Making Itself Amazingly Accomplished
The MIAA is more than just an unknown, unestablished conference
May 20, 2008Mike Moore
Sports Editor
It is common knowledge that Albion College athletic teams are members of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), but is it common knowledge that the MIAA, which was founded on March 4, 1888, is the oldest collegiate athletic conference in the country? Here are some facts and figures about the long-time home for Albion athletics.
Members
The MIAA currently has 10 members competing in 11 different sports. In its history the MIAA has been home to 14 different schools, and of the 14, Albion, which joined in 1888, is the only school to have held continuous membership. Other members are Adrian College (1908), Alma College (1902), Calvin College (1953), Hope College (1926), Kalamazoo College (1896), Olivet College (1888), St. Mary’s College (1997), Tri-State University, Ind. (2004) and Wisconsin Lutheran College (2002).
Long gone
Those schools that were members include Michigan State University, which was known as Michigan Agricultural College (1888-1907), Eastern Michigan University, which was known as Michigan Normal College (1892-1926), Hillsdale College (1888-1961) and Defiance College (1997-2000).
The first happened in…
1888 - The first field day was held and the first MIAA champions were crowned: Michigan Agricultural (baseball), Hillsdale (men’s track) and Olivet (men’s tennis).
1891 - Albion defeated Hillsdale, 36-4, in the first football game between MIAA schools.
1894 - Albion won the first MIAA football title.
1911 - Men’s basketball was recognized as an MIAA championship sport. Albion and Alma split the initial championship.
1913 - The first referees and umpires were used during competition.
1922 - Kalamazoo won the first MIAA title in the newly accepted sport of cross country.
1929, 1932 - Baseball and C.C., respectively, were dropped as MIAA championship sports.
1936 - Men’s indoor track became a MIAA sport, with Kalamazoo winning the first title.
- Albion hosted the first “play day” for women athletics which encouraged participation over competition.
- Albion and Olivet tied, 2-2, in the first MIAA field hockey match.
1938 - Kalamazoo won all six MIAA championships in 1937-38 (basketball, football, golf, indoor track, outdoor track and tennis). It was the only time in history this has happened.
1941 - Adrian, Albion, Alma, Hillsdale, Hope, Kalamazoo and Olivet founded the Athletic Federation of Michigan College Women. In 1946 the name was changed to the Women’s Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (WMIAA).
1956 - Albion’s Janet Van Wingen was the first recipient of the Sue Little Sportsmanship Award in women’s tennis.
1958 - Albion’s Dale Brubaker and Kalamazoo’s Les Dodson were the first recipients of the Stowe Memorial Award for sportsmanship in men’s tennis.
1960 - The MIAA banned postseason play by its member schools.
1965 - Albion’s Jim Dow won the first MVP award in men’s C.C.
1968 - Wrestling became an MIAA championship sport.
1970 - Men’s soccer became an MIAA championship sport and Jim Francis of Albion was the first recipient of the league’s MVP award.
1984 - Albion’s Sue Leiby won the 1,650-yard freestyle at the NCAA Division III swimming and diving championships. She was the first female athlete from an MIAA school to win an NCAA national title.
1994 - Albion won the NCAA Division III football national championship.
And the winner is…
Albion has won 179 (160 men, 19 women) MIAA championships since 1888. That total ranks fourth behind Kalamazoo (262), Calvin (202), and Hope (199).
