A consensus exists among the MIAC presidents to boot St. Thomas out of the conference, according to an email sent from the president of Augsburg to a supporter.

In the email obtained by the Star Tribune, Augsburg President Paul Pribbenow wrote he “reluctantly supports” the decision of removing St. Thomas from the MIAC, as do an unknown number of other school presidents in the conference. The email said it was best to have “the MIAC to remain as whole as is possible,” even if expelling St. Thomas was the best way to do that. He hinted that other schools would quit the league if St. Thomas was allowed to stay.

Pribbenow wrote, “My sense is that we have reached a consensus that will keep 12 schools together in the MIAC and that we will support St. Thomas’s efforts to find a new conference home.” He added, “If we had not reached this consensus, the MIAC would have imploded, leaving all of us in a far less attractive position.”

St. Thomas’ desire to stay in the MIAC has been made clear for weeks. Sports Information Director Gene McGivern told TommieMedia last month,“We support the MIAC, we want to be in the MIAC and we want to be in Division III…we’re doing everything we can to help stabilize membership.”

Friday, McGivern emphasized that stance: “Our previous statement still stands,” he said. “Hopefully this ends in a positive solution for everyone.”

The next MIAC presidents meeting is scheduled for May 29. Nine of the 13 presidents have to vote to change the bylaws to allow St. Thomas to be kicked out by putting an enrollment cap on conference membership. A vote on a formal dismissal would follow. The decision would affect all sports.

St. Thomas was one of the founding members of the MIAC in 1920.

Matthew Curry can be reached at curr1523@stthomas.edu