Missouri State

ST. LOUIS – Missouri State University will serve as the host institution for three championship events during the 2019-20 athletic season, Missouri Valley Conference commissioner Doug Elgin announced Thursday (May 30) afternoon.
 
Notably, the Bears will host the MVC Women's Soccer Championship at Betty and Bobby Allison South Stadium, Nov. 8-10. Missouri State last hosted the MVC Women's Soccer Championship in 2017, defeating UNI in the title match to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
 
MSU will also host two events away from the Springfield campus, starting with the MVC Women's Swimming & Diving Championships which will take place Feb. 19-22 in Columbia, Mo., and finally the MVC Women's Tennis Team Championship, April 24-26 at Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield.
 
"We always take pride in hosting Missouri Valley Conference championship events each year, and I think it's great for our coaches and student-athletes to get that opportunity," said Director of Athletics Kyle Moats.

The Bears have hosted at least three MVC championship events in each of the last four years. MSU hosted three MVC tournaments in 2016-17, four in 2017-18, four in 2018-19 and will host three in 2019-20.

Missouri State will also host the MVC Women's Swimming & Diving Championships for the second straight year with the event once again being held at the Mizzou Rec Center in Columbia. This is the fourth straight year the meet will take place at a neutral site. Missouri State has won 11 of the last 12 MVC Swimming titles, but had never hosted the Valley championship meet until 2019.
 
MSU hosted the spring half of the MVC Tennis Championships most recently in 2018, winning the team tournament at Cooper Tennis Complex en route to the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2002. MSU also hosted the MVC individual tennis championship at Cooper for the first time in October of 2018.

These site awards were approved by the league's Joint Committee (faculty athletics representatives, directors of athletics and senior woman administrators of each institution) and are subject to ratification at the MVC Presidents' Council meeting June 13.