Missouri Valley Conference

The Missouri Valley Conference (also called MVC or simply "The Valley") is the third-oldest collegiate athletic conference in the United States. The conference's members are primarily located in the midwest.

Not to be confused with Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Missouri Valley Conference
AssociationNCAA
Founded1907 (1907)
CommissionerJeff Jackson (since 2021)
Sports fielded
  • 17
    • men's: 7
    • women's: 10
DivisionDivision I
Subdivisionnon-football
No. of teams12
HeadquartersSt. Louis, Missouri
RegionMidwestern & Southern United States
Official websitewww.mvc-sports.com
Locations
Location of teams in {{{title}}}
Missouri Valley Conference
🌍
This is a stopgap mapping solution, while attempts are made to resolve technical difficulties with {{OSM Location map}}
Location of MVC members: full member, affiliate member. Not pictured: affiliate member Marshall

History

The MVC was established in 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association or MVIAA, 12 years after the Big Ten, the only Division I conference that is older. It is the third oldest college athletic conference in the United States, after the Big Ten Conference and the NCAA Division III Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA).[1] The MVIAA split in 1928, with most of the larger schools forming a conference that retained the MVIAA name; this conference evolved into the Big Eight Conference. The smaller MVIAA schools (Drake, Grinnell and Washington University in St. Louis), plus Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University–Stillwater, which joined the Big Eight in 1957), were joined by Creighton to form the MVC, which retained the old MVIAA's administrative staff. The Big Eight merged with four Texas schools of the Southwest Conference to form the Big 12 Conference in 1996.[2]

To this day, it has never been definitively established which conference was the original and which was the spinoff, though the Big Eight would go on to become the more prestigious of the two. During the Big Eight's run, both conferences claimed 1907 as their founding date, and the same history through 1927.

MVC teams held a 74–27 non-conference record during the 2006–07 college basketball season, including a record of 44–1 at home. The Valley finished in the top six of the RPI and ahead of a BCS conference for the second consecutive year, while also garnering multiple NCAA bids for the ninth straight year and 12th of 14.[3]

The MVC has not sponsored football since 1985, when it was a hybrid I-A/I-AA (now FBS and FCS, respectively) conference. However, five members have football programs in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) (known as the Gateway from 1985 to 2008) of Division I FCS, and two others compete in another FCS conference, the Pioneer Football League. The Missouri Valley Conference shares its name with the MVFC, and all three conferences operate from the same headquarters complex in St. Louis; however, the three are separate administratively.

After weeks of speculation,[4][5] Wichita State announced on April 7, 2017, that it would leave the conference to join the American Athletic Conference starting with the 2017–18 season.[6] The conference announced it extended an invitation to Valparaiso University on May 9, 2017;[7] and on May 25, the MVC announced that Valparaiso would officially join the following July 1.[8]

The most recent changes to the core MVC membership were announced during the 2021–22 school year. On September 28, 2021, the MVC and Belmont University jointly announced that the school would leave the Ohio Valley Conference for the MVC effective July 1, 2022.[9] Then, on November 16, Loyola University Chicago announced it would leave the MVC at the same time, joining the Atlantic 10 Conference.[10] On the same day Loyola announced its departure, CBS Sports reported that the MVC was actively pursuing further expansion, having entered into talks with the University of Missouri–Kansas City (known athletically as Kansas City), Murray State University, and the University of Texas at Arlington (UT Arlington). The report indicated that the latter two were considered the strongest candidates, but that all three were likely to receive invitations in the coming months.[11] On January 7, 2022, the MVC announced that Murray State would officially join the conference on July 1 of that year.[12] UT Arlington would soon remove itself from the list of candidates by announcing a 2022 move to the Western Athletic Conference.[13]

Shortly before Murray State was officially announced as an incoming MVC member, Matt Brown of the Extra Points college sports blog reported that the MVC was also in membership discussions with the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), then a member of the Horizon League. On the same weekend that Murray State's arrival was officially announced, MVC officials made a site visit to UIC. Brown's sources indicated that an invitation to UIC was likely. Brown noted that with the MVC losing Loyola, league officials believed that maintaining a presence in the city was a top priority, stating (emphasis in original):[14]

Throughout this process, multiple administrators at MVC institutions stressed the importance of getting access to new urban areas to recruit more students, not just athletes. With so many schools depending heavily on Chicago, and especially Chicago's suburbs, for enrollment, continuing to have a presence in the city was seen as a major priority.

