Understanding the MIAC: History & D3 Recruiting
Founded in March 1920, the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) is one of the country's longstanding collegiate athletic conferences. Seven Minnesota colleges formed the conference after disagreements within the Tri-State Conference, which included schools from Minnesota and the Dakotas. Women's competition began in 1982, and the MIAC now includes 13 private colleges competing in 22 championship sports. The MIAC has a rich history of national success across Division III and NAIA play, with 52 team NCAA championships. Its member institutions have won national championships in sports ranging from football, basketball, and baseball to cross country, track and field, swimming and diving, tennis, golf, hockey, and softball.
Augsburg University (Minneapolis, Minn.)
Bethel University (Arden Hills, Minn.)
Carleton College (Northfield, Minn.)
Concordia College (Moorhead, Minn.)
Gustavus Adolphus College (St. Peter, Minn.)
Hamline University (St. Paul, Minn.)
Macalester College (St. Paul, Minn.)
College of Saint Benedict (St. Joseph, Minn.)
St. Catherine University (St. Paul, Minn.)
Saint John’s University (Collegeville, Minn.)
Saint Mary’s University (Winona, Minn.)
St. Olaf College (Northfield, Minn.)
The College of St. Scholastica (Duluth, Minn.)
The MIAC brings together 13 private colleges across Minnesota, pairing competitive Division III athletics with a range of academic programs and campus experiences. More than 70% of MIAC student-athletes come from Minnesota high schools, reflecting the conference’s strong regional roots. Recruits from neighboring states and beyond can also explore programs based on their academic interests, athletic goals, and preferred campus environment.
Like all D3 programs, MIAC schools don’t award athletic scholarships. Student-athletes may qualify for need-based financial aid, merit scholarships, and other institutional assistance.
Published annual costs vary considerably among MIAC colleges, so families should compare each school’s total cost of attendance with its estimated net price after grants and scholarships. Ask financial aid offices about award-renewal requirements, and use each school’s net price calculator to estimate your family’s cost.
Recruits should ask coaches about roster needs, position depth, training schedules, competition travel, and opportunities to pursue internships, study abroad, or other campus activities. Playing time and time commitments vary by team and sport, so conversations with coaches, current student-athletes, and admissions or financial aid staff can help families assess whether a program is the right fit.
The MIAC’s longstanding success extends across a wide range of sports, including baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, softball, tennis, golf, swimming and diving, and track and field.
Overall, the conference has tallied 52 team national titles: 38 in NCAA competition and 14 in NAIA competition. Saint John’s has won two national football championships in 1976 and 2003, along with two earlier NAIA titles. Carleton College women’s cross country captured the D3 championship in 2023, while St. Olaf won the men’s soccer national championship that same year.
Barry Bennett Football/Wrestling, Concordia College (‘78)
Barry Bennett excelled on the gridiron and in heavyweight wrestling. He won three national heavyweight wrestling championships (one NCAA title in 1978 and two NAIA titles in 1976 and 1977) and earned All-America recognition in football. The New Orleans Saints selected him in the third round of the 1978 NFL Draft, launching an 11-season professional career that also included time with the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings.
Kris Kuehl, Track & Field, Concordia College (‘92)
Kris Kuehl won three consecutive NCAA Division III women’s discus championships from 1990 through 1992, setting the Division III championship record with a throw of 55.02 meters in 1992. She later represented the United States in the discus at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and won the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2002. Her collegiate record remains one of Concordia track and field’s defining accomplishments.
Devean George, Basketball, Augsburg University (‘99)
George earned MIAC Most Valuable Player honors twice and helped lead the Auggies to consecutive NCAA Division III tournament appearances. He also made history when the Los Angeles Lakers selected him 23rd overall in the 1999 NBA Draft, making him the first NCAA Division III player selected in the first round. George played 630 regular-season NBA games over 11 seasons and won three consecutive NBA championships with the Lakers (2000-02).
Amelia Campbell, Track & Field, Carleton College (‘16)
Amelia Campbell became one of D3’s premier multi-event athletes, winning the NCAA indoor pentathlon and outdoor heptathlon championships in 2014 before capturing a second outdoor heptathlon title in 2016. Her 2014 indoor pentathlon performance broke the championship-meet record by nearly 100 points. A three-time USTFCCCA National Field Athlete of the Year and four-time All-American, Campbell was inducted into Carleton’s ‘C’ Club Hall of Fame this year.
