Ohio Valley Conference

US college athletic conference

Ohio Valley Conference

Association| NCAA
Founded| 1948; 77 years ago (1948)
Commissioner| Beth DeBauche (since 2009)
Sports fielded|

* 20
* men's: 9
* women's: 10
* coeducational: 1

Division| Division I
Subdivision| FCS
No. of teams| 11
Headquarters| Brentwood, Tennessee
Region| Midwest and South
Official website| ovcsports.com
Locations

Ohio Valley Conference

230km
143miles

Western
Illinois

Martin

Tenn
Tech

Tenn
State

USI

SIUE

SEMO

Morehead
State

Lindenwood

Eastern
Illinois

Little
Rock

Location of member schools: full

The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It participates in Division I of the NCAA; the conference's football programs compete in partnership with the Big South Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS; formerly known as Division I-AA), the lower of two levels of Division I football competition. The OVC has 11 members, seven of which compete in football in the conference.

## History

[edit]

Primary source:[1]
The Ohio Valley Conference can trace its roots to 1941 when Murray State athletic director Roy Stewart, Eastern Kentucky athletic director Charles "Turkey" Hughes, and Western Kentucky public relations director Kelly Thompson first formulated the idea of establishing a regional athletics conference. The plan was put on hold due to World War II, but it was resurrected after the conclusion of the war. In 1948, the three schools joined with Louisville, Morehead State, and Evansville to form the Ohio Valley Conference. While many collegiate conferences are struggling today with the question of whether their policies and rules should be determined by the athletic departments or by the institutional heads, from the very beginning, the OVC has been run by the presidents of its member schools.

Historically, the OVC was a pioneer in racial desegregation, with Morehead State signing the conference's first Black athlete, Marshall Banks, in 1958. The rest of the OVC soon followed in Morehead State's wake. From 1986 to 2018, the OVC was unique among NCAA Division I conferences in that it included one historically Black university, Tennessee State University, in a conference that otherwise consists of institutions that are not traditionally Black. During this period, every other HBCU in NCAA Division I belonged to either the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference or Southwestern Athletic Conference. That distinction changed when both Hampton University and North Carolina A&T State University joined the Big South Conference in 2018 and 2021, respectively; both schools have since joined the Coastal Athletic Association.

The OVC has also been a leader in advancement of sports opportunities for women. The conference began adding championship competitions for women in 1977 several years after the AIAW began sponsoring national championships for women, but seven years before the NCAA was ready to move into the field. Since 2009, the OVC has been led by Commissioner Beth DeBauche, one of only six female commissioners for the thirty-two Division I conferences.[2]

Athletic rivalries, really close colleges and especially when competitors are in relatively close proximity, can generate problems with fan behavior, and the conference leadership struggled with controlling the issue for many years. When the national debate on the problem reached its apex in the mid-1990s, the OVC unveiled the national first of its kind "Sportsmanship Statement" in 1995, stating the conference's policy on, "... principles of fair play, ethical conduct and respect for one's opponent." Since then, the OVC has also introduced individual, team (for each sport), and institutional sportsmanship awards.

Founded by six schools, the expansions of 2007 and 2011 brought the Ohio Valley Conference membership to twelve schools, the most in its history. The OVC dropped to 10 members after the 2020–21 school year, when founding member Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State left for the Atlantic Sun Conference (then branded as the ASUN Conference; "ASUN" is still the official abbreviation).[3] At that time, the OVC was searching for teams to replace both.[4]

The OVC lost three more members after the 2021–22 school year. Football-sponsoring Austin Peay left for the ASUN, which ultimately launched its own football league in 2022.[5] Non-football Belmont left for the Missouri Valley Conference.[6] Another football school, founding member Murray State, left for the MVC. When announcing its move to the MVC, Murray State announced that it was seeking membership in the football-only Missouri Valley Football Conference, and also announced that it would continue to house its rifle team in the OVC.[7] In a separate statement, Murray State's president indicated that the football team would remain in the OVC in the 2022 season, ensuring that the OVC would retain its automatic bid to the FCS playoffs in that season and giving the league more time to add new football members.[8] Murray State would eventually be accepted by the MVFC effective in 2023.[9]

Also in July 2022, the OVC added two non-football members in the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, athletically known as Little Rock,[10] and the University of Southern Indiana, which started a transition from NCAA Division II,[11] plus a new football-sponsoring member in Lindenwood University, also transitioning from D-II.[12]

According to a report from Matt Brown of the Extra Points college sports blog, the OVC expected to lose Murray State, and was considering multiple expansion candidates, with Southern Indiana among them. Other schools named by Brown's sources as possible candidates were FCS programs Arkansas–Pine Bluff and Western Illinois, plus potential Division II upgraders Grand Valley State, Hillsdale, and Lincoln Memorial.[13]