On January 22, 2022, Matt Norlander of CBSSports.com reported that UIC's July entry to the MVC was "a done deal", with his sources indicating that the MVC wanted to announce the move before the Conference Commissioners Association held its annual meeting in Naples, Florida in early February.[15] UIC's entry was officially announced on January 26.[16]

Member schools

Current full members
InstitutionLocationFoundedJoinedTypeEnrollment[17]NicknameColors
Belmont University Nashville, Tennessee 1890 2022[lower-alpha 1] Private 8,700 Bruins      
Bradley University Peoria, Illinois 1897 1948,
1955[lower-alpha 2]		 Private 5,451 Braves    
Drake University Des Moines, Iowa 1881 1907,
1956[lower-alpha 2]		 Private 5,270 Bulldogs    
University of Evansville Evansville, Indiana 1854 1994 Private 2,526 Purple Aces      
University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, Illinois 1946 2022 Public 30,539 Flames    
Illinois State University Normal, Illinois 1857 1981 Public 20,683 Redbirds    
Indiana State University Terre Haute, Indiana 1865 1976[lower-alpha 3] Public 13,584 Sycamores    
Missouri State University Springfield, Missouri 1905 1990 Public 26,000 [18] Bears
Lady Bears		    
Murray State University Murray, Kentucky 1922 2022 Public 10,495 Racers    
University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, Iowa 1876 1991 Public 12,273 Panthers    
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Illinois 1869 1975 Public 11,695 Salukis    
Valparaiso University Valparaiso, Indiana 1859 2017[lower-alpha 4] Private 2,900 Beacons[lower-alpha 5]    
Notes
  1. Belmont had been an MVC affiliate in men's soccer for the 2000 fall season (2000–01 school year).
  2. Bradley and Drake both withdrew from the MVC during the 1951–52 school year in protest over the Johnny Bright incident, a racially motivated on-field attack by an Oklahoma A&M football player against Drake player Johnny Bright in a 1951 game. Bradley returned to the MVC for non-football sports in the 1955–56 school year, with Drake doing the same a year later (1956–57 school year). However, Bradley never returned to MVC football, dropping the sport after the 1970 fall season (1970–71 school year), and Drake did not return for football until the 1971 fall season (1971–72 school year).
  3. The Indiana State men's basketball team joined the MVC a year after becoming a full member for other sports (1977–78).
  4. Valparaiso had been an MVC affiliate in women's soccer from the 1996 to the 1998 fall seasons (1996–97 to 1998–99 school years).
  5. Valparaiso officially adopted the "Beacons" nickname shortly before the start of classes in the 2021–22 school year after abandoning its previous nickname of Crusaders due to unfavorable connotations.


Affiliate members

Note: In the case of spring sports, the year of joining is the calendar year before the start of competition.

InstitutionLocationFoundedJoinedTypeEnrollmentNicknamePrimary
conference		MVC
sport(s)
University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, Arkansas 1927 2013–14 Public 13,167 Trojans OVC women's swimming
Marshall University Huntington, West Virginia 1837 2022–23[19][lower-alpha 1] Public 11,926 Thundering Herd Sun Belt women's swimming
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville[21] Edwardsville, Illinois 1957 2021–22[lower-alpha 2] Public 14,000 Cougars OVC men's soccer
Notes
  1. Marshall will be an MVC affiliate for the 2022–23 season only. Marshall's full-time home of the Sun Belt Conference will add women's swimming & diving in 2023–24.[20]
  2. SIUE had previously been an affiliate member in men's soccer from the 2010 to 2016 fall seasons (2010–11 to 2016–17 school years).

Future affiliate members
InstitutionLocationFoundedJoinsTypeEnrollmentNicknamePrimary
conference		MVC
sport(s)
Bowling Green State University Bowling Green, Ohio 1910 2023–24[lower-alpha 1] Public 18,142 Falcons MAC men's soccer
Northern Illinois University DeKalb, Illinois 1895 16,769 Huskies
Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan 1903 19,887 Broncos
Notes
  1. Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, and Western Michigan's full-time home of the Mid-American Conference suspended men's soccer as a conference sport after the conclusion of the 2022 season.[22][23]

