recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Ralph Korte Stadium

In what has grown to become of the premier soccer facilities in the country, Ralph Korte Stadium was first used in 1994 for the U.S. Olympic Festival-'94. It has since been the site of numerous local, regional, state, national, professional, and international soccer events. The field was named after Robert (Bob) Guelker, who passed away after the 1985 season. Guelker, who was a U.S. Olympic coach, led SIUE to two national titles, including the first Division II title in 1972 and the University's first NCAA Division I crown in 1979.
Marshall Thundering Herd

The **Marshall Thundering Herd** is the intercollegiate athletic collection of teams that collectively represent the Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Thundering Herd athletic teams compete in Sun Belt Conference, which are members of the NCAA Division I; the school announced in October 2021 that it is joining the Sun Belt Conference. The school's official colors are kelly green, black and white. The Marshall Thundering Herd have won 3 NCAA national championships and one NAIA national championship.

They are former members of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC).
Bryant Bulldogs

The Bryant Bulldogs football program represents Bryant University in college football. As of the upcoming 2022 season, the Bulldogs are football-only members of the Big South Conference and compete at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The team has played its home games at Bulldog Stadium in Smithfield, Rhode Island from 1999 to 2016, after which it was renamed Beirne Stadium.

The Big South Conference and the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) announced today that they have signed a letter of intent to create an association of their football member institutions, to begin with the 2023 NCAA Division I football season.  OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche and Big South Commissioner Kyle Kallander made the joint announcement on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.
Hooper Eblen Center

**Hooper Eblen Center**, often called The Hoop by students, is a 9,280 seat multi-purpose arena in on the campus of Tennessee Technological University (TTU) in Cookeville, Tennessee. Opened in 1977 and named for former TTU coach and professor Hooper Eblen, it is home to the TTU Golden Eagles basketball and volleyball teams. The building replaced Memorial Gym, a post-War gymnasium located on the quadrangle.

It is also home to Division II Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) 2022 BlueCross Basketball Championships.
Skyhawk Soccer Field

The UT Martin women's soccer program has called Skyhawk Field its home since 1998. Skyhawk Field features a 120 x 75 Bermuda pitch with a press box and permanent seating for over 500 fans along the west sideline. Fans also circle the field with trucks, lawn chairs and couches to create a festive atmosphere that is intimidating to opponents.

In the summer of 2010, Skyhawk Field received a massive facelift. New colorful wind screen were added to give the field a professional exterior look, and new brick barriers were also built around both benches.

Skyhawk Field has also been home to the PUMA Skyhawk Invitational from 2002-2007 and 2009, as well as the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in 1999, 2003, 2008, 2012 and 2013.

Skyhawk Field is located to the right off of Pat Head Summitt Drive.
Michael Blalock

Michael Blalock was named Coordinator of Volleyball Officiating for the Ohio Valley Conference on March 7, 2007. Blalock brings a wealth of experience as both a volleyball official and a coordinator of officials to the position.

Blalock is in charge of recruiting, training and developing the OVC volleyball officials, as well as match selection and assignment and evaluation of those officials and oversight of an officials’ observation program.

Blalock began his career as a volleyball official in 1974 and has officiated for the Southeastern, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, Conference USA, Southland, Mountain West, WAC and Southwestern Conferences for over 30 years through the 2006 season. In that time period he has worked the NAIA Championships once, the NJCAA Championships four times and the NCAA Division I Final Four four times, including last season, and also officiated the NCAA Division I Championships earlier rounds from 1984-97 and 2001-06. He is also a national referee for both the USA Volleyball and the Professional Association of Volleyball Officials (PAVO).

From 1997 through 2002, Blalock served as a Supervisor of Volleyball Officials for the Southeastern Conference, the Sun Belt Conference, the Lone Star Conference and the American South Conference. He is a current member of the PAVO National Rating and Training Teams, was previously a member of the rules committee and a staff member at numerous National Training Team Camps. For USA Volleyball he has officiated the U.S. Open Finals for men and women, the Junior Olympics, national qualifiers and the Collegiate Club Championships and was a member of their Rating Team from 1988 through 2006.

Blalock, who graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education in 1977 and 1978, played club volleyball at UNC.

