The University of St. Thomas, a private school based in St. Paul, has been a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) for nearly a century. They have an undergraduate population of over six thousand, which is more than the other schools (most of them in smaller towns) in the conference.
UST has also been a powerhouse in Division III athletics, having won several conference and national championships in various sports. Which is also more than other schools in the MIAC.
The problem for St. Thomas, as far as the MIAC is concerned, is that so much winning tends to breed resentment. Their football team, for example, has blown away the competition as often as James Holzhauer keeps setting records as a contestant on "Jeopardy!" (he's up to over $2.2 million in winnings as of 5/28/19). A 97-0 shutout of St. Olaf immediately comes to mind.
So the MIAC announced last week that St. Thomas has been "involuntarily removed" from the conference, effective in 2021. That meant they were kicked out for too many victories, too many blowouts, and too many students enrolled. The MIAC hasn't publicly said why, but one could guess.
This is the same conference whose members have the least creative nicknames in college sports, unless your imagination is more creative than the schools. St. John's is known as the Johnnies. Augsburg has the Auggies. Gustavus Adolphus the Gusties. St. Olaf the Oles, Carleton's teams are named the Carls. Oh, and St. Thomas is known as the Tommies. One of the few nicknames in the conference that is considered normal is the Hamline University Pipers (the Pied Piper of Hamlin, get it?). At least they aren't known as the Hammies.
All of this leaves St. Thomas without many options. If they want to continue in NCAA Division III (small schools, no scholarships), they'll have to join a conference full of Wisconsin-based universities which includes Yours Truly's alma mater, the University of Wisconsin at River Falls. The Tommies can keep their lucrative football rivalry with St. John's, hockey, and other athletic programs. If they decide to move up to Division II, they'll have to spend money on scholarships and improved facilities, but there would also be no more football rivalry or hockey. Or they could go independent.
I have family members who have matriculated at MIAC universities in the past, and this is like asking the oldest son to leave the farm because he's become too big for his britches. St. Thomas will find its way in the world, and the little schools they leave behind will now have to fend for themselves.