Former full members (25)
Institution Location Founded Joined Left Type Enrollment Nickname Current
conference
Butler University Indianapolis, Indiana 1855 1932 1934 Private 4,667 Bulldogs Big East
University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio 1819 1957 1970 Public 42,421 Bearcats The American
(Big 12 in 2023)
Creighton University Omaha, Nebraska 1878 1928,
1976[lower-alpha 1]		 1948,
2013		 Private 7,730 Bluejays Big East
University of Detroit[lower-alpha 2] Detroit, Michigan 1877 1949 1956 Private 5,450 Titans Horizon
Grinnell College Grinnell, Iowa 1846 1918 1939 Private 1,688 Pioneers Midwest
(NCAA Division III)
University of Houston Houston, Texas 1927 1951 1959 Public 39,820 Cougars The American
(Big 12 in 2023)
University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa 1847 1907 1908 Public 30,328 Hawkeyes Big Ten
Iowa State College[lower-alpha 3] Ames, Iowa 1858 1907 1928 Public 29,887 Cyclones Big 12
University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas 1865 1907 1928 Public 29,462 Jayhawks Big 12
Kansas State College[lower-alpha 4] Manhattan, Kansas 1863 1913 1928 Public 23,863 Wildcats Big 12
University of Louisville Louisville, Kentucky 1798 1963[lower-alpha 5] 1975 Public 19,743 Cardinals ACC
Loyola University Chicago Chicago, Illinois 1870 2013 2022 Private 16,437[24] Ramblers Atlantic 10
Memphis State University[lower-alpha 6] Memphis, Tennessee 1912 1968 1973 Public 23,031 Tigers The American
University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri 1839 1907 1928 Public 33,805 Tigers SEC
University of Nebraska Lincoln, Nebraska 1869 1907,
1921		 1919,
1928		 Public 24,593 Cornhuskers Big Ten
New Mexico State University[lower-alpha 7] Las Cruces, New Mexico 1888 1970 1983 Public 18,497 Aggies WAC
(C-USA in 2023)
North Texas State University[lower-alpha 8] Denton, Texas 1890 1957 1975 Public 35,694 Mean Green C-USA
(The American in 2023)
University of Oklahoma Norman, Oklahoma 1890 1919 1928 Public 30,303 Sooners Big 12
(SEC in 2025)
Oklahoma A&M College[lower-alpha 9] Stillwater, Oklahoma 1890 1925 1956 Public 21,419 Aggies/Cowboys[lower-alpha 10] Big 12
Saint Louis University St. Louis, Missouri 1818 1937 1974 Private 13,785 Billikens Atlantic 10
University of Tulsa Tulsa, Oklahoma 1894 1935 1996 Private 4,165 Golden Hurricane The American
Washburn University Topeka, Kansas 1865 1935 1942 Public 7,303 Ichabods MIAA
(NCAA Division II)
Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, Missouri 1853 1907 1942 Private 14,070 Bears UAA
(NCAA Division III)
West Texas State University[lower-alpha 11] Canyon, Texas 1910 1972 1986 Public 7,843 Buffaloes Lone Star
(NCAA Division II)
Wichita State University Wichita, Kansas 1895 1949 2017 Public 14,495 Shockers The American
Notes
  1. Creighton previously withdrew from the MVC from 1948–49 to 1975–76.
  2. Currently known as the University of Detroit Mercy.
  3. Currently known as Iowa State University.
  4. Currently known as Kansas State University.
  5. The Louisville men's basketball team joined the MVC a year after becoming a full member for other sports (1964–65).
  6. Currently known as the University of Memphis.
  7. The New Mexico State football team joined the MVC a year after becoming a full member for other sports (1971–72); while its men's basketball team joined the MVC two years after (1972–73).
  8. Currently known as the University of North Texas.
  9. Currently known as Oklahoma State University–Stillwater.
  10. During Oklahoma A&M's tenure in the MVC, the nicknames "Aggies" and "Cowboys" were used interchangeably. When the school adopted its current name in 1957, the "Cowboys" nickname was exclusively adopted.
  11. Currently known as West Texas A&M University.

Former affiliate members

This list does not include current full members Belmont and Valparaiso. As noted above, the Bruins played men's soccer in the MVC for the 2000 fall season (2000–01 school year), and the Beacons, then known as the Crusaders, played women's soccer in the MVC from the 1996 to 1998 fall seasons (1996–97 to 1998–99 school years).

