Kearney, Neb. - Officials at the University of Nebraska at Kearney today announced that they will seek admission to the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).
UNK has asked the University of Nebraska Board of Regents for support of the application to the MIAA. Consideration of the request will be an agenda item when the board meets Tuesday, Aug. 17, at Varner Hall in Lincoln.
With the support of the board, UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen will submit a letter to the MIAA, formally applying for membership. The MIAA will then begin consideration of the application, which will include site visits and an inventory of the UNK athletic department. Acceptance into the new conference, which requires a vote of the CEO Council of the MIAA, would be effective with the 2012-13 school year.
"The change in athletic conference is in the best interest of our campus," Chancellor Kristensen said. "We have the opportunity to join an outstanding conference and reduce travel burdens."
UNK Athletic Director Jon McBride added, "Our primary goal is to improve student athlete welfare by reducing long bus rides and the number of missed classes. In addition, many people are familiar with schools in the MIAA and will be excited to renew old rivalries."
UNK has been a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) since 1994, winning the RMAC All-Sports Trophy for 13 of the last 15 years. There are 14 schools in the RMAC, ranging geographically from Nebraska to western Colorado to southern New Mexico .
The MIAA, founded in 1912, consists of 12 members located in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, and includes the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Three other schools -- Central Oklahoma (Edmond, Okla.), Northeastern State (Tahlequah, Okla.) and Lindendwood (St. Charles, Mo.) -- are also seeking MIAA membership. If UNK and these institutions receive bids, that would push MIAA membership to 16 schools.