On February 22, 2022, the conference announced its intent to combine its football membership with the Big South Conference beginning in 2023 and operate as the OVC–Big South Football Association. The alliance follows the model that the ASUN and Western Athletic Conference used in 2021 and 2022 before merging their football leagues in 2023 as the United Athletic Conference.[14]

Shortly after the 2022 membership changes took effect, the OVC and the Horizon League jointly announced that they would merge their men's tennis leagues under the Horizon banner, effective immediately. All five OVC members that sponsored men's tennis became Horizon affiliates in that sport.[15]

On March 28, 2023, the OVC announced it was adding men's soccer as its 19th championship sport. The four OVC members sponsoring the sport in other conferences were joined by Chicago State University, Houston Christian University, University of the Incarnate Word, and Liberty University.[16] Chicago State was also announced as an incoming men's and women's golf associate on that day.[17] Chicago State's OVC teams left the conference at the end of the 2023–24 school year when the university joined the Northeast Conference, which sponsors all sports that CSU housed in the OVC.[18]

On May 12, 2023, it was announced that Western Illinois University would join the OVC from the Summit League in most non-football sports beginning for the 2023 season. Western Illinois football, which was then a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, played the 2023 season in that league before joining the university's other sports in the OVC for the 2024 season.[19] Western later announced its men's soccer team would also play the 2023 season in its former all-sports home of the Summit League before joining the OVC in 2024.[20]

## OVC Digital Network

[edit]

In August 2012, the OVC announced that it had launched the OVC Digital Network as a replacement for and improvement over the conference's former efforts to provide streaming video coverage of many athletic events that had been in place since 2006.[21] This website carried live, student-produced coverage of most conference games and some non-conference games in baseball, men's and women's basketball, football, soccer, softball, and volleyball as well as some coaches' shows, special presentations, and archived game-casts available for later viewing.

In its first two years, the network provided well over 600,000 viewings of streamed live video of more than 1,400 events.[22]

In the 2018–19 school year, the coverage previously carried on the OVC Digital Network was switched over to ESPN+.

## Member schools

[edit]

### Full members

[edit]

Institution | Location | Founded | Joined | Type | Enrollment | Endowment
(millions) | Nickname | Colors

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

University of Arkansas at Little Rock | Little Rock, Arkansas | 1927  | 2022  | Public  | 8,197  | $80  | Trojans |
Eastern Illinois University | Charleston, Illinois | 1895  | 1996  | 8,857  | $87.3  | Panthers |
Lindenwood University | St. Charles, Missouri | 1827  | 2022  | Private  | 6,992  | $143.4  | Lions |
Morehead State University | Morehead, Kentucky | 1887  | 1948  | Public  | 8,810  | $71  | Eagles |
Southeast Missouri State University | Cape Girardeau, Missouri | 1873  | 1991  | 9,927  | $84.2  | Redhawks |
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | Edwardsville, Illinois | 1957  | 2008  | 12,860  | $27.4  | Cougars |
University of Southern Indiana | Evansville, Indiana | 1965  | 2022  | 9,489[23] | $103  | Screaming Eagles |
Tennessee State University | Nashville, Tennessee | 1912  | 1986[a] | 9,218  | $91.1  | Tigers/Lady Tigers |
Tennessee Technological University | Cookeville, Tennessee | 1915  | 1949  | 9,902  | $96.2  | Golden Eagles |
University of Tennessee at Martin | Martin, Tennessee | 1927  | 1992  | 6,873  | $51  | Skyhawks |
Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois | 1899  | 2023[b] | 7,643[24] | $63.6  | Leathernecks |

Notes

1. ^ The Tennessee State men's basketball team joined the OVC a year after becoming a full member for other sports (1987–88); while its football team joined the OVC two years after (1988–89).
2. ^ The Western Illinois men's soccer team joined the OVC in 2024, a year after becoming a full member for other sports. The football team similarly did not join the OVC–Big South Football Association until 2024.

### Affiliate members

[edit]

Years listed in this table are calendar years. For schools that play only spring sports (such as beach volleyball) in the OVC, the calendar year of arrival precedes the first season of competition.

Institution  | Location  | Founded  | Joined  | Type  | Enrollment  | Nickname  | Colors  | OVC
sport(s)  | Primary
conference

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Bryant University | Smithfield, Rhode Island | 1863  | 2024  | Private  | 3,751  | Bulldogs |     | men's golf  | America East
women's golf
women's tennis
Houston Christian University | Houston, Texas | 1960  | 2023  | Private  | 2,567  | Huskies |     | men's soccer  | Southland
University of the Incarnate Word | San Antonio, Texas | 1881  | 2023  | Private  | 9,366  | Cardinals |
Liberty University | Lynchburg, Virginia | 1971  | 2023  | Private  | 16,000[a] | Flames |       | CUSA
Murray State University | Murray, Kentucky | 1922  | 2022  | Public  | 10,495  | Racers |     | rifle  | MVC
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | Chattanooga, Tennessee | 1886  | 2020  | Public  | 11,388  | Mocs |       | beach volleyball  | SoCon

1. ^ Approximate on-campus enrollment. Including online students, Liberty claims an enrollment of over 130,000.

