
    • The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN joins the conference with St. Thomas’ exit.  The school previously played hockey in the NCHA.

Season by Season Results

Men’s

SeasonRegular Season ChampionsConference Tournament ChampionsNCAA Tournament Teams

Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC)
1919-20No formal league playNo TournamentNo Tournament
1920-21No formal league playNo TournamentNo Tournament
1921-22No formal league playNo TournamentNo Tournament
1922-23Hamline, Macalester, St. ThomasNo TournamentNo Tournament
1923-24No formal league playNo TournamentNo Tournament
1924-25No formal league playNo TournamentNo Tournament
1925-26No formal league playNo TournamentNo Tournament
1926-27No formal league playNo TournamentNo Tournament
1927-28AugsburgNo TournamentNo Tournament
1928-29Saint Mary'sNo TournamentNo Tournament
1929-30MacalesterNo TournamentNo Tournament
1930-31MacalesterNo TournamentNo Tournament
1931-32Hamline, MacalesterNo TournamentNo Tournament
1932-33MacalesterNo TournamentNo Tournament
1933-34St. ThomasNo TournamentNo Tournament
1934-35Saint John'sNo TournamentNo Tournament
1935-36MacalesterNo TournamentNo Tournament
1936-37MacalesterNo TournamentNo Tournament
1937-38St. Olaf, St. ThomasNo TournamentNo Tournament
1938-39Macalester, St. OlafNo TournamentNo Tournament
1939-40St. ThomasNo TournamentNo Tournament
1940-41St. ThomasNo TournamentNo Tournament
1941-42St. ThomasNo TournamentNo Tournament
1942-43No League Play (WWII)No TournamentNo Tournament
1943-44No League Play (WWII)No TournamentNo Tournament
1944-45No League Play (WWII)No TournamentNo Tournament
1945-46No League Play (WWII)No TournamentNo Tournament
1946-47St. ThomasNo TournamentNo Tournament
1947-48HamlineNo TournamentNo Tournament
1948-49St. ThomasNo TournamentNo Tournament
1949-50Macalester, Saint John'sNo TournamentNo Tournament
1950-51Macalester, St. ThomasNo TournamentNo Tournament
1951-52St. ThomasNo TournamentNo Tournament
1952-53UM-Duluth, St. ThomasNo TournamentNo Tournament
1953-54UM-DuluthNo TournamentNo Tournament
1954-55UM-DuluthNo TournamentNo Tournament
1955-56UM-DuluthNo TournamentNo Tournament
1956-57UM-DuluthNo TournamentNo Tournament
1957-58UM-DuluthNo TournamentNo Tournament
1958-59UM-DuluthNo TournamentNo Tournament
1959-60UM-DuluthNo TournamentNo Tournament
1960-61UM-DuluthNo TournamentNo Tournament
1961-62MacalesterNo TournamentNo Tournament
1962-63MacalesterNo TournamentNo Tournament
1963-64Saint Mary'sNo TournamentNo Tournament
1964-65Saint Mary'sNo TournamentNo Tournament
1965-66GustavusNo TournamentNo Tournament
1966-67GustavusNo TournamentNo Tournament
1967-68GustavusNo TournamentGustavus (NAIA)
1968-69GustavusNo TournamentGustavus (NAIA)
1969-70GustavusNo TournamentGustavus (NAIA)
1970-71GustavusNo TournamentAugsburg, Gustavus (NAIA)
1971-72GustavusNo TournamentGustavus, St. Thomas (NAIA)
1972-73GustavusNo TournamentAugsburg, Gustavus (NAIA)
1973-74St. ThomasNo TournamentConcordia, Gustavus, St. Thomas (NAIA)
1974-75GustavusNo TournamentAugsburg, Gustavus, St. Thomas (NAIA)
1975-76GustavusNo TournamentAugsburg, Gustavus (NAIA)
1976-77Augsburg, GustavusNo TournamentAugsburg, Gustavus (NAIA)
1977-78AugsburgNo TournamentAugsburg, Gustavus, St. Thomas (NAIA)
1978-79AugsburgNo TournamentAugsburg, Concordia, Gustavus (NAIA)
1979-80AugsburgNo TournamentAugsburg, Concordia, St. Olaf, St. Thomas (NAIA)
1980-81Augsburg, ConcordiaNo TournamentConcordia (D-II), Augsburg, Saint Mary's, St. Olaf, St. Thomas (NAIA)
1981-82AugsburgNo TournamentGustavus (D-II), Augsburg, Bethel, Hamline (NAIA)
1982-83St. ThomasNo TournamentGustavus (D-II)
1983-84GustavusNo TournamentAugsburg, St. Thomas
1984-85St. ThomasNo TournamentSt. Thomas
1985-86St. ThomasSt. Thomas* (unofficial tournament)St. Thomas
1986-87ConcordiaConcordiaConcordia
1987-88Saint Mary'sSt. ThomasSt. Thomas
1988-89St. ThomasSaint Mary'sSaint Mary's
1989-90St. ThomasGustavusGustavus, St. Thomas
1990-91St. ThomasGustavusGustavus
1991-92St. ThomasSt. ThomasSt. Thomas
1992-93Gustavus, St. ThomasGustavusGustavus
1993-94St. ThomasSt. ThomasSt. Thomas
1994-95St. ThomasSaint Mary'sSaint Mary's
1995-96Saint John'sSaint John'sSaint John's
1996-97Saint John'sSaint John'sSaint John's
1997-98Augsburg, St. ThomasAugsburgAugsburg
1998-99St. ThomasSt. ThomasSt. Thomas
1999-00St. ThomasConcordiaConcordia, St. Thomas
2000-01St. ThomasSaint John'sSaint John's
2001-02St. ThomasSt. ThomasSt. Thomas
2002-03Saint John'sSaint John'sSaint John's
2003-04Saint John'sSt. ThomasSt. Thomas
2004-05Saint John'sSt. ThomasSaint John's, St. Thomas
2005-06St. ThomasSt. OlafSt. Olaf
2006-07BethelBethelBethel
2007-08HamlineSt. ThomasSt. Thomas
2008-09St. OlafGustavusGustavus
2009-10GustavusSt. ThomasGustavus, St. Thomas
2010-11HamlineHamlineHamline
2011-12St. ThomasGustavusGustavus, St. Thomas
2012-13Saint John's, St. ThomasSaint John'sSaint John's
2013-14St. ThomasSt. ThomasSt. Thomas
2014-15St. ThomasHamlineHamline
2015-16AugsburgAugsburgAugsburg
2016-17St. ThomasAugsburgAugsburg
2017-18St. ThomasAugsburgAugsburg
2018-19AugsburgAugsburgAugsburg
2019-20Saint John'sSt. ThomasSt. Thomas
2020-21

