Ohio Valley Conference
| File:OhioValleyConference 100.png | |
| Association | NCAA |
|---|---|
| Commissioner | Jon A .Steinbrecher (since 2003) |
| Sports fielded |
|
| Division | Division I |
| Subdivision | FCS |
| Region | Midwest and South |
| Official website | http://www.ovcsports.com |
| Locations | |
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The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) is a college 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 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, 9 of which (as of the 2008 season) compete in football in the conference.
Historically, OVC was a pioneer in racial desegregation. During times of racial segregation, league member Morehead State became one of the first non-traditionally black mid-southern institutions to accept a black student. In 1958, Marshall Banks received athletically-related aid at Morehead, which signed a second black athlete, Howard Murphy, a year later. In 1961, Murphy earned all-conference recognition as a halfback in football. With racial barriers broken, the rest of the institutions in the league began to provide educational and athletic opportunities to African-Americans.[1]
In the wake of Title IX, the OVC established women's championships in the sports of basketball, tennis and track in 1977, with cross country and volleyball added over the next four years. Those sports were initially governed by the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, but were continued when the NCAA became the governing body in 1982.[1]
Member schools
†SIU Edwardsville will be independent for the 2008 season and will be full member in 2009.
Former members
- Samford University (Southern Conference), 2003–2008
- Youngstown State University (Horizon League/Missouri Valley Football Conference) 1981–1992 (1981–1987 for football)
- Middle Tennessee State University (Sun Belt Conference) 1952–2000
- University of Louisville (Big East Conference) 1948–1949[1]
- Western Kentucky University (Sun Belt Conference) 1948–1982[2]
- University of Evansville[1] (Missouri Valley Conference) 1948–1952
- University of Akron (Mid-American Conference) 1980–1987[3]
- East Tennessee State University (Atlantic Sun Conference) 1958-1978
- Marshall University(Conference USA) 1949-1952
Sports offered
The Ohio Valley Conference currently offers 17 sports, 8 for men and 9 for women.
- Men's sports
- Women's sports
Conference Champions
Football conference champions
| Season | Champion | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Murray State | 3–1–0 |
| 1949 | Evansville | 3–1–1 |
| 1950 | Murray State | 5–0–1 |
| 1951 | Murray State | 5–1–0 |
| 1952 | Tennessee Tech | 4–1–0 |
| Western Kentucky | 4–1–0 | |
| 1953 | Tennessee Tech | 5–0–0 |
| 1954 | Eastern Kentucky | 5–0–0 |
| 1955 | Tennessee Tech | 5–0–0 |
| 1956 | Middle Tennessee State | 5–0–0 |
| 1957 | Middle Tennessee State | 5–0–0 |
| 1958 | Middle Tennessee State | 5–1–0 |
| Tennessee Tech | 5–1–0 | |
| 1959 | Middle Tennessee State | 5–0–1 |
| Tennessee Tech | 5–0–1 | |
| 1960 | Tennessee Tech | 6–0–0 |
| 1961 | Tennessee Tech | 6–0–0 |
| 1962 | East Tennessee State | 4–2–0 |
| 1963 | Western Kentucky | 7–0–0 |
| 1964 | Middle Tennessee State | 6–1–0 |
| 1965 | Middle Tennessee State | 7–0–0 |
| 1966 | Morehead State | 6–1–0 |
| 1967 | Eastern Kentucky | 5–0–2 |
| 1968 | Eastern Kentucky | 7–0–0 |
| 1969 | East Tennessee State | 6–0–1 |
