HOCKEY TOURNAMENT FORMAT CHANGE
posted 6/3/05

 The MIAA Tournament Management Committee (TMC) at its June 2 meeting voted unanimously to end the Division IA Invitational Hockey Tournament. The Division IA or "Elite Eight" as it came to be known had been conducted in various formats for 15 years.

In 2006, all tournament eligible schools will play in the hockey tournament division in which they compete during the regular season.

In voting to end the IA Tournament, TMC members cited concerns expressed by opponents of the special tournament that it went against the MIAA’s philosophy of not placing emphasis on elite athletes or teams.  The opponents cited the fact that hockey was the only sport with a special tournament, saying it was unfair to those competing in all other sports.

The MIAA Ice Hockey Committee had urged continuation of the IA tournament for two additional years while the current three-loss format could be evaluated.