Institution Location Founded Joined Left Type Enrollment Nickname Primary
conference		 MVC
sport(s)
University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock, Arkansas 1927 1998–99 1999–2000 Public 13,167 Trojans OVC women's soccer
University of Central Arkansas Conway, Arkansas 1907 2010–11 2018–19 Public 13,863 Bears ASUN men's soccer
Dallas Baptist University Dallas, Texas 1898 2013–14 2022–23 Private 5,545 Patriots Lone Star
(NCAA Division II)
(C-USA for baseball)		 baseball
Drury University Springfield, Missouri 1873 1999–2000 2004–05 Private 5,474 Panthers GLVC
(NCAA Division II)		 women's soccer
Eastern Illinois University Charleston, Illinois 1895 1996–97 2010–11 Public 11,651 Panthers OVC
(Summit for men's soccer)		 men's soccer
University of Hartford Hartford, Connecticut 1877 2014–15 2015–16 Private 6,935 Hawks Independent
(Commonwealth Coast Conference in 2023)		 men's tennis[lower-alpha 1]
University of Maryland, Baltimore County Catonsville, Maryland 1966 2014–15 2015–16 Public 13,908 Retrievers America East men's tennis[lower-alpha 2]
Southern Methodist University University Park, Texas 1911 2000–01 2004–05 Private 12,000 Mustangs The American men's soccer
Stony Brook University Stony Brook, New York 1957 2014–15 2022–23 Public 24,594 Seawolves CAA men's tennis (until 2016–17), women's tennis[lower-alpha 3]
Texas Christian University Fort Worth, Texas 1873 2000–01 2000–01 Private 9,518 Horned Frogs Big 12 men's soccer[lower-alpha 4]
University of Tulsa[lower-alpha 5] Tulsa, Oklahoma 1894 2000–01 2004–05 Private 4,165 Golden Hurricane The American men's soccer
Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee 1873 1997–98 2005–06 Private 12,714 Commodores SEC men's soccer[lower-alpha 6]
Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, Kentucky 1906 1997–98 2007–08 Public 21,048 Hilltoppers C-USA men's soccer[lower-alpha 7]
Notes
  1. Hartford dropped men's tennis after the 2015–16 school year.
  2. UMBC dropped men's tennis after the 2015–16 season.
  3. Stony Brook dropped men's tennis after the 2016–17 season. The school's women's tennis team remained an MVC affiliate, but left when it joined the CAA in July 2022.[25]
  4. TCU dropped men's soccer after the 2002 fall season (2002–03 school year).
  5. Tulsa was a full member from 1935–36 to 1995–96, but re-joined the MVC as a men's soccer associate from the 2000 to 2004 fall seasons (2000–01 to 2004–05 school years).
  6. Vanderbilt dropped men's soccer after the 2005 fall season (2005–06 school year).
  7. Western Kentucky dropped men's soccer after the 2007 fall season (2007–08 school year).

Membership timeline
Western Michigan UniversityNorthern Illinois UniversityBowling Green State UniversityMarshall UniversityUniversity of Illinois ChicagoMurray State UniversityUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore CountyStony Brook UniversityUniversity of HartfordDallas Baptist UniversityLoyola University ChicagoUniversity of Central ArkansasSouthern Illinois University EdwardsvilleBelmont UniversityTexas Christian UniversitySouthern Methodist UniversityDrury UniversityUniversity of Arkansas at Little RockVanderbilt UniversityWestern Kentucky UniversityValparaiso UniversityEastern Illinois UniversityUniversity of EvansvilleUniversity of Northern IowaMissouri State UniversityIllinois State UniversityIndiana State UniversitySouthern Illinois University CarbondaleWest Texas A&M UniversityNew Mexico State UniversityUniversity of MemphisUniversity of LouisvilleUniversity of North TexasUniversity of CincinnatiUniversity of HoustonUniversity of Detroit MercyBradley UniversityWichita State UniversitySaint Louis UniversityWashburn UniversityUniversity of TulsaButler UniversityCreighton UniversityOklahoma State University–StillwaterUniversity of OklahomaGrinnell CollegeKansas State UniversityWashington University in St. LouisUniversity of NebraskaUniversity of MissouriUniversity of KansasIowa State UniversityUniversity of IowaDrake University

Full members (non-football) (Full members) Assoc. members (football only) Assoc. member (other sports)

Commissioners
  1. C. E. McClung (1907–19??)[26]
  2. Arthur (Artie) E. Eilers (1925–1957)[26]
  3. Norvell Neve (1957–1969)[26][27]
  4. DeWitt T. Weaver (1969–1972)[26]
  5. Mickey Holmes (1972–1979)[28][26]
  6. David Price (1979–1981)[29][26]
  7. Richard D. Martin (1981–1985)[26]
  8. James A. Haney (1985–1988)[30][26]
  9. Doug Elgin (1988 – 2021)[26][31]
  10. Jeff Jackson (2021 – Present)

Sports
Former Missouri Valley Conference logo

The Missouri Valley Conference sponsors championship competition in seven men's and ten women's NCAA sanctioned sports.[32] Little Rock and Marshall are affiliates for swimming and diving and SIU Edwardsville is an affiliate in men's soccer.

