Missouri Valley Conference Adds Valparaiso University; Crusaders Become 34th Different Member Institution in MVC History
ST. LOUIS -- The Missouri Valley Conference President’s Council unanimously voted to extend a membership invitation to Valparaiso University, and the Crusaders will begin full participation in all its sponsored sports effective for the 2017-18 season.
“We are truly excited to welcome Valparaiso University to our Missouri Valley Conference family,” said MVC Commissioner Doug Elgin. “Valpo brings a combination of strong athletics tradition and academic excellence, and will be a great fit competing in our league.”
“This is an exciting time for Valparaiso University and our athletics programs,” said Mark A. Heckler, Ph.D., president. “We are fortunate to join the historic, tradition-rich Missouri Valley Conference. Membership in the Valley will increase the national profile of our institution and our athletics program, and we will undoubtedly contribute to the strength and character of the conference.”
President Dan Bradley, Chair of the MVC Presidents Council, adds: “Valparaiso University has very high academic standards, and will be a wonderful addition to the league. Valpo also has a strong, recognized athletics brand, and many Missouri Valley members are excited at the opportunity to renew old rivalries.”
“The opportunity to become a part of the Missouri Valley Conference is both exciting and humbling," said Valparaiso Director of Athletics Mark LaBarbera. "It is a recognition of the hard work and commitment of all the coaches and student-athletes that have established the Valpo Athletics tradition. At the same time, it is a challenge to our current and future coaches and student-athletes to continue to grow and improve as we join with nine highly competitive, successful, and nationally recognized universities. As we anticipate the upcoming 2017–2018 season, we are filled with renewed energy.”
ABOUT VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1859, Valparaiso University is an independent Lutheran institution, located in Valparaiso, Ind., approximately one hour east of Chicago. With more than 4,000 students, Valpo has five colleges, a graduate school and a law school.Valpo has competed in the Horizon League since 2007, having previously been a member of the AMCU (1982-90) and Mid-Continent Conference (1990-2007). Current MVC members Missouri State and UNI had also previously competed in the AMCU with Valparaiso, while Loyola had been a concurrent member with Valpo in the Horizon League from 2007-13. Loyola accepted an invitation to join The Valley in 2013. Valparaiso sports’ sponsorship includes all 17 sports in which the MVC conducts a championship, including men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, softball, baseball, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track & field, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, women’s tennis and women’s swimming. Valpo also offers football (Pioneer Football League), men’s tennis, men’s swimming, and women’s bowling (Southland Bowling League). Valpo has been regionally and nationally competitive in athletics with six regular-season titles, two tournament titles, three NIT appearances and two NCAA Tournament appearances in men’s basketball in the past six years. Baseball has yielded a regular-season title, two tournament titles and two NCAA Tournament appearances in the past five years, while men’s golf, women’s soccer and softball have also competed in the NCAA Tournament at least once in the past five seasons.
The city of Valparaiso, Ind., fits the MVC footprint, with an average distance of 271 miles to the league’s other nine institutions. Notably, four MVC institutions are within 200 miles and only one (Missouri State) is more than 400 miles away. Additionally, Valparaiso University has a strong commitment to academics, having met the standards for future NCAA academic distribution in each of the past five years. On May 3, the NCAA recognized six Valparaiso sports with a Public Recognition Award based on recent multi-year Academic Progress Rates, including men’s basketball, men’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s cross country, women’s golf and women’s tennis.
ABOUT THE MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE
Founded in 1907, the Missouri Valley Conference is the nation’s second-oldest Division I athletic conference (second only to the Big Ten Conference). The Valley continues to be a leader in college athletics and is one of the nation’s most progressive conferences, having celebrated its 110th season in 2016-17. League members have worked together to focus on common goals and objectives, placing a high value on league harmony, while continuing to invest in athletic programs to compete at the highest level.
The Valley has had 33 members in its first 110 years, spanning 13 states. With the addition of Valparaiso, which becomes the league’s 34th member institution, the league’s new 10-member configuration will span four Midwestern states (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Missouri).
Current MVC membership (as of July 1, 2017) includes Bradley University (Peoria, Ill.); Drake University (Des Moines, Iowa); the University of Evansville (Evansville, Ind.); Illinois State University (Bloomington-Normal, Ill.); Indiana State University (Terre Haute, Ind.); Loyola University Chicago (Chicago, Ill.); Missouri State University (Springfield, Mo.); the University of Northern Iowa (Cedar Falls, Iowa); Southern Illinois University (Carbondale); and Valparaiso University (Valparaiso, Ind.).