The Minnesota Athletics Alliance

Alumni, donors, and friends of the University of Minnesota (UMN) athletic teams have united to form the Minnesota Athletics Alliance (MAA), in partnership with the American Sports Council.

In October, 2020 the UMN announced its decision to eliminate the men’s gymnastics, tennis, and indoor track and field teams. The MAA’s immediate goal is to reinstate the three cut teams, and a long-term agenda of building a multi-sport coalition to advocate for a broad based sports program at the UMN, promoting the educational value of  athletics as its central mission.

The MAA will petition the UMN Board of Regents to establish a Special Commission, as per Article V., Section C of its Bylaws, to conduct a comprehensive review of the role of intercollegiate athletics at the UMN. Included in the Commission’s review would be a thorough examination of the flawed process that led to the decision to drop the three teams. This Special Commission would seek input from all sports alumni who would like to share their individual stories about how the important lessons learned from athletics have impacted their lives. 

The MAA aims to unite all UMN student athletes, “M” winners, alumni, coaches, parents, and others to stand up and advocate for a broad based athletic program as one of many avenues the UMN has to deliver on its educational mission to meet the diverse needs of the communities across the state.

The mission of the MAA is to advocate and influence the re-imagination of the UMN Athletic Department to value all athletes’ pursuit of academic and athletic excellence equally, to fully embrace the long standing values associated with all sports and to build a structure that is financially sustainable.

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