Breaking! Western Illinois Joining the OVC

Ohio Valley Conference Grows to Eleven

(St. Louis, MO) – Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner Beth DeBauche hasn’t been shy about saying the league wanted to grow and today it did. Western Illinois is joining the OVC. The Leathernecks are leaving the Summit League on July 1 for all sports except football.

DeBauche says WIU fits what the league was looking for.

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

From a men’s basketball perspective, WIU is leaving the 24th ranked league in America for the 29th ranked OVC (per kenpom.com). The Leatherneck’s 267 Kenpom rating was better than that of seven OVC teams. They defeated both OVC teams they faced (Southern Indiana and Eastern Illinois).

Just over a month ago, former Associate Head Coach Cad Boudreau took over the lead position from Rob Jeter who was hired at Southern Utah.

WIU Director of Athletics Paul A. Bubb believes this is a great fresh start for the Macomb, Illinois-based school.

“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 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.”

WIU’s women’s team finished with a season record of 10-20 and going 1-3 versus OVC squads.

The Leatherneck football team was winless last season and will remain in the Missouri Valley Football Conference for one more season.

Quotes courtesy of ovcsports.com and goleathernecks.com.