DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's soccer team will begin play in the Missouri Valley Conference beginning with the 2023-24 academic year. NIU joins the Missouri Valley following the announcement from the Mid-American Conference that beginning next season it will no longer sponsor men's soccer. Bowling Green and Western Michigan will join NIU in moving into the Missouri Valley.

"We are very excited to have our men's soccer program join the Missouri Valley Conference," said NIU Vice President/Director of Athletics and Recreation Sean T. Frazier. "The MAC has been an outstanding home for our men's soccer program, as it is for our entire athletic department, but when it became necessary for men's soccer to find a new conference, I believe we found a great geographic and competitive fit in the Missouri Valley. We look forward to a bright future for our men's soccer team in The Valley."

"The addition of these three institutions will not only enhance the student-athlete experience for all participating, but it will establish the MVC as one of the top conferences in the country for men's soccer and strengthen its footprint in the Midwest," said MVC Commissioner Jeff Jackson.

NIU, Bowling Green, and Western Michigan join current league members Belmont, Bradley, Drake, Evansville, UIC, Missouri State, and fellow affiliate member SIU Edwardsville as MVC programs which sponsor men's soccer.  The regular-season scheduling model and tournament format for 2023 will be announced at a later date.

The MVC has earned multiple bids to the NCAA Soccer Championship in men's soccer 17 times, including a league-record three berths four times. Six MVC programs have reached the College Cup; and five different conference programs have reached the quarterfinals.

"I'm very happy that our team is joining the Missouri Valley," said NIU head coach Ryan Swan. "It is a really good conference, one I'm very familiar with having lived in Springfield, Mo., so I've seen Missouri State play many times. Also having the likes of UIC, it is a great geographic fit for us and an exceptional level. The Missouri Valley has been growing in stature every year and we look forward to helping enhance the conference. We are very excited about it and looking forward to starting next fall."

NIU has been a member of the MAC in men's soccer since the 1997 season. The Huskies won the conference regular season championship in 2006 and 2021, along with the conference tournament title in 2006, 2011 and 2021.