The most recent change to the roster of sports was the dropping of men's tennis after the 2016–17 school year due to a lack of participating teams. Two of the four full conference members that sponsored the sport in that season no longer play men's tennis in the MVC. Southern Illinois dropped both men's and women's tennis,[33] and Wichita State joined the American Athletic Conference. Affiliate member Stony Brook dropped men's tennis after the 2016–17 season. The two remaining MVC men's tennis schools from 2016 to 2017, Drake and Illinois State, joined the Summit League for that sport,[34] and incoming MVC member Valparaiso also joined the Summit League in men's tennis.

Teams in Missouri Valley Conference competition
SportMen'sWomen's
Baseball
10
—
Basketball
12
10
Cross country
11
10
Golf
10
10
Soccer
7
9
Softball
—
10
Swimming & Diving
—
9
Tennis
—
7
Track and field (indoor)
10
10
Track and field (outdoor)
10
10
Volleyball
—
10

Men's sponsored sports by school
SchoolBaseballBasketballCross
Country		GolfSoccerTrack & Field
(Indoor)		Track & Field
(Outdoor)		Total MVC
Sports
BelmontGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY7
BradleyGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY7
DrakeRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY6
EvansvilleGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY7
UICGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY6
Illinois StateGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickY6
Indiana StateGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickY5
Missouri StateGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNRed XN4
Murray StateGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNRed XNRed XN4
UNIRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickY5
Southern IllinoisGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickY6
ValparaisoGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickY6
Totals101211106+1[lower-alpha 1]101069+1
  1. Men's Soccer associate SIU Edwardsville is departing in 2023. Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, and Western Michigan become associates in 2023.

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Missouri Valley Conference which are played by Valley schools:

SchoolFootballRifle[lower-alpha 1]Swimming & DivingTennisWrestling
BelmontNoNoNoHorizonNo
DrakePioneer LeagueNoNoSummitNo
EvansvilleNoNoMACNoNo
Illinois StateMVFCNoNoSummitNo
Indiana StateMVFCNoNoNoNo
Missouri StateMVFCNoMACNoNo
Murray StateMVFC[lower-alpha 2]OVC[lower-alpha 3]NoNoNo
UNIMVFCNoNoNoBig 12
Southern IllinoisMVFCNoMACNoNo
UICNoNoMACSouthlandNo
ValparaisoPioneer LeagueNoMAC[lower-alpha 4]NoNo
  1. Rifle is a fully coeducational sport, though the NCAA treats it as a men's sport for purposes of its sports sponsorship regulations.
  2. After playing football in its former home of the OVC in 2022, Murray State joins the MVFC in 2023.
  3. Murray State fields a single coeducational rifle team.
  4. Valparaiso does not include diving in its intercollegiate aquatics program.

Women's sponsored sports by school
SchoolBasketballCross
Country		GolfSoccerSoftballSwimmingTennisTrack & Field
(Indoor)		Track & Field
(Outdoor)		VolleyballTotal MVC
Sports
BelmontGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY9
BradleyGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY8
DrakeGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY9
EvansvilleGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY9
UICGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY10
Illinois StateGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY10
Indiana StateGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY9
Missouri StateGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY10
Murray StateGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY9
UNIGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY10
Southern IllinoisGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYRed XNGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY8
ValparaisoGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY[lower-alpha 1]Green tickYGreen tickYGreen tickYGreen tickY10
Totals1010109107+2[lower-alpha 2]610101092+1
  1. Valparaiso does not include diving in its intercollegiate aquatics program for either men or women.
  2. Swimming & diving associates Little Rock and Marshall; the latter will leave after the 2022–23 season when its full-time home of the Sun Belt Conference adds that sport.

