EMPORIA, Kan. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association hosts its 2025 Football Media Day on Monday, July 28. Head coaches and student-athletes from all 10 MIAA football institutions traveled to Emporia, Kansas, for the first-ever MIAA media day hosted on a MIAA member’s campus.
 
MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy and MIAA Supervisor of Football Officials Phil Laurie opened the event at 9:30 a.m. in Emporia State University’s Memorial Union. Commissioner Racy provided media members in attendance with NCAA news and updates, including the NCAA’s new Super Region alignment in Division II football and the expansion of the Division II playoff bracket from 28 teams to 32. The league’s Supervisor of Officials, Laurie, then provided an update on NCAA Division II football rules and MIAA officiating camps and clinics.
 
The event continued with each MIAA team participating in 15-minute press conferences, taking questions from media representatives about the upcoming season. MIAA head coaches and two student-athletes – one offensive player, one defensive player – represented each team on the press conference stage.
 
“What a great day for the MIAA and NCAA Division II football!” said Commissioner Racy. “Emporia State did an outstanding job hosting this year’s MIAA Football Media Day and we are excited for the start of the 2025 football season.”
 
MIAA fans can watch each teams press conference for free, exclusively on The MIAA Network.
 
The MIAA welcomed two new head coaches to their first MIAA media day: Zach Watkins at Washburn and John McMenamin at Northwest Missouri.

First-year head coach of the Ichabods, Watkins, is a former All-American and MIAA Freshman of the Year. Watkins began his coaching career at Northwest Missouri and Fort Hays State before returning to his alma mater, where he’s been a member of Washburn’s coaching staff for 11 seasons.

The Bearcats’ new head coach, McMenamin, also returned to his alma mater. He was a First Team All-MIAA quarterback in 2002 and set 27 Northwest and MIAA passing records during his time as a Bearcat. Most recently the offensive co-coordinator/pass game coordinator/wide receivers coach at NCAA Division I Tulane University, McMenamin’s first head coaching gig was at Wayne State in Nebraska from 2019-2021.
 
Three MIAA teams appear in the first NCAA Division II football rankings of the season with Central Oklahoma leading the pack at No. 3, Pittsburg State ranked No. 17 and Central Missouri ranked No. 21.
 
The upcoming MIAA football season will feature 20 non-conference matchups. MIAA football teams posted an overall non-conference record of 16-3 (.842 winning percentage) last season with wins against the Lone Star Conference (LSC) champion Angelo State and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC) champion Ferris State.
 
The 2025 NCAA Division II football seasons officially kicks off Thursday, August 28. To view the week-by-week schedules for all ten MIAA football teams, visit theMIAA.com/football.