KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association’s CEO Council has approved a request from Northeastern State University to temporarily pause its MIAA football membership to compete as an NCAA Division II independent.
Last week, the MIAA approved Northeastern State University’s request to compete in the sport of football as an independent NCAA Division II football institution. Northeastern State will remain committed to MIAA membership in the nine remaining Division II teams the University sponsors.
The decision and approval give NSU a greater chance to gain success and rebuild its football program to MIAA standards. It also allows MIAA football programs to strengthen their schedules to better position themselves for postseason play. Northeastern State will begin competing as an NCAA Division II independent in football in the 2024 season.
With the 2024 MIAA football schedule already released last spring (see attached), NSU will play their 2024 football season as a non-conference opponent for all MIAA schools. With NSU’s agreement and approval from the MIAA, football playing institutions will have the option to find other non-conference opponents the week they are scheduled to play the RiverHawks next fall. The MIAA will soon approve schedules for the 2025 and 2026 seasons that will not include NSU.
Following the 2025 season, NSU and the MIAA CEO Council will reassess the state of NSU’s football program to determine its status for the 2027 and 2028 football seasons.
MIAA makes changes to Football lineup
