Kearney, Neb. - When the clock struck midnight on Sunday, Nebraska-Kearney officially became a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA).

The Lopers are now part of a 15-team league that dates back to 1912.

The "new" MIAA features institutions in Nebraska (one), Kansas (four), Missouri (eight) and Oklahoma (two).  Also joining this weekend were Lindendwood U. (St. Charles, Mo.), U. of Central Oklahoma (Edmond, Okla.) and Northeastern State U. (Tahlequah, Okla.).

Of note, Truman State (Mo.) will leave the MIAA after the 2012-13 academic year to join the GLVC (Great Lakes Valley Conference).

Also, the Aqualopers -- UNK's women's swimming & diving team --will now be a part of the NSIC (Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) as an associate member, as will be Lindenwood.

UNK was a part of the RMAC (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) since the 1994-95 academic year. Prior to that, the Lopers were an independent in its first four years as a NCAA Division II institution.

During its NAIA days, UNK was a member of the CSIC (Central States Intercollegiate Conference), a league with  many current MIAA members, the NCC (Nebraska College Conference) and the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NIAC), among others. 

The Lopers leave the RMAC with 14 all-sport trophies, including 11 in a row from 1995-06, 64 regular season titles (33 women and 31 men) and 29 tournament titles covering men's & women's basketball, men's & women's tennis, volleyball baseball and softball.

When the RMAC, which dates back to 1909, released is "All-Century" teams in 2009, UNK was heavily represented despite being a member for just a fraction of the league's history.

Head coaches Rick Squiers (volleyball), Amy Stephens (women's basketball) and Dan Simmons (softball) were named as their respective sports all-time RMAC head coach with Erin Gudmundson (volleyball) and William Jacome (men's tennis) chosen as the top student-athletes in their respective sport.

UNK's first official game as an MIAA member comes Thursday, August 30th, when football plays at Washburn. The Lopers and Ichabods previously were members of the CSIC and last met on the grid iron in 1988.