ST. LOUIS -- The Missouri Valley Conference and its 10 member schools will combine to produce nearly 240 live events in the months of August, September, October and November, distributed on
The Valley on ESPN -- the league’s co-branded digital network.
Full Release and 2019 Fall Programming Schedule (PDF)
Originally branded and launched as
The Valley on ESPN3 in August 2015, the league’s digital initiative is available through the ESPN App and features live-event programming on both ESPN3 and ESPN+ -- the premium multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International Group and ESPN.
The Valley’s digital endeavor is part of its 10-year contract with ESPN which runs through the 2023-24 academic year.
The Fall 2019 programming lineup features regular-season and post-season tournament action for men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball as well as the cross country championship.
The regular-season live events will be produced and transmitted by production units on each of the league’s campuses, while the post-season tournaments will be produced and distributed by Tupelo Raycom of Indianapolis, Indiana -- the Conference’s digital production agency.
The Valley on ESPN, which began with a Conference-produced package of regular-season women’s and men’s basketball games and a slate of post-season championship events in 2014-15, saw schools produce exclusive live events for the co-branded digital network for the first time in 2015-16.
The Fall 2019 schedule begins on Wednesday, August 14, when Northern Iowa plays host to Iowa State in a women’s soccer match at Cedar Falls, Iowa.
In all, 57 regular-season women’s soccer matches will be produced, with 38 airing on ESPN+ and 19 on ESPN3.
Men’s soccer coverage begins on Friday, August 30, when Loyola entertains Vermont, Evansville plays host to Eastern Illinois and Belmont visits Bradley.
A total of 43 men’s soccer matches will be distributed, with 27 assigned to ESPN+ and 16 slated for ESPN3.
In 2018, Illinois State and UNI represented the Conference in the NCAA Volleyball Tournament, marking the 11th time in 13 years the league has sent a minimum of two teams.
This season, The Valley will continue to promote that caliber of play with 114 productions -- 81 on ESPN+ and 33 on ESPN3.
Coverage begins on Friday-Saturday, August 30-31, when Missouri State plays host to the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Invitational with matches against Jacksonville,
DePaul and SEMO.
The schedule also includes six Pioneer Football League productions on ESPN+ by Valparaiso.
Postseason coverage starts with the MVC Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships from Sunset Hill Farm County Park in Valparaiso, Indiana, on Saturday, November 2, on ESPN3.
The MVC Women’s Soccer Tourney at Allison South Stadium in Springfield, Missouri, takes place on ESPN+ on Friday, November 8 (semifinals) and Sunday, November 10 (title match).
Tournament coverage, though, actually begins on Sunday, November 3, with two quarterfinal matches at yet-to-be-determined sites without preset start times on ESPN+.
ESPN+ coverage of the MVC Men’s Soccer Championship at Loyola Soccer Park in Chicago, Illinois, will be on Wednesday, November 13 (quarterfinals), Friday, November 15 (semis) and Sunday, November 17 (title match).
The MVC Volleyball Championship will be distributed on ESPN+ from the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa, on Thursday, November 28 (quarters),
Friday, November 29 (semis) and Saturday, November 30 (title match).
ESPN3
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ESPN+
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It reached 2 million subscribers in less than a year and offers fans thousands of live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN’s linear TV or digital networks, along with premium editorial content.
Programming on ESPN+ includes hundreds of MLB and NHL games, exclusive UFC, Top Rank boxing and PFL fights and events, top domestic and international soccer, thousands of college sports events (including football, basketball and other sports), Grand Slam tennis, international and domestic rugby and cricket, new and exclusive series, acclaimed studio shows and the full library of ESPN’s award-winning 30 for 30 films.
Fans can subscribe to ESPN+ for just $4.99 a month (or $49.99 per year) and can cancel at any time. ESPN+ is available as an integrated part of the ESPN App (on all major mobile and
connected devices) and ESPN.com.
ESPN App
The Valley on ESPN resides on the ESPN App -- the premier all-in-one digital sports platform for fans on all major mobile and connected television devices and platforms.
With a rich, personalized experience, the ESPN App delivers sports fans access to all of ESPN’s incredible content – TV Everywhere streaming; ESPN+ direct-to-consumer streaming (subscription); live scores, news and award-winning feature and investigative reporting; ESPN audio (radio and podcasts) and more – all in an experience unique to each user’s
individual tastes.
2019-20 MVC On-AIr Talent (For Fall Programming)
DAVE DIR
Analyst
Dave Dir is in his 13th year with The Valley’s telecast team and slated to serve as the lead analyst for ESPN productions from the 2019 MVC Women’s Soccer
Championship from Springfield, Missouri.