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Missouri Valley Conference which are played by Valley schools:

SchoolBeach volleyballBowlingGymnasticsRifle[lower-alpha 1]Rowing
DrakeNoNoNoNoMAAC
Illinois StateNoNoMICNoNo
Missouri StateCCSANoNoNoNo
Murray StateNoNoNoOVC[lower-alpha 2]No
ValparaisoNoSouthland Bowling[lower-alpha 3]NoNoNo
  1. Rifle is a fully coeducational sport, though the NCAA treats it as a men's sport for purposes of its sports sponsorship regulations.
  2. Murray State fields a single coeducational rifle team.
  3. The Southland Bowling League will merge into Conference USA at the end of the 2022–23 school year. All of the final SBL members, including Valparaiso, will become C-USA bowling members.[35]

Facilities

Future members in gray. Departing members in pink.

School Soccer stadium Capacity Basketball arena Capacity Softball field Capacity Baseball field Capacity
Belmont E. S. Rose Park 300 Curb Event Center 5,085 Cheryl Holt Field 300 E. S. Rose Park 750
Bradley Shea Stadium 3,800 Peoria Civic Center (men)
Renaissance Coliseum (women)		 11,433
4,200		 Petersen Hotels Field[36] 1,000 Dozer Park 7,500
Drake James W. Cownie Soccer Complex 2,000 Knapp Center 6,424 Ron Buel Field 500 Non-baseball school
Evansville Arad McCutchan Stadium 2,500 Ford Center (men)
Meeks Family Fieldhouse (women)		 10,000
1,087		 James & Dorothy
Cooper Stadium		 650 Charles H. Braun Stadium 1,200
UIC Flames Field 1,000 Credit Union 1 Arena 8,000 Flames Field 500 Curtis Granderson Stadium 2,000
Illinois State Adelaide Street Field 1,000 Redbird Arena 10,200 Marian Kneer
Softball Stadium		 1,050 Duffy Bass Field 1,200
Indiana State Non-soccer school Hulman Center 10,200 Price Field At
Eleanor Forsythe St. John
Softball Complex		 700 Sycamore Stadium 2,500
Missouri State Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium 1,000 JQH Arena 11,000 Killian Softball Stadium 1,200 Hammons Field 7,986
Murray State Cutchin Field 250 CFSB Center 8,600 Racer Field 500 Johnny Reagan Field 800
UNI Cedar Valley Soccer Complex — McLeod Center 7,018 Robinson-Dresser
Sports Complex		 — Non-baseball school
Southern Illinois Lew Hartzog Complex 500 Banterra Center 8,339 Charlotte West Stadium 502 Itchy Jones Stadium 2,000
Valparaiso Brown Field 5,000 Athletics–Recreation Center 5,000 Valpo Softball Complex — Emory G. Bauer Field 500
Affiliate members
Bowling Green Mickey Cochrane Stadium 1,500 Men's soccer-only member
Northern Illinois NIU Soccer Complex 1,500 Men's soccer-only member
SIU Edwardsville Ralph Korte Stadium 4,000 Men's soccer-only member
Western Michigan WMU Soccer Complex 1,000 Men's soccer-only member
Note
  1. For the football venues of schools who participate in the sport, see Facilities of the Missouri Valley Football Conference and Facilities of the Pioneer Football League.

Basketball tournament champions by year
Main articles: Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament and Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball tournament

The Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament is often referred to as Arch Madness, in reference to the Gateway Arch at the tournament's present location of St. Louis, Missouri, and a play on "March Madness". The women's tournament is currently promoted as Hoops in the Heartland.

SeasonMen's ChampionWomen's Champion
1977Southern IllinoisNo Tournament
1978CreightonNo Tournament
1979Indiana StateNo Tournament
1980BradleyNo Tournament
1981CreightonNo Tournament
1982TulsaNo Tournament
1983Illinois StateIllinois State
1984TulsaNo Tournament
1985Wichita StateNo Tournament
1986TulsaNo Tournament
1987Wichita StateSouthern Illinois
1988BradleyEastern Illinois
1989CreightonIllinois State
1990Illinois StateSouthern Illinois
1991CreightonMissouri State
1992Missouri StateMissouri State
1993Southern IllinoisMissouri State
1994Southern IllinoisMissouri State
1995Southern IllinoisDrake
1996TulsaMissouri State
1997Illinois StateIllinois State
1998Illinois StateIllinois State
1999CreightonEvansville
2000CreightonDrake
2001Indiana StateMissouri State
2002CreightonCreighton
2003CreightonMissouri State
2004UNIMissouri State
2005CreightonIllinois State
2006Southern IllinoisMissouri State
2007CreightonDrake
2008DrakeIllinois State
2009UNIEvansville
2010UNIUNI
2011Indiana StateUNI
2012CreightonCreighton
2013CreightonWichita State
2014Wichita StateWichita State
2015UNIWichita State
2016UNIMissouri State
2017Wichita StateDrake
2018Loyola ChicagoDrake
2019BradleyMissouri State
2020BradleyCanceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021Loyola ChicagoBradley
2022 Loyola Chicago Illinois State
2023 Drake Drake

NB: Missouri State was known as Southwest Missouri State until August 2005.