### Future affiliate members

[edit]

Institution  | Location  | Founded  | Joining  | Type  | Enrollment  | Nickname  | Colors  | OVC
sport(s)  | Primary
conference

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
(UTRGV)  | Edinburg, Texas | 2013[a] | 2026  | Public  | 32,419  | Vaqueros |     | men's soccer  | Southland

### Former full members

[edit]

Institution  | Location  | Founded  | Joined  | Left  | Type  | Nickname  | Colors  | Conference
they joined
after leaving
the OVC  | Current
conference

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

University of Akron | Akron, Ohio | 1870  | 1980  | 1987  | Public  | Zips |     | NCAA D-I Independent | MAC
Austin Peay State University | Clarksville, Tennessee | 1927  | 1962  | 2022  | Governors |     | ASUN
(UAC in 2026)
Belmont University | Nashville, Tennessee | 1890  | 2012  | Private  | Bruins |       | Missouri Valley
East Tennessee State University | Johnson City, Tennessee | 1911  | 1958  | 1978  | Public  | Buccaneers/
Lady Buccaneers[b] |     | SoCon
Eastern Kentucky University | Richmond, Kentucky | 1906  | 1948  | 2021  | Colonels |     | ASUN
(UAC in 2026)
University of Evansville | Evansville, Indiana | 1854  | 1952  | Private  | Purple Aces |       | ICC
(NCAA Division II) | Missouri Valley
Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville, Alabama | 1883  | 2003  | 2021  | Public  | Gamecocks |     | ASUN | CUSA
University of Louisville | Louisville, Kentucky | 1798  | 1948  | 1949  | Cardinals |     | NCAA Independent | ACC
Marshall University | Huntington, West Virginia | 1837  | 1949  | 1952  | Thundering Herd |     | NCAA Independent[c] | Sun Belt
Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro, Tennessee | 1911  | 1952  | 2000  | Blue Raiders |     | Sun Belt | CUSA
Murray State University | Murray, Kentucky | 1922  | 1948  | 2022  | Racers |     | Missouri Valley
Samford University | Homewood, Alabama | 1841  | 2003  | 2008  | Private  | Bulldogs |     | SoCon
Western Kentucky University[d] | Bowling Green, Kentucky | 1906  | 1948  | 1982  | Public  | Hilltoppers/
Lady Toppers |     | Sun Belt | CUSA
Youngstown State University | Youngstown, Ohio | 1908  | 1981  | 1988  | Penguins |     | Mid-Continent | Horizon
NCAA I-AA Independent
(football)  | MVFC
(football)

Notes

1. ^ UTRGV was formally founded in 2013, but did not start instruction until 2015.
2. ^ Since leaving the OVC, ETSU has dropped the word "Lady" from its women's team nicknames.
3. ^ Marshall left the OVC to become an Independent for one year prior to joining the Mid-American Conference (MAC) effective with the 1953–54 school year.
4. ^ Western Kentucky rejoined the OVC for football only in the 1999 and 2000 football seasons (1999–2000 and 2000–01 school years).

### Former affiliate members

[edit]

Institution  | Location  | Founded  | Joined  | Left  | Type  | Nickname  | Colors  | Sport  | Current
primary
conference  | Current
conference
in former
OVC sport

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Chicago State University | Chicago, Illinois | 1867  | 2023–24  | 2024–25  | Public  | Cougars |     | men's soccer,
men's golf
women's golf  | NEC
Columbus State University | Columbus, Georgia | 1958  | 2012–13  | 2014–15  | Public  | Cougars |       | Rifle  | Peach Belt
(NCAA D-II) | none[a]
Murray State University | Murray, Kentucky | 1922  | 2022–23[b] | 2023–24  | Public  | Racers |     | Football  | MVC
(NCAA D-I) | MVFC

Notes

1. ^ Columbus State dropped rifle after the 2014–15 school year.
2. ^ Measured from Murray State's departure as a full OVC member.

### Membership timeline

[edit]

Full members (all sports)  Full members (non-football)  Associate members (football-only)  Associate members (other)  Other Conference  Other Conference

#### Comments

[edit]

* Morehead State's football team competes in the Pioneer Football League, a Division I FCS football-only conference whose members choose not to offer athletic scholarships for football.
* Austin Peay's football team left the OVC after the 1996 season to compete as an NCAA D-I FCS Independent. After four seasons as an Independent, the team joined the Pioneer Football League in 2001, and remained there through the 2005 season. Austin Peay then returned to scholarship football, spending the 2006 season as an Independent before re-entering OVC football competition in 2007.

