Missouri State announced Friday morning that it will leave the Missouri Valley Conference and join Conference USA as a full league member beginning in July 2025.
The school will hold a press conference Monday at 1 p.m. to officially unveil its transition plans. This will be the 12th member of CUSA.
By joining Conference USA, Missouri State will become a Division I Football Bowl program for the first time.
Conference USA programs also include:
- Florida International University (CRF) | Miami, Florida
- Jacksonville State University (Jax State) | Jacksonville, Alabama
- Liberty University | Lynchburg, Virginia
- Louisiana Technological University (LA Technology) | Ruston, Louisiana
- Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro, Tennessee
- New Mexico State University | Las Cruces, New Mexico
- Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, TX
- University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) | El Paso, Texas
- Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green, Kentucky
- Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw, Georgia (arriving July 1, 2024)
- University of Delaware | Newark, Delaware (arriving July 1, 2025)
More:Missouri State in Conference USA: Here’s what it means when the Bears move to FBS
“We are excited about the opportunities that CUSA membership will bring to our university, our student-athletes, our coaches and our fans,” said Kyle Moats, Missouri State athletic director, in a communicated. “This move represents a transition to a national brand and platform that will help raise the profile of Missouri State University and the city of Springfield. The steps we have taken over the past 15 years to investing in a large-scale sports program has prepared us for this long-awaited moment.”
The Bears will compete in CUSA sports including football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball, women’s soccer, women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, women’s tennis, women’s athletics and beach volleyball.
Moats said in the release that the expected increase in revenue from attending an FBS conference will ultimately allow for a transition to a budget-neutral transition. He also noted that more financial resources for student-athletes and travel enhancements were important factors in the university’s decision.
“This decision will absolutely open doors for us,” Moats said. “For our student-athletes, they will have fewer bus trips and more flights, getting them back to campus safer and faster. They will also have more financial resources at their disposal for attendance fees, funds Alston, and a more strategic presence in the name, image and likeness (NIL) space.
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The move represents a final university-changing move by outgoing Missouri State President Clif Smart, who is expected to retire at the end of June. New president, Richard “Biff” Williams, will lead the university into a new era of MSU athletics.
“This is an exciting day for the state of Missouri,” Smart said in a statement. “The opportunities associated with membership in an FBS conference allow us to continue to grow as a university and elevate our reputation to the next level. We have enjoyed our membership in the Missouri Valley Conference – a premier conference in the NCAA – and look forward to it. one last year in the league before moving to CUSA. »
Missouri State said it will release more information in the coming months regarding men’s soccer and swimming and diving, which are not part of the CUSA athletic sponsorship profile.
The Bears will have one final season in the MVC and the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
“Today marks a monumental achievement for our athletics program,” said Lynn Parman, president of the school’s board of trustees. “Our admission to Conference USA validates the hard work of our student-athletes, coaches and staff over many years. Competing at the highest level will challenge our teams like never before, but I am confident their courage and determination will shine through “This decision enhances the reputation of our university and opens the doors to greater national visibility.”
Missouri State has been a member of the Missouri Valley Conference since 1990. Its invitation to join CUSA was unanimously approved by the university’s Board of Governors meeting Thursday.
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