Dir began his analyst career in 2001 on ESPN and FOX, following a distinguished tenure as head coach of the Dallas Burn of Major League Soccer (MLS). Coach Dir has been an analyst for MLS telecasts and a co-host on World Cup Tonight for the 2002 World Cup and MLS Primetime as well as a sideline reporter and color commentator for U.S. Men’s National Team telecasts.
One of the most successful U.S. professional coaches in the 1990s, Dir has been a winner at every level of soccer coaching -- prep, collegiate, club and professional.
Most recently, he was head coach of the Dallas Burn and holds the record for longest tenure with one MLS team as well as ranks fourth in all-time wins in league history.
The owner of a 121-89 record as a professional head coach, he collected a U.S. Open Cup championship with the Burn in 1997 and back-to-back American Professional Soccer League (APSL) titles with the Colorado Foxes in 1992 and 1993.
He served as president of Associated Soccer Group -- a national soccer consulting company -- and the top assistant for the U.S. Men’s Under-20 National Team.
After serving as director of scouting for the Vancouver Whitecaps of Major League Soccer, Dir is currently the executive director of the San Francisco Vikings soccer club -- the oldest San Francisco-based club (established in 1922) -- and has 45 teams under its umbrella.
A native of Anchorage, Alaska, Dir attended Western Illinois University. He later played professionally as a goalkeeper for the Chicago Sting in the NASL and was taken with the first pick of the Sting in the 1981 draft.
Dir was inducted into the Western Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012 for his achievements in soccer.
Dir and his wife Cindy reside in Denver, Colorado.
LINDA DOLLAR
Analyst
Linda Dollar is in her second tour (16th year overall) with The Valley’s on-air team, and is slated to serve as analyst for The Valley on ESPN coverage from the 2019 MVC Volleyball Championship in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Prior to returning as analyst in 2004, she provided analysis for the 1997 MVC Volleyball Championship.
The all-time winningest volleyball coach in Missouri State University history, Dollar posted a career record of 758-266-21 in 24 MSU seasons. She ranked second at the end of her coaching tenure on the all-time list for victories in women’s collegiate volleyball history.
A three-time conference coach of the year selection, Dollar received a bachelor’s degree from Missouri State University in 1970 and a master’s degree from the
University of Kansas in 1971.
She became only the second league head volleyball coach inducted into the MVC Athletics Hall of Fame on March 6, 2015.
GREG HALBLEIB
Play-by-Play
Greg Halbleib is in his 24th year with The Valley’s telecast team, and is slated to handle play-by-play duties on ESPN’s distribution of the 2019 MVC Women’s
Volleyball Championship in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
He is in his 28th season as the play-by-play television voice for Illinois State University women’s volleyball.
Inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame as a broadcaster in 2009, he has nearly 40 years of experience as a central Illinois radio announcer.
At WJBC Radio -- the flagship station of the Illinois State radio network -- in Bloomington, Illinois, he is in his fourth season as the radio voice of Illinois State women’s basketball.
TY KEOUGH
Analyst
Ty Keough is in his 13th year with The Valley’s telecast team and serves as the lead analyst for ESPN’s coverage of the 2019 MVC Men’s Soccer Championship telecast at Chicago, Illinois.
A veteran soccer analyst, Keough has broadcast a total of five World Cup competitions for ABC/ESPN (USA in 1994, France in 1998, USA in 1999 and Korea/Japan in 2002) and TNT (Italia in 1990) and attended a total of eight World Cups.
A U.S. Olympic Team co-captain (1980) and a starter for U.S. National and World Cup Teams (1977-80) in his own right, he was the lead analyst for the first eight seasons of Major League Soccer for ABC/ESPN, served as analyst for U.S. Men’s National Team telecasts (1989-2003) and for the Seattle Sounders, Houston Dynamo, Columbus Crew, Kansas City Wizards, St. Louis Steamers and Cleveland Crunch.
In 2013, he served analyst for KMOX Radio’s coverage of three matches played in St. Louis: Chelsea-Manchester City, Real Madrid-Inter Milan and Bosnia-Argentina. In May 2014, he handled analyst duties for the world feed and beIN SPORTS’ coverage of the Bosnia-Ivory Coast World Cup tune-up match in St. Louis, and on Aug. 1, 2016, he served as color analyst on KMOX Radio for Liverpool FC vs AS Roma at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
A 1979 graduate of Saint Louis University, he was a four-time All-American for the Billikens and later went on to play professionally in over 400 matches for a total of 12 seasons in the North American Soccer League (NASL) and Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL).