## Conference divisions

[edit]

Starting with the 2012–13 school year, the twelve member schools were split into two divisions for those sports where all schools competed. In the 2014–15 season, women's sports with twelve teams returned to a single league table, while continuing to play a divisional schedule. Men's basketball moved to an 18-game schedule in 2017–18, and they continued to play home-and-home versus the former divisional rivals, and they play home-and-home versus two teams from the other division, with those opponents on a rotation that sets up different pairs from year-to-year. The OVC returned to a single-table format after Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State left in 2021.

East Division  | West Division

|

Belmont  | Austin Peay
Eastern Kentucky  | Eastern Illinois
Jacksonville State  | Murray State
Morehead State  | SIU Edwardsville
Tennessee State  | Southeast Missouri
Tennessee Tech  | UT Martin

## Sports offered

[edit]

The Ohio Valley Conference currently offers championship competition in 19 NCAA sanctioned sports, with eight for men, 10 for women, and rifle for men's, women's, and coed teams.[25]

Teams in OVC competition Sport | Men's | Women's | Coed

|
|
|

Baseball |

Basketball |

Beach Volleyball |

Cross Country |

Football |

Golf |

Rifle |

Soccer |

Softball |

Tennis |

Track and Field (Indoor) |

Track and Field (Outdoor) |

Volleyball |

### Men's sponsored sports by school

[edit]

Departing members are displayed in red.

School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross
Country | Football | Golf | Rifle[a] | Soccer | Track
& Field
(Indoor) | Track
& Field
(Outdoor) | Total
OVC
Sports

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Eastern Illinois | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No  | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8
Lindenwood | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No  | Yes | No | No | 6
Little Rock | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No  | No | Yes | Yes | 6
Morehead State | Yes | Yes | Yes | No[b] | Yes | Yes[c] | No | No | Yes | 6
SIU Edwardsville | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No  | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7
Southeast Missouri | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No  | No | Yes | Yes | 6
Southern Indiana | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No  | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7
Tennessee State | No[d] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No  | No | Yes | Yes | 6
Tennessee Tech | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No  | No | No | No | 5
UT Martin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[e] | No | No | No | 6
Western Illinois | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8
Associate members
Bryant  |  |  |  |  | Yes  |  |  |  |  | 1
Houston Christian  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Yes  |  |  | 1
Incarnate Word  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Yes  |  |  | 1
Liberty  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Yes  |  |  | 1
Murray State  |  |  |  |  |  | Yes[c] |  |  |  | 1
Totals | 10 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 77
Future associate members
UTRGV  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Yes  |  |  | 1

Notes

1. ^ Rifle is technically a men's sport, but men's, women's, and coed teams all compete against each other.
2. ^ Morehead State football competes at the non-scholarship FCS level in the Pioneer Football League.
3. ^ a b Fields a single coed rifle team.
4. ^ Tennessee State plans to begin sponsoring baseball by no later than 2028.[26]
5. ^ Fields two separate rifle teams—one coed, and one women-only.

Men's varsity sports not sponsored by the Ohio Valley Conference which are played by OVC schools
School  | Ice Hockey | Swimming & Diving | Rodeo[a] | Tennis | Volleyball | Wrestling

|
|
|
|
|
|

Eastern Illinois  | – | Summit | – | –[b] | – | –
Lindenwood  | Independent[28] | – | – | – | MIVA | –
Little Rock  | – | – | – | – | – | Pac-12
SIU Edwardsville  | – | – | – | – | – | MAC
Southern Indiana  | – | Summit | – | Horizon | – | –
Tennessee State  | [c] | – | – | Horizon | – | –
Tennessee Tech  | – | – | – | Horizon | – | –
UT Martin  | – | – | NIRA[d] | – | – | –

Notes

1. ^ Rodeo is sanctioned by the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA), not the NCAA.
2. ^ Eastern Illinois dropped men's tennis immediately after the 2024–25 season.[27]
3. ^ Tennessee State will add men's ice hockey for the 2025–26 season. They will compete as an independent.[29]
4. ^ UT Martin considers rodeo to be a varsity sport.

### Women's sponsored sports by school

[edit]

Departing members in red.