| 1970 | Western Kentucky | 5–1–1 |
| 1971 | Western Kentucky | 5–2–0 |
| 1972 | Tennessee Tech | 7–0–0 |
| 1973 | Western Kentucky | 7–0–0 |
| 1974 | Eastern Kentucky | 6–1–0 |
| 1975 | Tennessee Tech | 6–1–0 |
| Western Kentucky | 6–1–0 | |
| 1976 | Eastern Kentucky | 6–1–0 |
| 1977 | Austin Peay State | 6–1–0 |
| 1978 | Western Kentucky | 6–0–0 |
| 1979 | Murray State | 6–0–0 |
| 1980 | Western Kentucky | 6–1–0 |
| 1981 | Eastern Kentucky | 8–0–0 |
| 1982 | Eastern Kentucky | 7–0–0 |
| 1983 | Eastern Kentucky | 6–1–0 |
| 1984 | Eastern Kentucky | 6–1–0 |
| 1985 | Middle Tennessee State | 7–0–0 |
| 1986 | Murray State | 5–2–0 |
| 1987 | Eastern Kentucky | 5–1–0 |
| Youngstown State | 5–1–0 | |
| 1988 | Eastern Kentucky | 6–0–0 |
| 1989 | Middle Tennessee State | 6–0–0 |
| 1990 | Eastern Kentucky | 5–1–0 |
| Middle Tennessee State | 5–1–0 | |
| 1991 | Eastern Kentucky | 7–0–0 |
| 1992 | Middle Tennessee State | 8–0–0 |
| 1993 | Eastern Kentucky | 8–0–0 |
| 1994 | Eastern Kentucky | 8–0–0 |
| 1995 | Murray State | 8–0–0 |
| 1996 | Murray State | 8–0–0 |
| 1997 | Eastern Kentucky | 7–0–0 |
| 1998 | Tennessee State | 6–1 |
| 1999 | Tennessee State | 7–0 |
| 2000 | Western Kentucky | 7–0 |
| 2001 | Eastern Illinois | 6–1 |
| 2002 | Eastern Illinois | 5–1 |
| Murray State | 5–1 | |
| 2003 | Jacksonville State | 7–1 |
| 2004 | Jacksonville State | 7–1 |
| 2005 | Eastern Illinois | 8–0 |
| 2006 | Tennessee-Martin | 6–1 |
| Eastern Illinois | 7–1 | |
| 2007 | Eastern Kentucky | 8–0 |
| 2008 | Eastern Kentucky | 7–1 |
Men's basketball conference champions
 | It has been suggested that this section be split out into another article titled Ohio Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament. (Discuss) (January 2009) |
| Season | Regular Season Champion | Tournament Champion |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Western Kentucky (8–2) | Western Kentucky |
| 1950 | Western Kentucky (8–0) | Eastern Kentucky |
| 1951 | Murray State (9–3) | Murray State |
| 1952 | Western Kentucky (9–1) | Western Kentucky |
| 1953 | Eastern Kentucky (9–1) | Western Kentucky |
| 1954 | Western Kentucky (9–1) | Western Kentucky |
| 1955 | Western Kentucky (8–2) | Eastern Kentucky |
| 1956 | Morehead St/Tennessee Tech/Western Kentucky (7–3) | N/A |
| 1957 | Morehead St/Western Kentucky (9–1) | N/A |
| 1958 | Tennessee Tech (8–2) | N/A |
| 1959 | Eastern Kentucky (10–2) | N/A |
| 1960 | Western Kentucky (10–2) | N/A |
| 1961 | Morehead St/Western Kentucky/Eastern Kentucky (9–3) | N/A |
| 1962 | Western Kentucky (11–1) | N/A |
| 1963 | Tennessee Tech/Morehead St (8–4) | N/A |
| 1964 | Murray State (11–3) | Murray State |
| 1965 | Eastern Kentucky (13–1) | Western Kentucky |
| 1966 | Western Kentucky (14–0) | Western Kentucky |
| 1967 | Western Kentucky (13–1) | Tennessee Tech |
| 1968 | East Tennessee/Murray St (11–3) | N/A |
| 1969 | Murray St/Morehead St (11–3) | N/A |
| 1970 | Western Kentucky (14–0) | N/A |
| 1971 | Western Kentucky (12–2) | N/A |
| 1972 | Eastern Kentucky/Morehead St/Western Kentucky (9–5) | N/A |
| 1973 | Austin Peay (11–3) | N/A |
| 1974 | Austin Peay/Morehead St (10–4) | N/A |
| 1975 | Middle Tennessee (12–2) | Middle Tennessee |
| 1976 | Western Kentucky (11–3) | Western Kentucky |
| 1977 | Austin Peay (13–1) | Middle Tennessee |
| 1978 | Middle Tennessee/East Tennessee (10–4) | Western Kentucky |
| 1979 | Eastern Kentucky (9–3) | Eastern Kentucky |
