Catch the Excitement on the Court at MVC Women's Basketball Tournament 2023
March 01, 2023
Quad Cities (Wednesday, March 1, 2023) – The Missouri Valley Conference will conduct its eighth Quad Cities-based postseason women’s basketball championship when the MVC Women’s Basketball Tournament hits the hardwood at Vibrant Arena at The MARK on March 9-12, 2023. The MVC Women’s Basketball Tournament—also known uniquely as “Hoops in the Heartland” to Valley fans—will feature a 12-team field for the first time in the event’s history. With eight-straight years at the same neutral site, Hoops in the Heartland is the longest standalone neutral site women’s basketball tourney in the nation.
Single-session tickets are available at the Vibrant Arena box office and on TicketMaster.com. All-session tickets (11 games) start at $65. Prices for single-session tickets vary, depending on seating section: Sessions I & II (Thursday)—$25/20/12 / Sessions III & IV (Friday) - $25/20/12 / Sessions V & VI (Saturday & Sunday) - $25/20/12. MVC also offers ticket discounts for families, active or retired military, first responders, educators, and school district staff. For complete information on the tournament and ticket discounts, go to www.mvcquadcities.com.
The 2023 MVC Women’s Basketball Tournament title game on Sunday, March 12, will be aired on ESPNU for the second consecutive season with a tipoff time of 1 p.m. Central. The first ten tournament contests can be seen on ESPN+ via the ESPN App.
Theme Games and Fan Hangouts
Not only will there be exciting action on the court, but there are also themed games, concession specials, and designated Fan Hangouts throughout the tournament. Visit Quad Cities, Vibrant Arena, and Missouri Valley Conference have worked together to create an atmosphere of fun for fans of all ages.
March 9-12 - Wear Your Favorite Team Shirt: Eighth grade and younger fans can purchase half-price, single-session tickets ($12 price point) when they wear their favorite team’s t-shirt, jersey or sweatshirt. The offer is good for any game; an adult must accompany children.
March 9 - Frothy Thursday: Courtesy of the Vibrant Arena at The MARK, concessions will sell $2 beers during both sessions.
March 10 - Bingo Games: The MVC presents their free Bingo Games during Friday’s games. Fans can play to win prizes, such as MVC school-branded t-shirts, sweatshirts, water bottles, stuffed animals, and more.
March 11 - $1 Popcorn and Fan Fun Zone: During Saturday’s games, not only is $1 popcorn on the menu, but the Fan Fun Zone is open to the public and features a bounce house, games, crafts, activities, and an opportunity to take photos with the MVC Championship Trophy. Game times on Saturday are 1:32 p.m. and 4:02 p.m. Central.
March 12 - Championship Game & Fan Fun Zone: Take advantage of the excitement as the final two teams compete for the Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Basketball Championship. Stop at the Fan Fun Zone for activities before and during the game. Game time is 1:02 p.m.
Fan Hangouts: MVC schools have chosen a Fan Hangout where their fans can meet before and after their games. The locations currently confirmed include the following:
- Belmont – Treehouse Pub & Eatery
- Drake – The Brew House at Vibrant Arena
- Evansville – Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse (banquet room)
- Illinois State – Pour Bros.
- Indiana State – Rock Island Ale House
- Missouri State – Bier Stube (Moline)
- Murray State – Bad Boyz Pizza
- Northern Iowa – Backwater Jacks (inside Stoney Creek Hotel)
- Valparaiso – Bent River Brewing Company
“The Missouri Valley Women’s Basketball Tournament continues to be an important event for our region’s sports landscape,” said Dave Herrell, President and CEO, Visit Quad Cities. “Hoops in the Heartland delivers for our regional destination in many ways including driving economic impact, programming the Vibrant Arena at THE MARK, and bolstering our brand visibility to a nationally televised audience. Hosting the member institutions’ student-athletes, administrators, and passionate fans is a privilege and we look forward to our unique connection to March Madness in the QC. This is another example of how our community needs to leverage this signature event for positioning the Quad Cities for increased tourism, talent attraction & retention, and invigorating resident pride.”
Tournament Game Times (All times CST):
Session I—- Thursday, March 9—- 12 p.m. & 30 minutes after Game 1 ends.
Session II—- Thursday, March 9—- 6 p.m. & 30 minutes after Game 3 ends.
Session III—- Friday, March 10—- 12 p.m. & 30 minutes after Game 5 ends.
Session IV—- Friday, March 10—- 6 p.m. & 30 minutes after Game 7 ends.
Session V—- Saturday, March 11—- 1:30 p.m. & 30 minutes after Game 9 ends.
Session VI—- Sunday, March 12—- 1 p.m.
The MVC Women's Basketball Tournament is an excellent opportunity for basketball enthusiasts of all ages to watch these talented collegiate athletes on the court. Twelve universities compete in the tournament: Belmont, Bradley, Drake, Evansville, UIC, Illinois State, Indiana State, Missouri State, Murray State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, and Valparaiso.
About the Missouri Valley Conference
One of the country's premier women's basketball leagues, the MVC has seen an average of four league teams participate in postseason play in the last 23 seasons, including five teams reaching the postseason in 2021-22. The Valley has earned multiple NCAA Tournament bids in 14 seasons, including a pair of bids in the 2022 NCAA Tournament and multiple bids in four of the last five seasons. The league has also had two Final Four teams (Missouri State, in both 1992 and 2001), a WNIT champion (Missouri State, 2005), and four WNIT semifinal appearances (Illinois State, in 2011, 2010 and 2009, and UNI in 2021).
The history of Missouri Valley Conference women’s basketball is filled with notable alumni, including the former NCAA all-time leading scorer (Jackie Stiles, Missouri State, 1998-2001) and the NCAA’s all-time leader in career rebounding average (Wanda Ford, Drake, 1983-86), both members of the league’s Athletics Hall of Fame. In addition to Stiles and Ford, 11 other women’s basketball figures have been inducted into the MVC’s Hall of Fame, including Melody Howard and Cheryl Burnett (Missouri State), Cathy Boswell, Kristi Cirone, Jill Hutchison and Charlotte Lewis (Illinois State), Carole Baumgarten, Lorri Bauman and Carla Bennett (Drake), Cindy Scott (Southern Illinois) and Melanie Boeglin (Indiana State).
The league consists of 12 diverse institutions across six states, whose members include Belmont, Bradley, Drake, Evansville, UIC, Illinois State, Indiana State, Missouri State, Murray State, Northern Iowa, Southern Illinois, and Valparaiso. Little Rock and Marshall are affiliate members in women’s swimming and diving, and Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, SIUE, and Western Michigan are affiliate members in men’s soccer. Conference members have worked together to focus on common goals and objectives, putting a high value on league harmony while continuing to invest in athletic programs to compete at the highest level. The Valley brand remains very strong, both regionally and nationally, and the great athletic tradition of The Valley remains a compelling force in recruiting student-athletes and in marketing all the MVC programs. For more information, visit www.mvc-sports.com.
About Visit Quad Cities
Founded in 1990, Visit Quad Cities is the official Destination Management and Marketing Organization (DMMO) for the region. Visit Quad Cities is a private 501(c)(6) non-profit engine that drives economic opportunity through tourism, improves the quality of life, and markets the Quad Cities brand by attracting visitors, meetings/conventions, sports events, and group tours to the area. For more information, visit www.visitquadcities.com, call 800-747-7800, and be sure to connect with them on social media.
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Media Contact: Charlotte Doehler-Morrison, VP Marketing & Communications, Visit Quad Cities, 309-736-6821 office, 309-781-4235 cell or [email protected]