The Missouri Valley Conference will acknowledge 25 years of women’s sports as the league is set to host the MVC Women’s 25^th Celebration Brunch at TaxSlayer Center Conference Center in Moline, Illinois, on Friday, March 9.

The reunion brunch will feature panels of Missouri Valley Conference pioneers and Conference leaders, and will also recognize the 25^th Anniversary Women’s Basketball Team that was announced on January 2.
 
MVC Hall of Famer, Jill Hutchison will serve as the emcee for the event. Hutchison was women’s basketball head coach at Illinois State from 1970 to 1998, earning Conference coach of the year honors three times. She was inducted into Illinois State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1984, The Valley Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
 
The Pioneer panelists will feature Dr. Charlotte West (former Southern Illinois Women’s Athletics Director/SWA), Dr. Mary Jo Wynn (former Missouri State Women’s Athletics Director/SWA), Dr. Sandra Williamson (former UNI Associate AD & Women’s Basketball Head Coach), Dr. Linda Herman (former Illinois State AD/SWA) and Lois Patton (former Evansville Women’s Athletics Director).
 
The Leader panelists with feature Jean Berger (former Drake and UNI SWA), Andi Myers (former Indiana State AD/SWA), Virnette House-Browning (former Bradley SWA), Dr. Darlene Bailey (former Wichita State and Missouri State SWA), Becky Endicott (Wichita State SWA), Dr. Renae Chesnut (former Drake FAR) and Carolyn O’Connell (former Loyola volleyball head coach and SWA).
 
Two of the most successful women’s basketball coaches in the league’s history will also be interviewed during the celebration. The aforementioned Hutchison and two-time Women’s Final Four coaching participant and 2010 MVC Hall of Fame inductee Cheryl Burnett of Missouri State.  Hutchison compiled 461 wins during her 28 seasons guiding the Redbirds, while Burnett recorded 319 wins in 15 seasons with the Lady bears.
 
The event is part of the MVC Women’s Basketball Tournament that will be held March 8-11 at TaxSlayer Center. The March 9 festivities will begin with an 8:30 a.m. breakfast, followed by the program at 9:00 a.m.
 
Nearly 250 people are slated to attend the event after receiving a special invitation from all 10 Valley institutions.
 
“This Reunion is a special opportunity to bring together and thank the many women who contributed to the success of women in the Missouri Valley Conference the past 25 years,” said Senior Associate Commissioner Patty Viverito. “We look forward to honoring these administrators, coaches and student-athletes.”

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 Collegiate Athletic Conference banner from 1982-92.   
 
For more information on #MVCWOMEN25 visit www.mvc-sports.com/women25.