University of St. Thomas Kicked Out of MIAC Due to 'Competitive' Advantages

Success apparently came at a cost for the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

According to ESPN.com's Myron Medcalf, the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) kicked the Tommies out of the conference. Medcalf wrote the school's fans "publicly and privately have said they believe they're being punished for winning at a high level."

The MIAC issued a statement Wednesday regarding the decision:

"After extensive membership discussions, the University of St. Thomas will be involuntarily removed from membership in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). The MIAC Presidents' Council cites athletic competitive parity in the conference as a primary concern. St. Thomas will begin a multi-year transition immediately and meanwhile is eligible to compete as a full member of the MIAC through the end of spring 2021."

The Pioneer Press' John Shipley presented some figures to illustrate the gulf between St. Thomas and the rest of the MIAC.

The school's undergraduate enrollment (6,300) is more than double the next-highest conference rival. The Tommies have also captured over 50 percent of the MIAC titles across all sports during the past five years.

The gulf was particularly wide in football, on which Medcalf noted St. Thomas spends $1.1 million annually. St. Thomas went 6-2 in the MIAC in 2018, with its six wins coming by a combined score of 323-34. Saint John's ended St. Thomas' three-year MIAC title streak, which was only the third time since 2010 the Tommies failed to capture the conference championship.

St. Thomas athletic director Phil Esten told Shipley the school's dominance on the gridiron didn't single-handedly bring about its MIAC demise.

"There was not one sport, one game or one team—or one anything—that led to this," Esten said. "Everything I've heard focuses on a comprehensive common parity across the board."