The Missouri Valley Conference has announced its 2025 Hall of Fame Class.

The 28th MVC Hall of Fame class features coaching legends Bob Warn of Indiana State; Bruce Weber of Southern Illinois; and Lisa Bluder of Drake; track & field All-American Tyler Mulder of UNI; student, coach, professor, administrator, mentor, and trusted advisor Betty Wiseman of Belmont; and men’s basketball star Marcellus Sommerville of Bradley. Including this year’s six inductees, the MVC Hall of Fame consists of 157 former student-athletes, administrators, coaches, and contributors.

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The league will conduct its annual Hall of Fame ceremony as part the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Championship in St. Louis, Mo., on March 6-9, 2025. The Friday, March 7, festivities begin with an 8:00 a.m. breakfast, followed by the induction ceremony at 8:30 a.m.

Tickets to the 2025 Hall of Fame event, which will be held at Stifel Theatre -- adjacent to Enterprise Center – can be obtained by contacting the league office. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The 2025 State Farm MVC Tournament marks the 35th-straight year the event has been staged in St. Louis.  With 35-consecutive years at the same neutral site, Arch Madness is the second-longest neutral site tenured collegiate tourney in the nation (following only the Big East in New York City).  It marks the 31st anniversary for the tournament at Enterprise Center.

"One of the great rewards that comes with representing a Conference with the tremendous history of the Missouri Valley is the opportunity to engage with some of the finest practitioners and best leaders in our industry,” said Commissioner Jeff Jackson.  “This class represents the reach of The Valley in and away from the athletic arena.  We are all truly inspired by their achievements and touched by their grace.”



LISA BLUDER, DRAKE (1990-2000)
A former student-athlete at the University of Northern Iowa, Lisa Bluder served as Drake women’s basketball head coach from 1990-2000.  She began her coaching career at St. Ambrose, where she compiled a 169-36 mark in six seasons, leading St. Ambrose to the NAIA Fab Four in 1989 and 1990.
While at Drake, she earned four MVC tourney titles (1995, 1997, 1998, 2000), three MVC regular-season crowns (1997, 1998, 2000) and won 20+ games five of her last six seasons on the Drake bench.  A three-time MVC Coach of the Year, Bluder led her teams to a Top-4 finish in the league standings eight of her 10 seasons in the Conference. 
With a cumulative record of 188-105 (.642), she owns the second-most wins in Drake school history.  After her successful run at Drake, Bluder became the all-time winningest coach at the University of Iowa, with a record of 528-254.  Her 528 wins are the most in Iowa history, surpassing Hall of Famer C. Vivian Stringer. 
As head coach of the Hawkeyes, she led her teams to 22 postseason appearances (18 NCAA and four WNIT).  Bluder was a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (2001, 2008 2010), and she was the WBCA Regional Coach of the Year four times (2001, 2008, 2018, 2019). Under Bluder, Iowa was Big Ten Tournament champion five times (2001, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024) and was twice Big Ten regular-season champion (2008, 2022).  The Hawkeyes made back-to-back NCAA Final Four appearances in 2023 and 2024 as Iowa was national runner-up in each of those seasons.  The 2019 Naismith College Coach of the Year, Bluder retired from Iowa following the 2023-24 season with the 10th most wins in NCAA history, with an overall record of 884-396.  
Bluder also served as head coach of the U.S.A. women’s basketball team at the 2015 Pan American Games, earning a silver medal in the event.
Bluder is a member of the Des Moines Register Hall of Fame, the Quad City Times Hall of Fame, Linn Mar Athletic Hall of Fame, and the University of Northern Iowa Hall of Fame.



TYLER MULDER, UNI (2005-08)
The current head track & field coach at St. Ambrose, Tyler Mulder was a standout performer at the University of Northern Iowa.
At UNI from 2005-09, he was an eight-time All-American and won the 800-meter national title at the 2008 NCAA Indoor National Championships. He holds Panther school records in the 800m, 1000m, 4x400m relay, sprint medley relay and distance medley relay.
Mulder, who became the fourth UNI track and field competitor to win an individual national title in school history, concluded his collegiate career in 2009 as an 8-time All-American, 8-time NCAA qualifier, 7-time NCAA regional qualifier and a 16-time Missouri Valley Conference champion. Mulder was named the Missouri Valley Conference’s Most Outstanding Track Athlete at the 2008 and 2009 MVC Indoor Championships.
Following his collegiate career, Mulder joined the Oregon Track Club. He reached the 800m final at the 2009 USA Track & Field Championships. In 2010, he placed third at the USA Indoors and fourth at the USA Outdoors. In 2011, Mulder placed fourth at the USA Championships and just missed at qualifying for the World Championships. He took fourth-place honors at the 2011 Pan Am Games. Mulder placed fifth at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2012. He set his personal best in the 800 with a time of 1:44.34 in Monaco in 2013.  He’s the fastest ever Iowan in the 800 and in the mile (3:57.37).
Mulder was named the St. Ambrose University head track & field coach prior to the 2022-23 season. He also assists the Fighting Bee cross country teams.  In his first year with the Bees, Mulder coached four All-Americans as his student-athletes set numerous school records. In the record breaking 2023-24 season, Mulder coached two dual All-American athletes (indoor and outdoor). He coached a former Bee who ran at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Mulder joined St. Ambrose after spending five seasons as the head coach of the track & field and cross country teams at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, Iowa. He coached seven cross country All-Americans and 59 track & field All-Americans, including an indoor men’s national championship 4x800m relay team, at Hawkeye. Multiple RedTail athletes moved to NCAA and NAIA programs under his watch.
Mulder is a native of Orange City, Iowa, and is a graduate of Unity Christian High School.  He’s a member of the UNI Hall of Fame and the Iowa High School Hall of Fame.



