ST. LOUIS - The 2017-18 season is a landmark one for the Missouri Valley Conference and for women’s sports. To help celebrate the 45th anniversary of Title IX and the 25th anniversary of women’s sports, the Valley is naming 25-Year Anniversary Teams for each of the Valley’s sponsored women’s sports.
Team composition for each sport has been determined by a 25-person committee (two representatives from each MVC institution and a panel of five voters from the Conference office). The team composition includes years in which league teams competed under the MVC umbrella during the past 25 years (1992-2017) and does not include competition from the current season.
The Missouri Valley Conference was founded in 1907 and is the nation’s second oldest Division I athletics conference. Women’s sports were incorporated into the MVC in 1992, having previously competed under the Gateway Conference banner from 1982-92. In August 2017, the Conference announced its 2018 Hall of Fame Class, which featured three women (in the six-person class). A total of 22 women’s athletes, coaches and pioneers have been honored by the MVC as part of the Hall.
The voting panel determined a ‘Top 10’ from a list of 25 finalists. Those top 10 honorees are listed below, and the top vote-getter is denoted.
Women’s Track (sponsorship from 1992-present): Nine different programs (including affiliate members) have sponsored women’s track and field in the Missouri Valley Conference during the past 25 years, including; Bradley (1998-present); Drake (1992-present); Illinois State (1992-present); Indiana State (1992-present); Missouri State (1992-present); Northern Iowa (1992-present); Southern Illinois (1992-present); Tulsa (1994-96); Wichita State (1992-2017); Evansville and Valparaiso also compete in women’s track. Valpo joined the Conference for the 2017-18 season.
Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Track 25-Year Team
| Name |
School |
Years |
Notable Honors |
| Sade Sealy |
Illinois State |
2010-13 |
8-time all-MVC; 11-time MVC Champ; Championship & All-Time Records; 3-time Most Outstanding Track |
| *Holli Hyche |
Indiana State |
1991-94 |
6-time all-MVC; 7-time National Champion; 10-time All-American, 11-time MVC Champ; 4 Championship Records; 4 All-Time Records; 5-time track MVP |
| Omegia Keeys |
Indiana State |
1994-96 |
5-time all-MVC; 2-time All-American; 3-time MVC Champ; 1995 Pan American Games |
| Erica Moore |
Indiana State |
2007-10 |
8-time all-MVC; 7-time MVC Champ; Championship and All-Time Records; 2-time All-American; 2-time Most Outstanding Track |
| Katie Wise |
Indiana State |
2013-16 |
6-time all-MVC; 9-time MVC champ; All-American; 3-time Most Outstanding Track; Championship Record |
| Augustina Charles Frederikson |
Missouri State |
1999-03 |
6 time all-MVC; 2-time All-American; 4-time MVC Champ; 1999 Pan American Games |
| Cheasa Gibson |
Missouri State |
2001-04 |
8-time all-MVC; All-American; 6-time NCAA Qualifier; 12-time MVC Champ; All-Time Record; 3-time Most Outstanding Track; 3-time Most Valuable Athlete |
| Verneta Lesforis |
Missouri State |
1997-99 |
3-time all MVC; 16-time MVC Champ; Championship Record; 2-time All-American; Most Outstanding Track; 2000 Olympic Games |
| Nikki Larch-Miller |
Wichita State |
2013-17 |
7-time all-MVC; 5-time MVC Champ; All-American; 2 Championship Records, 2 All-Time Records; 3-time Indoor Most Valuable Athlete; 2-time Indoor Most Outstanding Track; 2-time Outdoor Most Valuable |
| Desiraye Osburn |
Wichita State |
2004-06 |
6-time all-MVC; 7-time MVC Champ; 2-time All-American; Indoor Most Valuable Athlete; Outdoor Most Outstanding Track |
*denotes No. 1 choice in balloting