...soccer and tennis.  Transfers will be eligible immediately at their new D-I schools.

Will Drake recruiters take advantage?

Www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/valparaiso-to-drop-men-s-soccer-men-s-tennis/article_2d77497a-b5a2-500b-9b63-7d7a88d83039.amp.html

Belmont as an associate member?  

Evansville would be shorter than any trip they make as an associate member of the Southern Conference.  Of course, the rest of the Valley soccer schools are pretty far away from Nashville.

This could be Belmont's entrée into the MVC for all sports.   If Loyola ends up in the Big East someday...




^  Belmont students yearning to be in the Missouri Valley Conference ^

The Valley is going to need an affiliate member for men’s soccer.

You need six, this will leave the Valley with:

Bradley
Drake
Evansville
Loyola
Missouri State

Long list of past men's soccer affiliates:

Belmont (2000)
Eastern Illinois (1996–2010)
Central Arkansas (2010–2018)
SIU Edwardsville (2010–2016)
Southern Methodist (2000–2004)
Texas Christian (2000)
Tulsa (2000–2005)
Vanderbilt (1997–2005)

Belmont is the 7th member of the SoCon as an affiliate so it wouldn't kill that conference. Give them a call.

Otherwise you're probably looking at a quasi-merger with the Summit League.

The MVC started sponsoring men's soccer in 1991. Since then, the following private schools have been full members of the conference:

Bradley (1991–present)
Drake (1991–present)
Creighton (1991–2013)
Evansville (1994–present)
Loyola (2013–present)
Valparaiso (2017–present)

Valparaiso 2020 will be the first time that a private school hasn't had men's soccer.

Public school full members, BTW:
Missouri State (1991–present)
Illinois State (1991–1994)

I bet Doug Elgin is already on it.