The Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) is set to begin its second year of sponsoring esports competition among the conference’s members. League play will begin later this month, and the spring semester will culminate with an MVC Championship LAN in April.
The MVC will be sponsoring competition across four titles this year, one more than it did during its first season a year ago. This spring, the conference will be offering: Overwatch 2, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros., and Valorant. The Conference will crown a champion in each later this spring.
Valorant was not offered last year and has been added to the league’s official offering of game titles following feedback from the Conference’s directors.
“We are excited to be continuing this league-wide initiative,” said MVC Director of Marketing / Corporate Fulfillment Russell Susuki.
“We look to build on the success and excitement we saw during the first year of esports in the MVC. The Valley is ecstatic to be working with the NECC and growing esports within the conference.”
The Conference’s esports competition will feature a nine-week regular season that will begin in late January. The conference’s championship LAN will take place the weekend of April 11-13 and will be hosted by Missouri State University.
"Missouri State University is grateful for the opportunity to host the 2025 MVC Esports Championship LAN,” stated Terry Weber, the Director of the Plaster Student Union at Missouri State University. “We look forward to collaborating with passionate students and partners to celebrate and further the growth of esports within the Missouri Valley Conference."
More information about the Championship LAN - including specific dates, times, and the complete match schedule for the LAN will be released later this spring.
Once again this year, the Valley’s esports competition will be managed by the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC). The NECC is one of the largest collegiate esports conferences in North America, and it was selected by the conference’s member institutions to ensure safe and fair competition.
“We’re extremely excited to be working once again with the MVC on this effort,” said NECC Commissioner Jacob VanRyn. “The conference has once again shown its commitment to its member schools to help support and offer esports at this level and we are proud to be working with the league and its members once again.
LeagueOS will serve as the MVC’s official competition platform this season.
The conference’s competition hub can be found at https://mvc.leagueos.gg/
ABOUT THE MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE
The Missouri Valley Conference - the nation’s second-oldest NCAA Division I conference - continues to be a leader in college athletics and is one of the nation’s most progressive conferences, celebrating its 118th season in 2024-25. The Valley brand remains very strong, both regionally and nationally, and the great athletic tradition of the Conference remains a compelling force in recruiting student-athletes and in marketing all the MVC programs.
League members include Belmont, Bradley, Drake, Evansville, UIC, Illinois State, Indiana State, Missouri State, Murray State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, and Valparaiso.
ABOUT THE NECC
The NECC fosters innovative competition experiences, provides quality broadcasting services, and works to support an inclusive community within collegiate esports. The NECC was started to provide the collegiate gaming community with the respect it warranted and deserved. The conference prides itself on responding to the needs of its schools, directors, coaches, and most importantly - its players.
With more than 400 colleges and universities currently competing, the NECC strives to be a positive home for the collegiate gaming community.
