The Belmont Bruins announced on Tuesday that they will be joining the Missouri Valley Conference in 2022. The Bruins will be the MVC’s 11th member. The Bruins are entering their 10th, and now final, season as members of the Ohio Valley Conference. What impact does this move have on the conferences and Belmont themselves?
Belmont Moving To Missouri Valley in 2022
Continued Sustained Success
Belmont moved up to Division 1 starting with the 1999-2000 season. It only took new Hall of Famer Rick Byrd to make them successful and competitive at this level. In their 22 seasons at the D1 level, Belmont has 21 double-digit win seasons (Including 16 seasons with 20+ wins.) and 18 winning seasons. They have had eight NCAA Tournament appearances since 2005-06. The Bruins have won at least a share of the regular-season conference championship in 13 of the last 16 seasons and have not finished any lower than second place in the conference during that time. Belmont is routinely in the NCAA Tournament conversation year in and year out. They will definitely be a big boost to an already strong MVC.
Don’t discount the women’s team at Belmont either. That team has been very strong. The women have made it to five of the last six NCAA Tournaments and were a 12-seed and upset the 5-seed Gonzaga Bulldogs this past March. Those Bruins will also be a force to be reckoned with in their new conference.
The move to the Missouri Valley will help Belmont basketball in many ways. Not only will it help the men’s and women’s programs continue their success, but it will also help with recruiting and other things. Big things are coming in Nashville.
Arch Madness Gets Even Crazier
The Missouri Valley Conference tournament, dubbed “Arch Madness,” has been a great and fun watch over the last few years. It will only get even better with the addition of Belmont. The MVC got two teams into the 2021 NCAA Tournament with Loyola Chicago and Drake. Bradley was headed to the tournament the previous season before the tournament was canceled and Northern Iowa is usually in the conversation. Missouri State is solid too (And they’re one of the best women’s mid-major programs in the country.) and Valparaiso could make a resurgence. The addition of a strong Belmont program will improve a conference that is already among the better mid-major conferences. Early March in St. Louis will be a thrill. The move not only helps Belmont themselves but the conference’s other members and the conference as a whole as well.
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