Valparaiso invited to join Missouri Valley Conference
Kentucky's Dominique Hawkins, left, defends Valparaiso's Alec Peters during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016, in Lexington, Ky. Kentucky won 87-63. Credit: AP / James Crisp
VALPARAISO, Ind. — The Missouri Valley Conference has invited Valparaiso to join the league, replacing Wichita State.
The league said Tuesday that its nine members voted unanimously to extend an invite to the Crusaders, who currently play in the Horizon League, effective on July 1. The Valley said it has no further comment on the move pending the negotiation of terms.
The Valley, once among the nation’s top mid-major programs, has been stung in recent years by the loss of two top men’s basketball programs. Creighton bolted for the Big East and the Shockers, who’ve been upset about the NCAA Tournament seeds of late, left for the American Athletic earlier this year.