Following his playing days, he spent 10 campaigns as the head men’s soccer coach at Washington University in St. Louis, compiling a .725 winning percentage from 1987 to 1996 and earning UAA Conference Coach of the Year honors five times and NSCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year laurels in 1995.
Keough played center back for St. Louis Scott Galllagher (SLSG) which captured the Over 55 National Championship in 2011 and 2013.
He and his wife Abby live in St. Louis and have two daughters Meredith (31) and Madeleine (29). In fact, he has helped coach his daughters’ JB Marine Soccer Club (St. Louis) to seven Missouri State Cup championships.
MIKE MAHON
Analyst
Mike Mahon is in his sixth year as a member of The Valley on ESPN talent team.
He will serve as an analyst for the 2019 MVC Cross Country Championship at Sunset Hill Farm County Park in Valparaiso, Indiana, the 2020 MVC Indoor Track and Field
Championship at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and the 2020 MVC Outdoor Track and Field Championship at storied Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
Mahon has been a member of the ESPN broadcast team for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship as stats producer.
He served as local media coordinator for the 2018 and 2019 U.S. Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 2019.
Internationally, Mahon served as press officer for the U.S. track and field team at the 1992, 1996 and 2004 Olympics as well as Team USA at the 2011 World Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He also was a press officer at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials and will reprise that role in 2020.
A College Sports Information Directors of America Hall of Fame inductee, Mahon served as media coordinator for the Drake Relays for 21 years from 1989 to 2009.
In 2006, he became the first sports information director ever to receive the Sam Skinner Award, presented by the Track and Field Writers of America to an athlete, official, meet promoter, SID, coach or anyone who has shown exemplary cooperation with the media.
BRAD WELLS
Play-by-Play
Brad Wells is in his sixth year as a member of The Valley’s on-air talent team. This season, he is responsible for basketball play-by-play duties for regular-season
contests and games from the 2020 MVC Women’s Basketball Championship in Moline, Illinois.
He serves as the play-by-play voice for the 2019 MVC Cross Country Championship from Sunset Hills Farm County Park in Valparaiso, Indiana, the 2020 MVC Indoor Track and Field Championship at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and the 2020 MVC Outdoor Track and Field Championship at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
Wells is also a part of the University of Northern Iowa production team for men’s and women’s basketball, softball, and volleyball telecasts for The Valley on ESPN3 and ESPN+. In fact, he did play-by-play for the Launch Match of The Valley on ESPN3, when UNI hosted Kentucky in volleyball on September 4, 2015.
Brad is in his sixth season as the UNI video contact for the MVC TV Network, providing player and coach features during men’s and women’s basketball telecasts. In
addition, this is his seventh season announcing for the Panther Sports Network (PSN-TV) covering basketball, football and volleyball. Brad has worked on PSN radio broadcasts since 2009 and his work has been a part of CBS’s NCAA Tournament pre-game coverage.
Wells completed his third season as a play-by-play announcer for the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2018 and served as the play-by-play announcer for the Cayman Islands Classic men’s basketball tournament in 2017.
SEAN WHEELOCK
Play-by-Play
Sean Wheelock is in his 13th year with The Valley’s telecast team and does play-by-play for ESPN’s coverage from the 2019 MVC Women’s Soccer Championship at Springfield, Missouri, and the 2019 MVC Men’s Soccer Tournament in Chicago, Illinois.
A veteran broadcaster in Major League Soccer since the league’s inaugural season of 1996, Wheelock has served as the host of “MLS Wrap” on FOX Soccer Channel, ‘MLS Extra Time” on ESPN2 and as the voice of the Kansas City Wizards.
Wheelock’s television and radio play-by-play experience also includes numerous MLS matches for ESPN/ESPN2 and FOX Soccer Channel, World Cup Qualifiers, US Open Cup, French League 1, Dutch Eredivise, USL and NCAA men’s and women’s soccer championships.
For the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he worked as a commentator for both XM Satellite Radio and the British Broadcasting Corporation. Aside from his TV work in the United States, he is the U.S. and CONCACAF correspondent for BBC Radio in the UK.
In addition to his soccer broadcasting experience, a play-by-play commentator for the US Open tennis international television broadcast, and has called three Super Bowls for BBC Radio 5.
In 2015, Governor Sam Brownback appointed him as a member for the Kansas Athletic Commission.
Wheelock and his wife Kelly, who hails from Odiham, Hampshire, England, live in Shawnee, Kansas, and have two daughters: Ellee (14) and Hadlee (8).