School | Basketball | Beach Volleyball | Cross Country | Golf | Rifle[a] | Soccer | Softball | Tennis | Track & Field
(Indoor) | Track & Field
(Outdoor) | Volleyball (Indoor) | Total OVC Sports

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Eastern Illinois | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No[b] | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9
Lindenwood | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10
Little Rock | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7
Morehead State | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes† | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10
Southeast Missouri | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8
Southern Indiana | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9
SIU Edwardsville | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8
Tennessee State | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No[c] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8
Tennessee Tech | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8
UT Martin | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yesx2† | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | 7
Western Illinois | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 10
Associate members
Bryant |  |  |  | Yes |  |  |  | Yes |  |  |  | 2
Chattanooga |  | Yes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1
Murray State |  |  |  |  | Yes† |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1
Totals | 11 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 100

1. ^ Rifle is technically a men's sport, but men's, women's, and coed teams all compete against each other. All competing OVC schools have coed teams, and UT Martin has both a women's and a coed team.
2. ^ Eastern Illinois dropped women's tennis immediately after the 2024–25 season.[27]
3. ^ Tennessee State plans to begin sponsoring women's soccer by no later than 2028.[26]

Women's varsity sports not sponsored by the Ohio Valley Conference which are played by OVC schools
School | Equestrian[a] | Gymnastics | Ice Hockey | Lacrosse | Rodeo[b] | Stunt[a] | Swimming & Diving | Wrestling[a]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Eastern Illinois | — | — | — | — | — | — | Summit | –
Lindenwood | — | — | AHA | ASUN[30] | — | — | — | Independent
Little Rock | — | — | — | — | — | — | MVC | –
Southeast Missouri | — | MIC | — | — | — | — | – | –
Southern Indiana | – | – | – | – | – | — | Summit | –
Tennessee State | – | – | – | – | – | — | [c] | –
UT Martin | ECAC | — | — | — | NIRA | Independent | — | —

1. ^ a b c Part of the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program.
2. ^ Rodeo is sanctioned by the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA), not the NCAA. UT Martin considers rodeo to be a varsity sport.
3. ^ Tennessee State plans to begin sponsoring women's swimming & diving by no later than 2028.[26]

## Conference champions

[edit]

### Football conference champions

[edit]

This is a list of the champions between 2010 and the 2023 establishment of the OVC–Big South Football Association.[31] For the complete history, see List of Ohio Valley Conference football champions.

Year  | Regular Season Champion  | Record  | FCS Championship Result

|
|
|

2010  | Southeast Missouri State  | 7–1  | Second Round
2011  | Tennessee Tech*
Eastern Kentucky
Jacksonville State  | 6–2
6–2
6–2  | First Round
First Round
DNP
2012  | Eastern Illinois  | 6–1  | First Round
2013  | Eastern Illinois  | 8–0  | Quarterfinals
2014  | Jacksonville State  | 8–0  | Second Round
2015  | Jacksonville State  | 8–0  | FCS Championship Runner Up
2016  | Jacksonville State  | 7–0  | First Round
2017  | Jacksonville State  | 8–0  | Second Round
2018  | Jacksonville State  | 7–1  | Second Round
2019  | Austin Peay**
Southeast Missouri State  | 7–1  | Quarterfinals
First Round
2020  | Jacksonville State  | 6–1  | Quarterfinals
2021  | UT Martin  | 5–1  | Second Round
2022  | Southeast Missouri State***
UT Martin  | 5-0  | First Round

* – Tennessee Tech won the tie-breaker and received the automatic bid to the FCS playoffs.
* – Austin Peay won the tie-breaker and received the automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs.
* \- Southeast Missouri won the tie-breaker and received the automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs.

### Basketball

[edit]

This is a list of the champions since 2010. For the complete men's history, see List of Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball champions.

