MIAC Release

The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced several changes to its COVID-19 protocols on Thursday.

Changes were proposed by the conference's Athletic Directors' Council and approved by the Presidents' Council following guidance adjustments from the NCAA and Minnesota Department of Health this month.

Effective immediately, all conference games unable to be played as scheduled due to COVID-19-impacted rosters will be declared no-contests instead of forfeits. This policy shall also be retroactive to previous results throughout the 2021-22 MIAC winter sports schedule, as any previous forfeits will be declared no-contests. Conference games will not be rescheduled in order to avoid compacting the schedule with multiple games in a limited amount of days, though institutions will reserve the autonomy to schedule or reschedule conference teams in non-conference games (within the NCAA allowed limit) as they see fit.

Conference standings in men's and women's basketball will now shift to be sorted by winning percentage instead of wins, while standings in men's and women's hockey will use a points percentage system (standings points earned divided by standings points possible). Teams must play at least 60 percent of their scheduled conference games to be eligible for the regular-season MIAC championship in hockey and basketball.

Due to the already significant number of canceled games due to COVID-19 protocols this winter, MIAC membership also approved the conference basketball and hockey playoffs to become "All-Comers Tournaments" this season. All MIAC basketball and hockey teams will be eligible to participate in the single-elimination playoffs, with specific playoff dates and details to be determined in the coming weeks.