Postseason History Multiple Bids
NCAA tournament
Year MVC Rep.
1979 (1) Indiana State (10) New Mexico State
1981 (6) Wichita St (8) Creighton
1984 (4) Tulsa (8) Illinois State
1985 (6) Tulsa (9) Illinois State (11) Wichita St
1986 (7) Bradley (10) Tulsa
1987 (11) Wichita St (11) Tulsa
1988 (9) Bradley (12) Wichita St
1994 (11) Southern Illinois (12) Tulsa
1995 (6) Tulsa (10) Southern Illinois
1996 (8) Bradley (11) Tulsa
1999 (10) Creighton (12) Southwest Missouri State (11) Evansville
2000 (10) Creighton (12) Indiana State
2001 (10) Creighton (13) Indiana State
2002 (11) Southern Illinois (12) Creighton
2003 (6) Creighton (11) Southern Illinois
2004 (9) Southern Illinois (14) Northern Iowa
2005 (7) Southern Illinois (10) Creighton (11) Northern Iowa
2006 (7) Wichita St (10) Northern Iowa (11) Southern Illinois (13) Bradley
2007 (4) Southern Illinois (10) Creighton
2012 (5) Wichita St (8) Creighton
2013 (7) Creighton (9) Wichita St
2015 (7) Wichita St (5) Northern Iowa
2016 (11) Wichita St (11) Northern Iowa
2021 (8) Loyola Chicago (11) Drake

National team titles by institution

School – Number – NCAA Championships

  • Belmont
  • Bradley – 2 [37]
  • Drake – 3 [37]
  • Evansville – 0+5* [37]
  • Illinois State – 0+1* [37]
  • Indiana State – 1 [37]
  • Missouri State – 0 +2* [37]
  • UNI – 1+2* [37]
  • Southern Illinois – 5+3* [37]
  • Valparaiso – 0[37]

NCAA Championships as of March 2013

(*-Titles won by schools in Division II/College Division prior to their moving to Division I in the late 1960s or early 1970s.)

Football poll, Helms and AIAW titles are not included in the NCAA Championship count.

Men's basketball attendance

Sources:[38][39][40]

The Valley is well known for having some of the most dedicated fanbases in all of college basketball, with several members regularly selling out their large arenas on a nightly basis throughout the year. Former member (Creighton) had the sixth highest attendance for Division I in 2012–13 while Bradley, Illinois State, Missouri State, and Indiana State were all among the NCAA's top 100 teams in home attendance.

In 2010–11, 2011–12, and 2012–13, the Valley maintained its position as the eighth ranked conference in average attendance.

The Valley made history in March 2007 with record attendance for four days at St. Louis' Scottrade Center as 85,074 fans turned out to watch the five sessions of the tournament. The two sellout crowds of 22,612 for the semifinals and final of the 2007 State Farm Tournament set an all-time attendance record for basketball at the arena and also gave The Valley the distinction of having the largest championship crowd for any of the 30 NCAA conference tournaments in 2007.[41]

Football champions by year

Main article: Missouri Valley Conference football

MVC Network

Since at least 1993, the MVC has produced an in-house package of sports as part of the MVC Network.[42] Since 1996, these telecasts have produced, in part, by Bally Sports Midwest (formerly Fox Sports Midwest). These games are distributed to regional sports networks including Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports Kansas City, Bally Sports Indiana and NBC Sports Chicago.[43] Until the 2020-21 season, these telecasts also aired on Fox College Sports. Outside of regional networks these telecasts were also available on ESPN3 until the 2018-19 season. These telecasts are now available on ESPN+.[44] The MVC Network is home to the first two rounds of Arch Madness, the nickname for the MVC men's basketball tournament.

