The Panthers have been an affiliate member of the Missouri Valley Conference since 1996 and will close out their tenure in the MVC this fall.
“We want to thank the Missouri Valley for allowing us to be partners; we are very appreciative of the time we have spent with them,” EIU director of athletics
Barbara Burke said. “We are also equally excited to be accepted as an affiliate member of The Summit League. We look forward to a long-standing relationship and building rivalries within the league.”
Previously, EIU competed in the Mid-Continent Conference from 1983-95, winning at least a share of the league championship five times (1983, 1985, 1987-89). Eastern also won the West Division title in 1994.
“EIU men's soccer is extremely excited to be part of The Summit League in 2011,” EIU head coach
Adam Howarth said. “Our relationship with the Missouri Valley has been a fantastic one and I personally am extremely grateful to all the people I have worked with during our time in the MVC. As a former student-athlete who competed in The Summit (Mid-Con), I know that the league will provide a stern task for our team in 2011. We look forward to a great final year in the Valley and starting a new chapter for EIU Men's Soccer in The Summit League in 2011.”
The Panthers have regularly played a number of The Summit League teams during the nonconference portion of the schedule. The Summit League schools that sponsor men's soccer programs includes: IPFW, IUPUI, Oakland, Oral Roberts, UMKC and Western Illinois. Current Summit member Centenary is moving from NCAA DI to DIII status in time for the 2011-12 school year.
“We look forward to having Eastern Illinois included in our league men's soccer schedule,” said Summit League Commissioner Tom Douple. “The addition of Eastern Illinois is a good fit competitively and geographically and will be mutually beneficial for both EIU and our current men's soccer programs.”
The Summit League's conference schedule features a single round-robin format, beginning in late September in 2011. The top four teams in the final standings qualify for the league's postseason tournament, with the tourney champion earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The EIU men's and women's swimming teams are also currently affiliate members of The Summit League, rejoining the conference in 2006. All other Eastern athletic teams compete in the Ohio Valley Conference, which does not sponsor men's soccer or swimming. EIU women's rugby is an NCAA Division I independent.
With Central Arkansas and SIU Edwardsville set to begin competing in the Missouri Valley Conference as men's soccer affiliates this fall, there were eight other affiliates during EIU's MVC years. Eastern's 15 seasons in the MVC were the most of any of those affiliates.
The Panthers are expected to continue to play MVC schools during the nonconference portion of the schedule.
