Western Illinois University Joining The OVC In 2023-2024 Academic Year

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Western Illinois University (WIU) has accepted an invitation to join the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). Western Illinois, which sponsors 17 of the OVC’s championship sports, will become official members on July 1.

WIU’s football team, which currently competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC), will play one final season in the MVFC and join the OVC prior to the 2024 season.

“We are delighted Western Illinois has decided to join the OVC,” says 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.”

Western Illinois will join the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Eastern Illinois University, Lindenwood University, Morehead State University, Southeast Missouri State University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, University of Southern Indiana, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological University and the University of Tennessee at Martin as OVC full member institutions.

“This is going to be an excellent new endeavor for Western Illinois University,” says WIU President Dr. Guiyou Huang. “We are excited to join our peers of similar size and communities, and we look forward to great competition.”

Western Illinois, which is located in Macomb, Illinois, marks only the 25th full-time member in the 75-year history of the Ohio Valley 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,” says Western Illinois 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.”

Steven Boero
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