News & Links 8/19/2025 10:00:00 AM MIAC programs ready for 2025-26 season BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- The permanent adoption of a pair of national policies and a trial change to the playoff streaming model are among the numerous adjustments and initiatives approved by Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) coaches and administrators ahead of the 2025-26 academic year. Following a two-year trial to match NCAA Division III bylaws, conference membership has voted to permanently align its eligibility and playing & practice season policies with the national body’s standards in those areas. The policy adoption will ensure equitable athletic participation opportunities for student-athletes across all sports and reflects a changing landscape in both higher education and college athletics. Related to that changing landscape, the conference will also pilot a one-year trial to utilize a pay-per-view model for playoff contests in the sports of volleyball, soccer, basketball, hockey, baseball, and softball during the 2025-26 season. Individual playoff contests will be available to stream for $10 each, or $25 for a sport-specific playoff pass. The trial will not impact streams for regular-season contests and will be evaluated by administrators at the end of the academic year. As part of the conference’s ongoing strategic plan, the MIAC has launched a mentorship program for coaches and administrators. This initiative will aim to help individuals new to the conference quickly acclimate to rules and expectations, while also providing opportunities for guidance and networking to those pursuing career advancement. In addition to conference-wide changes, numerous coaches' groups approved adjustments to tiebreakers for their respective playoffs and championships. Updated tiebreaker criteria can be found on the championship pages for men’s basketball, men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s soccer, and women’s soccer, as well as on the football tiebreaker page. Several other policy changes of consequence have been approved and implemented by MIAC membership ahead of the upcoming academic year: Men’s Basketball Tiebreakers: Men’s basketball coaches added a “point differential between tied teams” tiebreaker to be utilized before a coin flip when breaking ties in seeding the conference playoffs. Football Post-Daylight Saving Time Kickoff: Games played after Daylight Saving Time ends will kick off at noon, unless the host institution has approved lights and declares to play later. Future Schedules: The MIAC will return to a full single round-robin schedule beginning in 2025, and future schedules were approved through the 2034 season. Film Standards & Exchange: Football coaches revised best practices and expectations for filming and sharing game film. Tiebreakers: Tiebreakers were updated to fit the revised schedule format. Golf Tiebreakers: Language was clarified for the tiebreakers used to seed team pairings during the MIAC Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships. Soccer Headsets: Each institution will utilize a set of three headsets for soccer officials to improve the communication of critical information throughout the game. Pre-Game Protocol: Soccer coaches approved pre-game protocol to ensure clarity and consistency throughout the conference. Tiebreakers: Both men’s and women’s soccer coaches updated their respective sport’s tiebreaker criteria for playoff seeding. Swimming & Diving Medical Replacement Policy: The deadline for medical replacements at the conference championship was extended until noon on the first day of the meet. Volleyball Pre-Match Protocol: Volleyball coaches approved pre-match protocol to ensure clarity and consistency throughout the conference. Future MIAC postseason dates, hosts, and venues for the next three years have also been approved and can be viewed here.