Only partial schedule played due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22AugsburgSt. OlafAugsburg, St. Olaf
2022-23St. ScholasticaAugsburgAugsburg
2023-24AugsburgSt. OlafSt. Olaf
2024-25GustavusGustavusGustavus
2025-26Saint John'sSaint John'sSaint John's

Women’s

SeasonRegular Season ChampionsConference Tournament ChampionsNCAA Tournament Teams

Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC)
1998-99Augsburg, Gustavus, Saint Mary'sGustavus* (unofficial tournament)No Tournament
1999-00Augsburg, Saint Mary'sAugsburgAugsburg (AWCHA)
2000-01GustavusGustavusGustavus, Saint Mary's (AWCHA)
2001-02GustavusSaint Mary'sGustavus, Saint Mary's
2002-03St. ThomasSt. ThomasSt. Thomas
2003-04St. ThomasGustavusGustavus
2004-05GustavusGustavusGustavus
2005-06GustavusGustavusGustavus
2006-07GustavusGustavusGustavus
2007-08GustavusGustavusGustavus
2008-09GustavusGustavusGustavus
2009-10GustavusGustavusGustavus
2010-11GustavusGustavusGustavus
2011-12GustavusGustavusConcordia, Gustavus
2012-13GustavusGustavusGustavus
2013-14St. ThomasSt. ThomasSt. Thomas
2014-15GustavusSt. ThomasSt. Thomas
2015-16Bethel, St. ThomasSt. ThomasSt. Thomas
2016-17GustavusSt. ThomasGustavus, St. Thomas
2017-18Gustavus, St. ThomasHamlineGustavus, Hamline
2018-19St. ThomasSt. ThomasHamline, St. Thomas
2019-20GustavusGustavusGustavus
2020-21

Only partial schedule played due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22GustavusGustavusGustavus
2022-23GustavusGustavusGustavus
2023-24GustavusGustavusGustavus
2024-25AugsburgAugsburgAugsburg, Gustavus
2025-26AugsburgSaint BenedictAugsburg, Hamline, Saint Benedict

Championships by School

Men’s

SchoolRegular Season TitlesTournament Titles
St. Thomas34 (7 shared)12*
Gustavus15 (2 shared)6
Augsburg12 (3 shared)6
Macalester12 (5 shared0
Saint John's10 (2 shared)6
Minnesota-Duluth9 (1 shared)0
Hamline5 (2 shared)2
Saint Mary's42
St. Olaf3 (2 shared)3
Concordia2 (1 shared)2
Bethel11
St. Scholastica10

Women’s

SchoolRegular Season TitlesTournament Titles
Gustavus19 (2 shared)16*
St. Thomas6 (2 shared)6
Augsburg4 (2 shared)2
Saint Mary's2 (2 shared)1
Bethel1 (1 shared)0
Hamline01
Saint Benedict01

See Also