The Western Illinois Leathernecks have accepted an invitation to join the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) in 2024, the school announced on Friday.
Western Illinois will officially depart the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) after the 2023 football season and will join the Ohio Valley Conference beginning in the fall of 2024. All other Leathernecks athletics teams will depart the Summit League and will join the OVC effective July 1, 2023.
“This is going to be an excellent new endeavor for Western Illinois University,” said WIU President Dr. Huang. “We are excited to join our peers of similar size and communities, and we look forward to great competition.”
Western Illinois has been a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference since 1985, when it was then known as the Gateway Football Conference.
“This represents a new start, and a new era for Leatherneck Athletics against some old rivalries, as well as some new teams in our geographic footprint,” said WIU Director of Athletics Paul A. Bubb. “When you look at the schools in the Ohio Valley Conference, you see schools which are similar in enrollment, the size of communities where they exist, the academic programs they offer and the athletic budgets each has to work with at the Division I level.”
With the addition of Western Illinois, the OVC will increase to seven football members. WIU joins Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood, Southeast Missouri, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, and UT Martin.
“We are delighted Western Illinois has decided to join the OVC,” said OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche. “The WIU Athletics programs have long competed against OVC institutions given the similarity of programs and geographic proximity. Accordingly, there is a high level of comfort and excitement about the Leathernecks becoming part of the OVC community. We cannot wait to extend a warm welcome to WIU’s student-athletes, coaches, administrators and fans.”
The OVC currently has a football partnership with the Big South Conference. Bryant, Charleston Southern, Gardner-Webb, and Robert Morris comprise the Big South portion of the Big South-OVC.