See also

References

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  2. "Merger Creates Dynamite Dozen". Los Angeles Times. 27 August 1996. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  3. "MVC in the NCAA and NIT" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on May 8, 2018.
  4. Thamel, Pete. "Sources: Wichita State in talks to join AAC". SI.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
  5. "Source: Wichita St. eyes 2017 move to AAC". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2017.
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  8. "It's Official. Welcome, Valparaiso" (Press release). Missouri Valley Conference. May 25, 2017. Archived from the original on June 12, 2017. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  9. "Belmont University to Join Missouri Valley Conference" (Press release). Belmont Bruins. September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  10. "Atlantic 10 Conference Accepts Loyola University Chicago as Full Member Institution" (Press release). Atlantic 10 Conference. November 16, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  11. Norlander, Matt (November 16, 2021). "Missouri Valley Conference loses Loyola Chicago but pursuing Murray State, UT Arlington and Kansas City". CBSSports.com. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  12. "Murray State University Joins The Missouri Valley Conference" (Press release). Missouri Valley Conference. January 7, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  13. "University of Texas at Arlington Accepts Invitation to Join WAC" (Press release). Western Athletic Conference. January 21, 2022. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  14. Brown, Matt (January 5, 2022). "MVC expected to add Murray State, likely to add more". Extra Points. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  15. Norlander, Matt (January 22, 2022). "UIC to join Missouri Valley Conference in July, rounding out league's expansion effort at 12 teams". CBSSports.com. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
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  18. "Missouri State University system sets another fall enrollment record". September 21, 2016. Archived from the original on April 16, 2017.
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  20. "Sun Belt Presidents/Chancellors add two sports, look into adding third" (Press release). Sun Belt Conference. June 9, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
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  22. "MAC to Suspend Sponsoring Men's Soccer Following 2022 Season" (Press release). Mid-American Conference. November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  23. "Missouri Valley Conference To Expand in Men's Soccer for 2023" (Press release). Missouri Valley Conference. November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  24. "Loyola University Chicago | Loyola at a Glance Loyola at a Glance". Luc.edu. Archived from the original on October 14, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  25. "Stony Brook Athletics to Discontinue Men's Tennis" (Press release). Stony Brook Seawolves. March 31, 2017. Archived from the original on April 21, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  26. "2011–12 Missouri Valley Conference women's basketball media guide" (PDF). Missouri Valley Conference. 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  27. "ACC Jobs Expected To Be Filled". Greensboro, North Carolina: Radford News Journal. April 29, 1969. pp. 8 (on page 5). Retrieved 20 February 2013.
  28. Gregorian, Vahe (September 10, 2012). "FCS foes could pose problems for Mizzou, Illini; Former MVC head dies". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 13 November 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  29. Missouri Valley Conference 75 1981 Football/Anniversary Issue. Missouri Valley Conference. p. Page 2.
  30. Weyler, John (March 9, 1988). "Haney Expected to Get PCAA Job : Missouri Valley Commissioner May Be Named This Week". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 15 July 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2012.
  31. "Doug Elgin, current Commissioner". MVC-Sports.com. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  32. "Missouri Valley Conference Sports". MVC-Sports.com. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  33. Hefferman, Todd (January 26, 2017). "SIU to cut men's and women's tennis, reduce scholarships in men's swimming and diving". The Southern Illinoisan. Carbondale, Illinois. Archived from the original on January 30, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  34. "Summit League Adds Drake and Illinois State as Men's Tennis Affiliate Members" (Press release). The Summit League. April 11, 2017. Archived from the original on April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  35. "Conference USA to Add Bowling for 2023-24 Season" (Press release). Conference USA. May 10, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  36. Piers, Ryan (March 31, 2017). "Bradley Softball Team To Play On New Field". 1470 WMBD. Archived from the original on May 19, 2017. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  37. "National Team Titles by Institution" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on March 20, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
  38. "NCAA Men's Basketball Attendance | NCAA.org – The Official Site of the NCAA". NCAA.org. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  39. "Official NCAA attendance figures". Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  40. "2012-13 NCAA Men's Basketball Records - Attendance" (PDF). NCAA.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 5, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  41. "MVC official site:"This is the MVC"". Archived from the original on March 16, 2010.
  42. "MVC To Televise 24-Game Network Package". mvc-sports.com.
  43. "MVC TV Network (PDF) - Missouri Valley Conference" (PDF). mvc-sports.com.
  44. "Everything You Need to Know About the MVC and ESPN+". mvc-sports.com.
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