The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (MIAC) has announced that it will involuntarily remove the University of St. Thomas for competitive balance reasons.

St. Thomas, based in St. Paul, has won a total of 16 Division III National Championships between all of its sports. This past season, St. Thomas won conference championships in four men's sports and seven women's sports leading to another MIAC All-Sports trophy. The school has dominated the MIAC history books over the years.

Because of all the success, member of the MIAC have had enough and voted to involuntarily remove St. Thomas from the conference as of Spring 2021.

"BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- After extensive membership discussions, the University of St. Thomas will be involuntarily removed from membership in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). 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."

St. Thomas also released a statement echoing the conference statement. Tucked into the release was a link to a few questions that the school would be asked. In regards to if anything else could have been done to stay in the conference, St. Thomas says that other schools were threatening to leave if they didn't kick out the Tommies.

"Was there any possible option for St. Thomas to stay in the MIAC?

No. While St. Thomas was committed to staying, other MIAC presidents communicated their intentions to leave the conference if St. Thomas remained. There was consensus that the conference would cease to exist in its current form if St. Thomas remained."

The University of St. Thomas has said that they will start exploring other conferences immediately.

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