See also: Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball tournament

See also: Ohio Valley Conference women's basketball tournament

Year  | Men's  |  | Women's

|
|
|

Regular Season Champion  | Record  | Tournament champion  |  | Regular Season Champion  | Record  | Tournament champion
2010–11  | Murray State  | 14–4  | Morehead State Tourney |  | Tennessee Tech  | 15–3  | UT Martin
2011–12  | Murray State  | 15–1  | Murray State Tourney |  | UT Martin  | 15–1  | UT Martin
2012–13  | East: Belmont
West: Murray State  | 14–2
10–6  | Belmont Tourney |  | East: Tennessee Tech
West: Eastern Illinois  | 12–4
12–4  | UT Martin
2013–14  | East: Belmont
West: Murray State  | 14–2
13–3  | Eastern Kentucky Tourney |  | East: Belmont
West: UT Martin  | 10–6
15–1  | UT Martin
2014–15  | East: Eastern Kentucky & Belmont
West: Murray State  | 11–5
16–0  | Belmont Tourney |  | UT Martin  | 16–0  | Tennessee State
2015–16  | East: Belmont
West: UT Martin & Murray State  | 12–4
10–6  | Austin Peay Tourney |  | UT Martin  | 14–2  | Belmont
2016–17  | East: Belmont
West: UT Martin  | 15–1
10–6  | Jacksonville State Tourney |  | Belmont  | 16–0  | Belmont
2017–18  | Murray State  | 15–2  | Murray State Tourney |  | Belmont  | 18–0  | Belmont Tourney
2018–19  | Belmont
Murray State  | 16–2  | Murray State Tourney |  | Belmont  | 16–2  | Belmont Tourney
2019–20  | Belmont
Murray State  | 15–3  | Belmont Tourney |  | Belmont
UT Martin  | 16–2  | Southeast Missouri State Tourney
2020–21  | Belmont  | 18–2  | Morehead State Tourney |  | UT Martin  | 17–4  | Belmont Tourney
2021–22  | Murray State  | 18–0  | Murray State Tourney |  | Belmont  | 16–2  | Belmont Tourney
2022–23  | Morehead State  | 14–4  | Southeast Missouri Tourney |  | Little Rock  | 17–1  | Tennessee Tech Tourney
2023–24  | Little Rock
Morehead State
UT Martin  | 14–4  | Morehead State Tourney |  | Southern Indiana  | 17–1  | Southern Indiana Tourney

### Baseball

[edit]

This is a list of the champions since 2010.

Year  | Regular Season Champion  | OVC
record  | Season
record  | Tournament champion  | OVC
record  | Season
record

|
|
|
|
|
|

2010  | Tennessee Tech  | 14–6  | 31–25  | Jacksonville State  | 15–8  | 32–26
2011  | Austin Peay  | 17–6  | 34–24  | Austin Peay  | 17–6  | 34–24
2012  | Austin Peay
Eastern Kentucky  | 19–7  | 40–24
31–23  | Austin Peay  | 19–7  | 40–24
2013  | Tennessee Tech  | 24–6  | 40–17  | Austin Peay  | 22–7  | 47–15
2014  | Southeast Missouri  | 23–7  | 37–20  | Jacksonville State  | 18–12  | 36–27
2015  | Southeast Missouri  | 22–8  | 36–23  | Morehead State  | 20–10  | 38–22
2016  | Southeast Missouri  | 22–8  | 39–21  | Southeast Missouri  | 22–8  | 39–21
2017  | Tennessee Tech  | 23–7  | 39–18  | Tennessee Tech  | 23–7  | 39–18
2018  | Tennessee Tech  | 27–3  | 53–12  | Morehead State  | 18–12  | 37–26
2019  | Jacksonville State  | 22–8  | 39–23  | Jacksonville State  | 22–8  | 39–23
2020  | Canceled
2021  | Southeast Missouri State  | 17–10  | 30–22  | Southeast Missouri State  | 17–10  | 30–22

* # = 2009 Eastern Illinois lost 1 conference and 4 non-conference games by forfeit for using an ineligible player.

### Softball

[edit]

This is a list of the champions since 2010.

Year  | Regular Season Champion  | OVC
record  | Season
record  | Tournament champion  | OVC
record  | Season
record

|
|
|
|
|
|

2010  | UT Martin  | 22–3  | 47–11  | Jacksonville State  | 13–6  | 30–19
2011  | Eastern Illinois  | 26–4  | 40–12  | Jacksonville State  | 21–9  | 40–21
2012  | UT Martin  | 23–6  | 39–22  | UT Martin  | 23–6  | 39–22
2013  | East– Eastern Kentucky
West– Eastern Illinois  | 19–6
20–3  | 36–20
36–14  | Jacksonville State  | 11–11  | 30–27
2014  | East– Jacksonville State
West– SIUE  | 22–5
19–5  | 40–15
30–23  | SIUE  | 19–5  | 30–23
2015  | SIUE  | 20–6  | 43–16  | Tennessee Tech  | 15–11  | 33–28
2016  | Jacksonville State  | 26–0  | 43–17  | Jacksonville State  | 26–0  | 43–17
2017  | Jacksonville State  | 15–1  | 41–12  | Jacksonville State  | 15–1  | 41–12
2018  | Eastern Kentucky  | 19–3  | 45–21  | Jacksonville State  | 16–6  | 35–25
2019  | Southeast Missouri State
Jacksonville State  | 17–5  | 46–18
36–15  | Southeast Missouri State  | 17–5  | 46–18
2020  | Canceled
2021  | Southeast Missouri  | 23–6  | 30–17  | Eastern Kentucky  | 22–9  | 35–17
2022  | Murray State  | 21–7  | 40–18–1  | Murray State  | 21–7  | 40–18–1

### Men's soccer

[edit]

Men's soccer was first sponsored by the OVC in 2023.[32]

Year  | Regular season champions  | Tournament champions

|
|

2023  | SIUE  | SIUE

### Women's soccer

[edit]

