USF Men’s Soccer To Join MIAA In 2013

SIOUX FALLS, SD — The University of Sioux Falls men’s soccer program is proud to announce it will join the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association as an associate member beginning in the fall of 2013.

USF will replace departing Truman State, who will join the Great Lakes Valley Conference next season.

“Men’s soccer is on the rise in the MIAA,” stated MIAA Commissioner Dr. Bob Boerigter. “The addition of the Sioux Falls will keep the number of men’s programs sponsoring that sport at eight. In addition our teams will find competing in the outstanding University of Sioux Falls facilities, a fine experience.”

“We are very pleased and happy to be joining with the soccer playing members of the MIAA and the other affiliates to make MIAA men’s soccer one of the best leagues in the country,” said USF director of athletics Kevin Hesser. “It is a great honor to be invited to join a conference with a national reputation, strong regional presence and whose members reflect the same strong academic reputation and rich intercollegiate athletic traditions as USF.”

The Cougars, who were part of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference last season, will join Harding University, Southern Nazarene and Upper Iowa as affiliate members. MIAA members Lindenwood, Northeastern State, Fort Hays State and Southwest Baptist will make up the eight-team men’s soccer conference.

“I would really like to extend my thanks and appreciation to the GNAC,” said Hesser. “They extended us a home when we did not have one, and we were always treated with class and respect.”

USF will not be entering this new conference blind, as the Cougars played both Fort Hays State and Northeastern State last season.

“We are excited about becoming a member of the MIAA,” said second-year USF head coach Paul Bennett. “It will be a very solid conference with some great schools to compete against.”

“Our program is very excited for what the future will bring,” he added.

The MIAA’s eight members for 2013 will feature two programs that participated in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Those five programs also all had Top 25 RPI’s in the NCAA. Three (Northeastern State, Lindenwood and Fort Hays State) of the eight teams were ranked in the final NSCAA Coaches poll.

Lindenwood won both the 2012 regular season and conference tournament championships.

In 2013 MIAA men’s soccer teams will play a modified round robin schedule of 10 league games.  The top four regular season finishers qualify for the MIAA post-season tournament that will be held in Olathe, Kan., Nov. 7 and 9, 2013.

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Courtesy:  University of Sioux Falls