LITTLE ROCK – The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has officially accepted an invitation to join the Ohio Valley Conference. The Trojans will become official members and begin competing in the OVC effective July 1, 2022.
The move to the Ohio Valley Conference will provide a new conference affiliation for 13 of Little Rock's 15 intercollegiate athletic programs.
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"In accepting the Ohio Valley Conference invitation, we begin a new and exciting chapter for UA Little Rock and Trojan Athletics that better aligns our sports portfolio with available conference resources and reaffirms our commitment to athletic and academic excellence," said UA Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale.
"I am very excited about our opportunity to join the Ohio Valley Conference as we look ahead to the future of Little Rock Athletics," said Director of Athletics George Lee. "In doing our research of the Ohio Valley Conference, the history and tradition of the league made it an enticing new conference home for our Trojan athletic programs as we look forward to adding our mark to the history of the OVC."
Once it joins the league this July, Little Rock will become the league's ninth institution, joining Eastern Illinois, Morehead State, Murray State, Southeast Missouri State, SIU Edwardsville, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin.
Since making the jump to Division I, Little Rock's athletic programs have combined for 50 conference championships, including a combined 21 for men's and women's basketball, with 40 NCAA postseason appearances by Trojan athletic programs. In the last seven seasons, Little Rock athletic teams have combined to make 10 NCAA postseason appearances, most recently being represented by men's golf, men's track and field and wrestling in 2021.
Additionally, Little Rock's athletic programs have excelled in the classroom with the department boasting a cumulative GPA of 3.31 through the spring 2021 semester. The Trojans have produced 11 Academic All-Americans since 2000 with six Trojan athletic programs receiving academic recognition by their respective governing organizations in 2020-21.
"The OVC is delighted to add Little Rock to its membership, given its history of competitive success and its commitment to student-athletes," said OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche. "As we discussed the process of membership, there was an immediate acknowledgment that the values of our conference and their institution align. Our intention is to create a long-lasting partnership that will enhance the student-athlete experience and strengthen the competitive success of the entire OVC."
The move to the Ohio Valley Conference will affect 13 of Little Rock's 15 intercollegiate athletic programs, each of which will begin competing in their new league beginning the 2022-23 academic year. Little Rock's wrestling program will continue to compete in the Pac-12 Conference with swimming and diving remaining a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.
Founded in 1948, the Ohio Valley Conference is the eighth-oldest Division I conference. Since the formation of the conference, which is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, Little Rock will become just the 22nd member to join the league in its 74 years.
Since 2018, the OVC has hosted its men's and women's basketball championships at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, with the tournament contracted there through at least the 2022-23 season. The OVC also hosts neutral site championships for baseball, men's and women's indoor track and field and men's and women's golf, with campus site championships for men's and women's cross country, soccer and volleyball.
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