This is a list of champions since 2010.[33]

Year  | Regular season champions  | Tournament champions

|
|

2010  | Morehead State  | Morehead State
2011  | Southeast Missouri  | UT Martin
2012  | UT Martin  | UT Martin
2013  | UT Martin  | Morehead State
2014  | Southeast Missouri  | SIUE
2015  | Murray State  | Murray State
2016  | Murray State  | SIUE
2017  | Murray State  | Murray State
2018  | UT Martin  | Murray State
2019  | Southeast Missouri  | Belmont
2020-21  | Murray State  | SIUE
2021  | UT Martin  | SIUE
2022  | Tennessee Tech  | SIUE
2023  | Tennessee Tech  | Morehead State

## Facilities

[edit]

School  | Football stadium  | Capacity  | Soccer stadium  | Capacity  | Basketball arena  | Capacity  | Baseball stadium  | Capacity  | Softball stadium  | Capacity  | Volleyball arena  | Capacity

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Eastern Illinois | O'Brien Field | 10,000  | Lakeside Soccer Field  | 1,000 | Lantz Arena | 5,300  | Coaches Stadium
at Monier Field | 500  | Williams Field  | 200 | Lantz Arena | 5,300
Lindenwood | Hunter Stadium | 7,450 | Hunter Stadium | 7,450 | Hyland Arena | 3,270 | Lou Brock Sports Complex | 700 | Lou Brock Sports Complex | 300 | Hyland Arena | 3,270
Little Rock | Non-football school | Coleman Sports Complex  | 300 | Jack Stephens Center | 5,600 | Gary Hogan Field | 2,550 | Non-softball school | Jack Stephens Center | 5,600
Morehead State | Jayne Stadium | 10,000  | Jayne Stadium  | 10,000 | Ellis Johnson Arena | 6,500  | John "Sonny" Allen Field | 1,200  | University Field  | 500 | Ellis Johnson Arena | 6,500
Southeast Missouri State | Houck Stadium | 11,015  | Houck Stadium  | 11,015 | Show Me Center | 6,972  | Capaha Field | 2,000  | Southeast Softball Complex  | 1,000 | Houck Fieldhouse  | 1,000
Southern Indiana | Non-football school | Strassweg Field  | 550  | Liberty Arena | 4,800 | USI Baseball Field  | 1,200 | USI Softball Field  | 400  | Liberty Arena | 4,800
SIU Edwardsville | Ralph Korte Stadium | 4,000  | First Community Arena | 4,000 | Roy E. Lee Field at Simmons Baseball Complex | 1,500  | Cougar Field  | 800 | First Community Arena | 4,000
Tennessee State | Nissan Stadium | 68,000  | Non-soccer school | Gentry Complex | 10,500  | Non-baseball school | Tiger Field  | 500 | Kean Hall  | 2,500
Tennessee Tech | Tucker Stadium | 16,500  | Tech Soccer Field  | 800 | Eblen Center | 9,280  | Bush Stadium at Averitt Express Baseball Complex | 1,100  | Tech Softball Field  | 800 | Eblen Center | 9,280
UT Martin | Graham Stadium | 7,500  | Skyhawk Soccer Field  | 500 | Skyhawk Arena | 4,300  | Skyhawk Baseball Field | 500  | Bettye Giles Softball Field  | 500 | Skyhawk Fieldhouse | 3,000
Western Illinois | Hanson Field | 16,368  | John MacKenzie Alumni Field  | 1,000 | Western Hall | 5,139  | Alfred D. Boyer Stadium | 500 | Mary Ellen McKee Stadium  | 550 | Western Hall | 5,139
Men's soccer affiliates

School  | Stadium  | Capacity
Houston Christian | Sorrels Field  | 500
Incarnate Word | Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium | 6,000
Liberty | Osborne Stadium  | 1,000
UTRGV | UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex  | 1,555

