Volleyball

2022 MIAC Volleyball Season Preview

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) volleyball teams are back on the court and ready for the 2022 season.

The regular season officially gets underway on Thursday, September 1. MIAC squads will experience a tour of the country during the first two weeks of the year, with non-conference matches scheduled across eleven states including, California, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin. Eight MIAC teams will also get a shot at the national champs with Augsburg, Bethel, Gustavus, Hamline, Macalester, Saint Benedict, St. Catherine, and St. Scholastica all set to square off with the defending NCAA Division III national champion UW-Eau Claire Blugolds in 2022.

Augsburg and Saint Mary’s will match up in the first conference action of the season on Tuesday, September 13. The regular season will run through Saturday, October 29. The top six teams in the conference standings at the end of the regular season will move on to the 2022 MIAC Volleyball Playoffs. The playoffs will begin with two quarterfinal contests on Wednesday, November 1, followed by a pair of semifinal matches on Thursday, November 3. The 2022 MIAC Volleyball Playoff Championship is set for Saturday, November 5, with the winner securing the conference's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament. The 2022 NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship is scheduled for November 17-19, 2022 at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh, Pa.
2021 FINAL STANDINGS
*#%Gustavus (27-6, 10-1)
*%Bethel (23-7, 10-1)
Hamline (20-8, 9-2)
St. Olaf (14-13, 8-3)
Augsburg (15-13, 6-5)
Saint Benedict (7-14, 5-6)
St. Catherine (12-13, 5-6)
Macalester (13-12, 4-7)
Saint Mary’s (7-20, 3-8)
St. Scholastica (4-13, 3-8)
Concordia (9-17, 2-9)
Carleton (6-20, 1-10)

*MIAC Regular Season Champion
#MIAC Playoff Champion
%NCAA Championship Participant
RULE CHANGES
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel (PROP) reviewed and approved a handful of rule changes over the winter. Among the rules in effect this season is that the head coach will be the only person allowed to address the officials when the ball is out of play. Head coaches may address the referees to quickly clarify a nonjudgmental ruling, request a challenge or lodge a protest. In addition to that rule change, the NCAA also affirmed that players will be allowed to wear small, secured articles of jewelry, like post stud earrings, during play. However, no articles of jewelry can be worn below the chin.

MIAC scheduling policy also saw a change in the offseason, as conference matches on Saturdays are now permitted to begin at 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM, or 7:00 PM, at the discretion of the host institution. Match times must be declared in January; any changes after the declaration deadline will go through the standard conference change-of-schedule process.
NEW MIAC WEBSITE & APP
The MIAC launched a refreshed website and new mobile app over the summer through a new multi-year partnership with SIDEARM Sports. The updated website design is intended to be more user-friendly and interactive for student-athletes, parents, alumni, and fans, featuring easy access to stories, schedules, results, standings, and championship information. The new mobile app is free to fans and can be downloaded on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android devices. The MIAC's previous "Front Row" app will be retired and no longer update as of the 2022-23 academic year.
AWARD WATCH
The 2022 MIAC Volleyball All-Conference honors will be voted on by MIAC coaches at the conclusion of the regular season. In addition to a 22-player All-MIAC squad and any honorable mention recipients, coaches will also select individual recipients for the MIAC Offensive, Defensive, Rookie, and Coach of the Year awards.

Throughout the regular season, the MIAC will recognize top individual performances with the MIAC Volleyball Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week awards. Athlete of the Week awards will begin on Tuesday, September 6 and be announced each Monday after, through the end of the regular season. During the week following the MIAC Playoffs, participating coaches will also select a seven-player All-Playoff Team in recognition of outstanding performances throughout the conference tournament.
LOOKING AHEAD
AVCA Preseason Rankings: No. 19 Gustavus, No. 20 Bethel, RV Augsburg
First Non-Conference Match Date: Thursday, September 1
First Conference Match Date: Tuesday, September 13
MIAC Playoffs: Tuesday, November 1 (Quarterfinals), Thursday, November 3 (Semifinals), Saturday, November 5 (Championship)
Season Links: Standings | Schedule | News | Statistics | Athletes of the Week | Playoffs | Record Book