Editing Ohio Valley Conference (section)

==History==
''Primary source:''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ovcsports.com/sports/2012/6/13/GEN_0613124325.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002001509/http://www.ovcsports.com/sports/2012/6/13/GEN_0613124325.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 2, 2015 |title=OVC History |publisher=Ohio Valley Conference |date=July 28, 2009 |access-date=September 29, 2015}}</ref><br />
The Ohio Valley Conference can trace its roots to 1941 when [[Murray State Racers|Murray State]] athletic director Roy Stewart, [[Eastern Kentucky Colonels|Eastern Kentucky]] athletic director Charles "Turkey" Hughes, and [[Western Kentucky Hilltoppers|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 Cardinals|Louisville]], [[Morehead State Eagles|Morehead State]], and [[Evansville Purple Aces|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 colleges and universities|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 [[Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women|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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ovcsports.sidearmsports.com/staff.aspx?staff=1 |title=Staff Directory |publisher=Ohio Valley Conference/Sidearm Sports |date=July 29, 2009 |access-date=September 29, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930173930/http://ovcsports.sidearmsports.com/staff.aspx?staff=1 |archive-date=September 30, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

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).<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://asunsports.org/general/2020-21/releases/20210126nthmsg |title=ASUN Conference Announces Three New Institutions; Adds Football as 20th Sport |publisher=ASUN Conference |date=January 29, 2021 |access-date=January 29, 2021}}</ref> At that time, the OVC was searching for teams to replace both.<ref>{{cite web|last=Verdun|first=Dan|date=February 5, 2021|title=With two members leaving, the Ohio Valley Conference searches for answers|url=https://www.chicagonow.com/prairie-state-pigskin/2021/02/with-two-members-leaving-the-ohio-valley-conference-searches-for-answers/|website=ChicagoNow}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite press release|date=September 17, 2021|title=ASUN Conference Welcomes Austin Peay State University as its Newest Member|url=https://www.asunsports.org/general/2021-22/releases/20210916gkbm0v|publisher=ASUN Conference|language=en}}</ref> Non-football Belmont left for the [[Missouri Valley Conference]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Organ|first=Mike|title=Belmont leaving the Ohio Valley Conference, according to report|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/2021/09/26/belmont-leaving-ohio-valley-conference-according-report-missouri-valley/5849404001/|access-date=September 28, 2021|website=The Tennessean|language=en-US}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://goracers.com/news/2022/1/6/general-murray-state-racers-jan-7.aspx |title=Murray State University Joins The Missouri Valley Conference |publisher=Murray State Racers |date=January 7, 2022 |accessdate=January 7, 2022}}</ref> In a separate statement, Murray State's president indicated that the [[Murray State Racers football|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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.murrayledger.com/news/local/murray-state-accepts-mvc-invitation/article_a39e8528-71ab-11ec-9869-c3dcb945c1a2.html |title=Murray State accepts MVC invitation |first=John |last=Wright |newspaper=Murray Ledger & Times |location=Murray, KY |date=January 10, 2022 |accessdate=January 11, 2022}}</ref> Murray State would eventually be accepted by the MVFC effective in 2023.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://valley-football.org/news/2022/4/3/murray-state-football-to-join-missouri-valley-football-conference-july-of-2023.aspx |title=Murray State Football To Join Missouri Valley Football Conference July of 2023 |publisher=Missouri Valley Football Conference |date=April 4, 2022 |accessdate=April 6, 2022}}</ref>

Also in July 2022, the OVC added two non-football members in the [[University of Arkansas at Little Rock]], athletically known as Little Rock,<ref name=LittleRock>{{cite press release |url=http://ovcsports.com/news/2021/12/8/baseball-little-rock-receives-board-approval-to-join-ohio-valley-conference.aspx |title=Little Rock Receives Board Approval to Join Ohio Valley Conference |publisher=Ohio Valley Conference |date=December 8, 2021 |access-date=December 8, 2021}}</ref> and the [[University of Southern Indiana]], which started a transition from [[NCAA Division II]],<ref name=USI>{{cite press release|url=http://ovcsports.com/news/2022/2/8/general-university-of-southern-indiana-to-join-the-ohio-valley-conference-in-2022-23.aspx |title=University of Southern Indiana to Join the Ohio Valley Conference in 2022-23 |publisher=Ohio Valley Conference |date=February 9, 2022 |accessdate=February 9, 2022}}</ref> plus a new football-sponsoring member in [[Lindenwood University]], also transitioning from D-II.<ref name=Lindenwood>{{cite press release|url=http://ovcsports.com/news/2022/2/22/general-lindenwood-university-to-join-the-ohio-valley-conference-in-2022-23.aspx |title=Lindenwood University to Join the Ohio Valley Conference in 2022-23 |publisher=Ohio Valley Conference |date=February 23, 2022 |accessdate=February 23, 2022}}</ref>

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 Golden Lions and Golden Lady Lions|Arkansas–Pine Bluff]] and [[Western Illinois Leathernecks|Western Illinois]], plus potential Division II upgraders [[Grand Valley State Lakers|Grand Valley State]], [[Hillsdale Chargers|Hillsdale]], and [[Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters|Lincoln Memorial]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.extrapointsmb.com/breaking-mvc-expected-to-add-murray-state-uic/ |title=MVC expected to add Murray State, likely to add more |first=Matt |last=Brown |website=Extra Points |date=January 5, 2022 |accessdate=January 7, 2022}}</ref>

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]].<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://bigsouthsports.com/news/2022/2/22/big-south-and-ohio-valley-conference-announce-football-agreement.aspx |title=Big South and Ohio Valley Conference Announce Football Agreement |publisher=Big South Conference |date=February 22, 2022 |accessdate=February 22, 2022}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://horizonleague.org/news/2022/7/5/horizon-league-announces-innovative-partnership-with-ohio-valley-conference-and-mens-tennis-programs-adds-chicago-state-as-an-affiliate-member-for-mens-and-womens-tennis.aspx |title=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 |publisher=Horizon League |date=July 6, 2022 |access-date=July 9, 2022}}</ref>

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]].<ref name=OVCMensSoccer>{{cite press release|url=https://ovcsports.com/news/2023/3/27/ovc-adds-mens-soccer-as-championship-sport.aspx |title=OVC Adds Men's Soccer as Championship Sport |publisher=Ohio Valley Conference |date=March 28, 2023 |access-date=March 28, 2023}}</ref> Chicago State was also announced as an incoming men's and women's golf associate on that day.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://ovcsports.com/news/2023/3/28/chicago-state-to-join-ovc-as-affiliate-for-mens-womens-golf.aspx |title=Chicago State to Join OVC as Affiliate for Men's & Women's Golf |publisher=Ohio Valley Conference |date=March 28, 2023 |access-date=April 10, 2023}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2023/12/5/GEN_ChicagoSt_Membership_Announcement_23.aspx|title=Windy City Welcome: Chicago State Roars Into NEC|publisher=Northeast Conference|date=December 5, 2023|accessdate=December 5, 2023}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.php?release_id=19258 |title=Leatherneck Athletics Moving to Ohio Valley Conference for All Sports |publisher=Western Illinois University |date=May 12, 2023 |access-date=May 12, 2023}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://ovcsports.com/news/2023/6/21/general-western-illinois-officially-becomes-an-ovc-member.aspx |title=Western Illinois Officially Becomes an OVC Member |publisher=Ohio Valley Conference |date=June 30, 2023 |access-date=July 11, 2023}}</ref>