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "OVC History". Ohio Valley Conference. July 28, 2009. Archived from the original on October 2, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
2. ^ "Staff Directory". Ohio Valley Conference/Sidearm Sports. July 29, 2009. Archived from the original on September 30, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
3. ^ "ASUN Conference Announces Three New Institutions; Adds Football as 20th Sport" (Press release). ASUN Conference. January 29, 2021. Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
4. ^ Verdun, Dan (February 5, 2021). "With two members leaving, the Ohio Valley Conference searches for answers". ChicagoNow.
5. ^ "ASUN Conference Welcomes Austin Peay State University as its Newest Member" (Press release). ASUN Conference. September 17, 2021. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
6. ^ Organ, Mike. "Belmont leaving the Ohio Valley Conference, according to report". The Tennessean. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
7. ^ "Murray State University Joins The Missouri Valley Conference" (Press release). Murray State Racers. January 7, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
8. ^ Wright, John (January 10, 2022). "Murray State accepts MVC invitation". Murray Ledger & Times. Murray, KY. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
9. ^ "Murray State Football To Join Missouri Valley Football Conference July of 2023" (Press release). Missouri Valley Football Conference. April 4, 2022. Archived from the original on April 4, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
10. ^ "Little Rock Receives Board Approval to Join Ohio Valley Conference" (Press release). Ohio Valley Conference. December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
11. ^ "University of Southern Indiana to Join the Ohio Valley Conference in 2022-23" (Press release). Ohio Valley Conference. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
12. ^ "Lindenwood University to Join the Ohio Valley Conference in 2022-23" (Press release). Ohio Valley Conference. February 23, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
13. ^ Brown, Matt (January 5, 2022). "MVC expected to add Murray State, likely to add more". Extra Points. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
14. ^ "Big South and Ohio Valley Conference Announce Football Agreement" (Press release). Big South Conference. February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
15. ^ "Horizon League Announces Innovative Partnership with Ohio Valley Conference and Men's Tennis Programs, Adds Chicago State as an Affiliate Member for Men's and Women's Tennis" (Press release). Horizon League. July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
16. ^ "OVC Adds Men's Soccer as Championship Sport" (Press release). Ohio Valley Conference. March 28, 2023. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
17. ^ "Chicago State to Join OVC as Affiliate for Men's & Women's Golf" (Press release). Ohio Valley Conference. March 28, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
18. ^ "Windy City Welcome: Chicago State Roars Into NEC" (Press release). Northeast Conference. December 5, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
19. ^ "Leatherneck Athletics Moving to Ohio Valley Conference for All Sports" (Press release). Western Illinois University. May 12, 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
20. ^ "Western Illinois Officially Becomes an OVC Member" (Press release). Ohio Valley Conference. June 30, 2023. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
21. ^ "Ohio Valley Conference Launches OVC Digital Network". Ohio Valley Conference. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 2, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
22. ^ "OVC Digital Network Ready For Year Three". Ohio Valley Conference. August 21, 2014. Archived from the original on October 2, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
23. ^ "USI enrollment continues to grow".
24. ^ "Total Student Enrollment - Western Illinois University".
25. ^ "Official Web Site of the Ohio Valley Conference". Ohio Valley Conference. Archived from the original on October 2, 2015. Retrieved September 29, 2015.
26. ^ a b c Organ, Mike (April 23, 2024). "Tennessee State is bringing baseball back as an NCAA-sanctioned sport". The Tennessean. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
27. ^ a b "EIU Discontinues Men's & Women's Tennis" (Press release). Eastern Illinois Panthers. May 12, 2025. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
28. ^ "Lindenwood Adds NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey". 23 March 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
29. ^ "Tennessee State University Hockey FAQ". Tennessee State Tigers. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
30. ^ "#ASUNWLAX Announces Addition of Lindenwood for 2023 Season" (Press release). ASUN Conference. May 2, 2022. Archived from the original on May 2, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
31. ^ "Conference Standings and Champions" (PDF). Retrieved March 7, 2009.
32. ^ "OVC Men's Soccer Report - Final". Ohio Valley Conference. December 13, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
33. ^ OVC Sports. "Ohio Valley Conference" (PDF). Ohio Valley Conference. Retrieved August 28, 2017.

* "OVC Extends Agreement With ESPN, Will Broadcast Contests on ESPN+". ovcsports.com. August 27, 2018. Retrieved February 27, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ohio Valley Conference.

* Official website

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Ohio Valley Conference

Full members|

* Eastern Illinois Panthers
* Lindenwood Lions
* Little Rock Trojans
* Morehead State Eagles
* SIU Edwardsville Cougars
* Southeast Missouri State Redhawks
* Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles
* Tennessee State Tigers
* Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles
* UT Martin Skyhawks
* Western Illinois Leathernecks

Associate members|

* Bryant Bulldogs6
* Chattanooga Mocs4
* Houston Christian Huskies1
* Incarnate Word Cardinals1
* Liberty Flames1 2
* Murray State Racers5
* UTRGV Vaqueros1 3

Related topics|

* OVC–Big South Football Association
* OVC football
* OVC men's basketball

* 1soccer (men's)
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* 3joining in 2026
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NCAA Division I all-sports conferences

FBS|

* The American
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FCS - Full|

* Big Sky
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FCS - Alliance|

* CAA FB (CAA / America East)
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Non-Football|

* Atlantic 10
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NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision conferences

Current conferences|

* Big Sky
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Previous conferences|

* American West (defunct 1996)
* Great West (non-football 2012; defunct 2013)
* Gulf Star (defunct 1987)
* MAAC (non-football 2008)
* Yankee (became A10 1997)

Independents
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