| 1980 | Western Kentucky/Murray St (10–2) | Western Kentucky |
| 1981 | Western Kentucky (12–2) | Western Kentucky |
| 1982 | Murray St/Western Kentucky (13–3) | Middle Tennessee |
| 1983 | Murray State (11–3) | Morehead State |
| 1984 | Morehead State (12–2) | Morehead State |
| 1985 | Tennessee Tech (11–3) | Middle Tennessee |
| 1986 | Akron/Middle Tennessee (10–4) | Akron |
| 1987 | Middle Tennessee (11–3) | Austin Peay |
| 1988 | Murray State (13–1) | Murray State |
| 1989 | Middle Tennessee/Murray St (10–2) | Middle Tennessee |
| 1990 | Murray State (10–2) | Murray State |
| 1991 | Murray State (10–2) | Murray State |
| 1992 | Murray State (11–3) | Murray State |
| 1993 | Tennessee State (13–3) | Tennessee State |
| 1994 | Murray State (15–1) | Tennessee State |
| 1995 | Murray St/Tennessee St(11–5) | Murray State |
| 1996 | Murray State (12–4) | Austin Peay |
| 1997 | Murray St/Austin Peay (12–6) | Murray State |
| 1998 | Murray State (16–2) | Murray State |
| 1999 | Murray State (16–2) | Murray State |
| 2000 | Southeast Missouri/Murray St (14–4) | Southeast Missouri |
| 2001 | Tennessee Tech (13–3) | Eastern Illinois |
| 2002 | Tennessee Tech (15–1) | Murray State |
| 2003 | Austin Peay/Morehead St (13–3) | Austin Peay |
| 2004 | Austin Peay (16–0) | Murray State |
| 2005 | Tennessee Tech (12–4) | Eastern Kentucky |
| 2006 | Murray State (17–3) | Murray State |
| 2007 | Austin Peay (16–4) | Eastern Kentucky |
| 2008 | Austin Peay (16–4) | Austin Peay |
| 2009 | Tennessee Martin (14–4) |
Tournament Championships by School
| School | # of Tournament Championships | Last Tournament Championship |
|---|---|---|
| Murray State | 12 | 2006 |
| Western Kentucky† | 10 | 1981 |
| Eastern Kentucky | 5 | 2007 |
| Middle Tennessee† | 5 | 1989 |
| Austin Peay | 4 | 2008 |
| Morehead State | 2 | 1984 |
| Tennessee State | 2 | 1994 |
| Tennessee Tech | 1 | 1967 |
| Akron† | 1 | 1986 |
| Southeast Missouri State | 1 | 2000 |
| Eastern Illinois | 1 | 2001 |
- †Former member of the OVC
Conference facilities
| School | Football stadium | Capacity | Basketball arena | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Peay | Governors Stadium | 10,000 | Dunn Center | 9,000 |
| Eastern Illinois | O'Brien Stadium | 10,000 | Lantz Arena | 5,300 |
| Eastern Kentucky | Roy Kidd Stadium | 22,000 | Alumni Coliseum | 6,300 |
| Jacksonville State | Paul Snow Stadium | 15,000 | Pete Mathews Coliseum | 5,800 |
| Morehead State | Jayne Stadium | 10,000 | Ellis Johnson Arena | 6,500 |
| Murray State | Roy Stewart Stadium | 16,800 | Regional Special Events Center | 8,602 |
| Southeast Missouri | Houck Stadium | 11,015 | Show Me Center | 6,972 |
| SIU-Edwardsville | Non-Football School | N/A | Vadalabene Center | 4,000 |
| UT-Martin | Graham Stadium | 8,000 | Skyhawk Arena | 7,000 |
| Tennessee State | LP Field | 68,000 | Gentry Complex | 10,500 |
| Tennessee Tech | Tucker Stadium | 16,500 | Eblen Center | 10,152 |
Notes
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 competed in the Pioneer League for the 2001–2005 seasons, then became an independent for the 2006 season, and returned to OVC football competition in 2007.
External links
References
- ^ a b c d Ohio Valley Conference History - OVCSports.com—Official Web Site of the Ohio Valley Conference
- ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Kentucky_University#Athletics
- ^ "University of Akron Athletics History". www.gozips.com. University of Akron. Retrieved 2008-03-22.