MARCELLUS SOMMERVILLE, BRADLEY (2003-06)
A three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection – first-team in 2004 and 2005 and second-team in 2006 – Marcellus Sommerville led the Braves in scoring in all three seasons, culminating with a magical run to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in 2006.  Sommerville was the only player in the league to finish among The Valley’s top five in both scoring and rebounding during each of his three seasons.
During his three-year Bradley career, Sommerville averaged 16.2 points per game, the ninth-best average in Bradley history, finishing 12th on the school’s all-time scoring list with 1,493 points.  The 6-foot-7 forward also finished fifth in program history with 153 career 3-pointers and he was the first-ever MVC men’s basketball student-athlete to record at least 600 rebounds (662) and 150 3-pointers during a 3-year period (seven others had reached those numbers over 4-year careers).
He averaged 19.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg during Bradley’s three NCAA Tournament games in 2006 – 21 points/7 rebounds vs. #12 Kansas, 18/6 vs. #16 Pittsburgh and 18/8 against #3 Memphis.
The 2004 MVC Newcomer of the Year, he earned the MVC Newcomer of the Week six times during the 2003-04 season.
Following his career at Bradley, Sommerville enjoyed a 14-year professional career overseas, including eight seasons in the France Pro-A League.
Additionally, he has suited up for Bradley alumni team Always A Brave during each of the team’s four years of TBT participation and was named to the 5-man All-Tournament team in 2016, leading the squad to the national, winner-take-all tournament semifinals by averaging 21.2 ppg.  Sommerville led Always A Brave to the TBT Super 16 in three of the squad’s four years of participation – 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021.
Since retiring from professional basketball, Sommerville has returned to his hometown as the CEO of Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service (https://www.friendship.house/) and has become a prominent figure in the Peoria community.  Located in Peoria’s near north-side community, Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service’s vision is to empower families with hope and faith to grow beyond life circumstances and the organization provides programming in education, cultural support, health and fitness, financial stability, parent mentoring, food support and citizenship preparation.
He also has launched the Marcellus Sommerville Next Generation Academy and the Marcellus Sommerville Foundation to further support the Peoria community.



BOB WARN, INDIANA STATE (1976-06)
Bob Warn served as head coach of the Sycamore baseball program for 31 seasons, posting a 1,070-745-9 record in his tenure.  The three-time Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year (1979, 1983, 1984) is a member of numerous Hall of Fame organizations:  Indiana Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (1990), Iowa Western College Hall of Fame (2000), and American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2003); and Indiana State’s Hall of Fame (2011).
Warn ranks top 30 all-time in wins among of Division I coaches, and his teams earned MVC Tournament titles six times (1979, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1995) and seven NCAA Tournament appearances (1979, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1995).  In 1986, ISU was Mideast Regional Champion and advance to the College World Series that year.
A total of 126 players were recognized as All-Missouri Valley Conference during his tenure along with 72 players named to the All-MVC Tournament teams, four named MVC Tournament MVP, 97 players being named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete team, 90 players advancing to the professional ranks including 21 in the Major Leagues, 11 players were named All-Americans, and 30 players earned All-Region recognition.
Warn’s 1986 team was inducted into ISU Athletics Hall of Fame (2002), and he served as President of the American Baseball Coaches’ Association (1997).  Warn compiled a head coaching record of 1,174-783-9 in 34 seasons.
Warn played collegiately at Southern Illinois University where the Salukis advanced to the 1968 College World Series. He began his coaching career as a player-coach with the U.S. Army at Fort Polk, La. Warn returned to the college ranks as a graduate assistant and as the junior varsity coach at Western Illinois before becoming the head coach at Iowa Western where his teams were 104-38 in three seasons.
At the conclusion of the 2009 season, ISU’s home venue was renovated and renamed Bob Warn Field at Sycamore Stadium in his honor.



