Murray State to the MVC is finally a reality

Jan. 7—Murray State and the Missouri Valley Conference have been bandied about as potential partners since 2017. In the eyes of many? It was a partnership that made too much sense not to happen.

On Friday, common sense became reality. The Murray State Board of Regents unanimously accepted an invitation on Friday from the MVC to become the league's 11th member.

"Today marks a historic new era for Murray State University and Racer Athletics as we join the Missouri Valley Conference," Murray State University Board of Regents Chairman Eric Crigler said in a university press release. "The MVC is one of the premier conferences in the nation."

Murray State will join the MVC on July 1, 2022, leaving the Ohio Valley Conference, which it was as a founding member of in 1941. With the addition of Belmont in September, and the subtraction of Loyola to the Atlantic 10 Conference in November, the league currently stands at 11 members.

"Excited for Murray State, and excited for the Missouri Valley Conference," said MVC commissioner Jeff Jackson in a league press release. "Everyone is aware of the tremendous success Murray has had, especially in the sport of basketball. The Racers will be a fantastic addition to our Conference."

It is widely anticipated that the MVC will add a 12th member in the coming weeks. Illinois-Chicago is the front-runner for that 12th spot, filling the Chicago void left by the departure of Loyola.

One school that demonstrated interest — Texas-Arlington — appears to be moving on. Media sources on Thursday reported that UT-A was seeking membership in the Western Athletic Conference.

Murray State and the MVC began to be linked as a possible partnership back in 2017 when Wichita State left the MVC. Murray was considered a favorite at the time, but the open spot in the MVC eventually went to Valparaiso.

When the MVC showed a willingness to go beyond its traditional 10-team membership with the addition of Belmont in September, speculation zoomed in on Murray State again. The Racers were part of a process that reportedly included Illinois-Chicago, Texas-Arlington, Kansas City and Omaha. Several schools, including Murray State, made formal presentations to the conference on Dec. 19.

One issue for Murray State that complicated its MVC membership was that it sponsors scholarship football — a sport the MVC does not sponsor. The Missouri Valley Football Conference that Indiana State competes in is a separate entity with a different commissioner. Valparaiso joined in 2017 with football, but the Beacons play non-scholarship football. The last scholarship football school to join the MVC was Northern Iowa in 1991.

The Racers had to find According to Murray State's athletic web site, the school is actively negotiating to join the MVFC.

"Upon unanimous support from the Missouri Valley Football Conference board of presidents — a separate stand-alone, football-only conference — Murray State and MVFC officials are actively engaged in the membership process, which officially began immediately upon receipt of the MVC invitation," the Murray State athletic department statement said.

If Murray State successfully joined the MVFC, it likely wouldn't play until the 2023 season. The Racers would be the 12th member of the MVFC.

Murray State has also had to overcome supposed resistance inside MVC administrative circles as well.

Based in Murray, Ky., with a population of 17,741, the Racers buck the trend of bringing in a sizable market to the MVC, though the school does fit nicely into the southern footprint of the conference, especially with the addition of Belmont. Murray State is part of the Paducah, Ky./Cape Girardeau, Mo./Harrisburg, Ill. television market, the 84th-largest in the country, and one it shares with MVC member Southern Illinois.

What the Racers lack in market size, they gain back in basketball legacy and fan zealotry.

Murray State has had just one under-.500 men's basketball season in the 21st Century. The Racers have won 20 or more games 12 times since 2000 and are on-pace to reach that threshold again this season with an 11-2 record. The Racers have exceeded 30 wins twice since 2000 and have seven NCAA Tournament appearances, winning tournament games in 2010, 2012 and 2019.

The Racers have had star power too. Ja Morant was a consensus All-American in 2019 as he and fellow NBA player Leroy Buchanan led the Racers to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Morant is currently a star for the Memphis Grizzlies. Murray State also produced Cameron Payne, who currently plays for the NBA Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns.

Murray State's fans are well-known for their passion. The 8,600-seat CFSB Center is one of the most difficult venues for opposing teams in the OVC. The Racers regularly bring an army of fans to their conference tournament. When the OVC moved its tournament from Nashville to Evansville, the success of the venue change was largely attributable to ticket sales from Murray State fans.

Murray State also has a built-in rivalry with Belmont, a legacy of both vying for OVC supremacy during the 2010s, as well as a burgeoning rivalry with Southern Illinois, which are only 114 miles apart.

Apart from membership in a higher-profile conference, Murray State gets something out of the relationship beyond athletics.

"Over 90% of our students and 80% of our alumni live in the footprint of the MVC, greatly enhancing the exposure of Murray State for student recruitment and alumni engagement," Crigler said.

Murray State also participates in all of the primary MVC team sports — volleyball, softball and baseball.

The addition of an 11th team to the MVC means the league will go to a 20-game conference schedule for basketball starting with the 2022-23 season. If no other schools are added, it will be a true round-robin. If a 12th school or more are added, the MVC will play an uneven schedule.

ISU has already been told to plan for a 20-game schedule for the 2022-23 season.