Contact: Heather Benning, Executive Director - Midwest Conference, benningh@midwestconference.org

Grinnell, Iowa — ​The Midwest Conference (MWC) announced that schools will have the institutional autonomy to engage in competition against non-league opponents in the spring sports of baseball, softball, men's and women's tennis and men's and women's outdoor track & field. Member institutions will continue to adhere to the league's COVID-19 return-to-play protocol and end competition against non-MWC institutions 15 days prior to the start of league play in each respective sport.

"This announcement to extend MWC members the institutional autonomy to engage in competition against non-Midwest Conference opponents for spring sports is helpful for retention and recruitment, and allows our league to be consistent with other Division III conferences in our region," said Knox College Director of Athletics Daniella Irle. "While our primary focus is to play MWC opponents in non-determinant games, we will consider non-Midwest Conference options, as needed, provided the institutions adhere to NCAA testing protocol, and have COVID-related travel and practice protocols in place."

The Midwest Conference spring season is expected to begin in April, pending the final decision of Conference presidents in early March.

"We recognize that colleges are differently situated to take advantage of non-conference scheduling based on, among other things, geography, weather, facilities, academic calendar and testing," said Ripon College President Zach Messitte, the MWC Executive Committee Chair. "And we believe that our members are doing their best to find appropriate solutions for spring sport student-athletes so that they aren't denied a second lost season in a row."