BRUCE WEBER, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (1998-2003)
A highly successful men’s basketball coach, Bruce Weber began his Division I coaching career at Southern Illinois in 1998.  He coached SIU to a 103-54 overall record (.656) in five seasons from 1998-99 through 2002-03. During his five-year sting in Carbondale, the Salukis recorded a 62-28 record in MVC games-only (.689); the 13th best win percentage in MVC history.
Weber led SIU to two MVC regular-season titles (2002 and 2003) and  two NCAA Tournament appearances (2002 and 2003). Both teams received at-large bids. The 2002 team reached the Sweet 16: one of three Sweet 16 appearances in SIU history.  The 2002 team was ranked 22nd nationally in the final USA Today/ESPN poll of the season and is the second winningest team in SIU history (28 victories), which is tied for seventh-best in a single-season in MVC history.
The 2003 MVC Coach of the Year, Weber led the 2000 Salukis to the NIT where they won at Colorado and lost at BYU.  Weber coached three MVC All Conference First Team players: Kent Williams (2X) and Rolan Roberts. Roberts was 2002 MVC Newcomer of the Year.
The 2018 SIU Hall of Fame inductee, his 2002 and 2003 teams launched a stretch of six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances by the Salukis.  Weber has an overall head coaching record of 497-302 (.622) in 24 seasons. He coached SIU, Illinois (2003-2012) and Kansas State (2012-22) to a total of six conference championships, to 13 NCAA tournaments (including the 2005 Final Four), and to two NITs.  Weber won Big Ten regular-season titles in 2004 and 2005 while Illinois was crowned as Big Ten tourney champs in 2005.  While at K-State Weber earned two regular-season Big 12 titles (2013, 2019).  Weber was Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2005, and he was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2013.
Weber’s long list of national coaching accolades include AP Coach of the Year (2005), the Henry Iba Award (2005), NABC Coach of the Year (2005), Naismith College Coach of the Year (2005), Victor Awards National Coach of the Year (2005), USBWA District VI Coach of the Year (2013, 2019), NABC District 8 Coach of the Year (2013), and USA Basketball National co-Coach of the Year (2019).
Weber currently works as a studio analyst and color commentator for the Big Ten Network.



BETTY WISEMAN, BELMONT
For six decades, Betty Wiseman has been an active figure at Belmont University. As a student, coach, professor, administrator, mentor, and trusted advisor Wiseman has been a great ambassador for the university and the athletics department.
The matriarch of Belmont women’s basketball, Wiseman has been recognized throughout the years for her leadership, courage and lifelong contributions to athletics and service to Belmont’s community. Her nearly 50-year tenure at Belmont as professor, coach, then athletics administrator is one for the history books.
She pioneered the women’s basketball program at Belmont four years before Title IX, served as coach and player on the first team, and built the program from the ground up. She fiercely advocated for all women on her team, especially in the height of the civil rights movement. In the 1990s, Wiseman assumed the role of senior woman administrator and assistant athletics director, where she guided Belmont’s transition to NCAA Division I and established six additional women’s programs – volleyball, softball, soccer, track and field, cross country and golf.
In addition to her 15-plus years as SWA/assistant athletics director, Wiseman began the athletics mission movement at Belmont in the summer of 1995. After leading a group of nine people representing Belmont men’s and women’s basketball to the country of Poland, Wiseman continued to lead mission trips for years. For over 25 years, athletics missions at Belmont has spanned 14 countries and four continents and impacted numerous people globally.
After graduating from Belmont in 1965, the Portland, Tenn., native was named as associate professor of health and physical education in 1966 and began a teaching career of 40 years. She was named professor emeritus in the department of health and human performance in 2006 where she served as department chair for six years. In 1968 the former high school basketball standout began a new career as a women’s sports trailblazer when she founded the women’s basketball program at Belmont, one of the first programs, not only in the state, but in the southeast. Wiseman was the head women’s basketball coach at Belmont for 16 seasons, compiling a 247-151 record. She led Belmont to four consecutive berths in the National Women’s Invitational Tournament from 1973-77 and was named coach of the year four times, including once at the NWIT in 1977. Wiseman guided her teams to several championships and victories over many notable programs such as Alabama, Nebraska, North Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. She was inducted into the Belmont Athletics Hall of Fame in 1981 after being named Belmont’s Alumni of the Year in 1977.
Wiseman has been honored by several organizations for her contributions to collegiate athletics. In 1999 she was given the Josten-Berenson Service Award by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) during the NCAA Women’s Final Four in San Jose, California, to recognize her lifelong commitment to women’s basketball. In 2003, Belmont honored her by naming the university’s athletics administration offices the Striplin-Wiseman Athletic Office Complex. In 2004, Wiseman was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame for her contributions in promoting women’s basketball in the state. She is the first Belmont coach or athlete to be so honored.
Wiseman has been inducted into the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) Hall of Fame and received the second annual “An Honorable Life” award, co-sponsored by Belmont’s Global Honors Program and Belmont Athletics.
During the 2022 NCAA Tournament, Wiseman garnered national social media attention as she was dubbed “Belmont Betty” on Twitter after being featured on the ESPN broadcast of Belmont’s second round matchup with nationally-ranked Tennessee. Following Belmont’s NCAA Tournament run, “Belmont Betty” t-shirts resembling her trademark white hair and collared shirt were created and sold. A portion of each “Belmont Betty” t-shirt sale was donated to the Betty Wiseman Mission Fund.
She is a member of Brentwood Baptist Church where she has served as trustee. An active medical missions volunteer with the church, Wiseman has been a member of the adult choir and a substitute teacher for Sunday school.