[1] The conference was established in 1992 when college teams in Minnesota that were playing a loose schedule of tournament weekends decided to organize into a league that had a specific schedule and end of the season tournament.

In 2000, the UMLC was accepted into the US Lacrosse Intercollegiate Associates, which became the MCLA in 2006.

In 2003, it was announced that the conference would be split into two divisions for the 2004 season and onwards.

[2] The conference was known as the Upper Midwest Lacrosse League until 2011.

UMLC Division II teams have dominated at the MCLA National Championships, winning 9 of the last 11 title games.