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Illinois State Men's Golf 30 The Missouri Valley Conference has demonstrated throughout history that it fi nds the strength, resources, competitive determination and leadership to rise to even higher levels when confronted with change or signifi cant challenges. In 2012-13, the winds of change that have dramatically affected Division I conference realignment in recent years fi nally touched The Valley. For the fi rst time since 1996, the MVC will experience the addition and departure of a member institution. The Valley formally welcomed Loyola University Chicago into the membership on July 1, 2013. Loyola is the 33rd institution to enter the Missouri Valley Conference and the fi rst-ever member university from the Chicago metropolitan area. In March 2013, Creighton University, an MVC member for nearly 60 years, had announced its departure from the MVC for the newly confi gured Big East Conference. If the Missouri Valley Conference has been anything over the past 106 seasons of athletic competition, it has been resilient. The Valley – which will experience its 107th season of athletics competition in 2013-14 -- has weathered many kinds of storms, including changes in its membership. In 1928, six institutions (Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Nebraska, Missouri and Oklahoma) left the league to form the Big Six Conference. Another major exodus from the MVC took place in the 1970s when four institutions departed over a three-year period. Each time there has been a setback or a major change in membership, the Conference has retooled and reinvented itself. 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. League members have worked together to focus on common goals and objectives, putting a high value on league harmony while continuing to invest in athletic programs to compete at the highest level. The Valley brand remains very strong, both regionally and nationally, and the great athletic tradition of The Valley remains a compelling force in recruiting student-athletes and in marketing all the MVC programs. The Missouri Valley Conference The Missouri Valley Conference