A native of Willow Spring, North Carolina, Blalock is married to Mary Blalock, a USA Volleyball International Arbiter, and father to Charles Joseph Blalock.
Jon Kuka

**Jon Kuka** joined the Ohio Valley Conference staff in April 2010 as the General Manager for OVC Sports Properties, a division of LEARFIELD. Kuka has over 20 years in sales, sponsorships, and sports marketing experience.

He joined the Conference staff as part of the OVC’s agreement with IMG College, now LEARFIELD, which was signed in February 2008. With the deal, Learfield IMG College represents the OVC through category exclusive corporate partnership sales, as well as multimedia rights for the men’s basketball championship and other championship events.

During his tenure with LEARFIELD since 2008 he has also served as the General Manager of properties at the Atlantic 10 Conference, Horizon League, and been a consultant for various sponsorship related services. In 2011 and 2012 Kuka was the recipient of the prestigious IMG Chairman’s Cup Award.

Prior to joining the OVC Kuka was the Director of Sales for Nelligan Sports Marketing, and Blue Raider Sports Properties, at Middle Tennessee State University for two years. In that position he managed corporate sponsorships and initiated multimedia marketing rights for the Blue Raiders athletic department.

From 2001-07 Kuka worked in Knoxville with the Tennessee Smokies baseball club, the AA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. He began as a group sales representative and was promoted to Director of Group Sales and eventually Director of Sales. As the Director of Sales, Kuka oversaw ticket sales and corporate sponsorships sales.

Kuka received his bachelor’s degree in sports administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2000. While in school Kuka interned with the Chattanooga Sports & Events Committee that assisted in marketing the city for attracting events such as the NCAA Division I Football National Championship. He was also a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity serving on their executive leadership committee, the university cycling club and a participant in the Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships.

Kuka attended the University of Tennessee-Knoxville to work on his MBA but completed his MBA from Ohio Valley Conference member Tennessee Tech University in 2009.

A native of Chattanooga, Kuka resides with his wife, Alicia, daughter, and son, in the Greater Nashville area.  He is also a volunteer coach for multiple youth and school sports programs in the area.
Hale Stadium

* Hale Stadium is a 15,000-seat outdoor stadium located on the campus of Tennessee State University.

* Built in 1953 and affectionately nicknamed “The Hole”, the stadium hosted TSU Tigers football games until 1999, home games were then moved to what is now known as Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans.
* The Tigers returned to Hale for three home games during the 2012 season to celebrate the 100 years of Tennessee State.
* The Tigers defeated Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee Tech at Hale Stadium during the 2012 season.
* The facility was named for William J. Hale, who served as TSU’s first president.
* The stadium hosted a second-round NCAA Division I-AA playoff game in 1982, with the Tigers defeating Eastern Illinois University 20-19 in front of a crowd of 8,000.
* During their years at Hale, TSU Football went undefeated ten times, won ten championships in the now-defunct Midwestern Conference and claimed the Ohio Valley Conference championship in 1998, its final season in the stadium, before TSU returned to Hale in 2012.
Jose' Garcia

**Media Contact:** Women's Basketball, Volleyball, Women's Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track & Field, Beach Volleyball, Rifle

Jose' F. Garcia was named OVC Director of Communications in December 2023.

Garcia came to the OVC after spending 15 years with the Tennessee State Athletic Media Relations staff in various capacities and served as Assistant Sports Information Director from 2012 until 2021. Garcia worked as the primary contact for football, softball and golf while serving as the secondary contact for men’s basketball and volleyball.

Garcia handled public address announcer duties for volleyball and softball, while serving as the road play-by-play announcer for softball.

Previously, Garcia worked in sports information at the University of Nebraska at Omaha from 2000-02. He handled the primary contact duties for softball, wrestling, women’s soccer, women’s tennis and women’s swimming & diving. At UNO, Garcia also held administration roles with the North Central Conference Tennis Championships and the NCAA Regional Cross Country meet.

In addition to his athletic media relation positions, Garcia also worked in TV and Radio from 1984-94. He assisted in the coverage and interviews of local sports, the Denver Broncos, the Denver Gold of the USFL, and Air Force basketball and hockey for KRDO in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Along with working at several radio stations, Garcia also served as a P.A. announcer for the AAA baseball club the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, the U.S. Sports Festival, The Scorer’s Table, and with the U.S. Olympic Men’s and Women’s Volleyball teams. He has also worked play-by-play in football, baseball, basketball, and softball.

Garcia has worked with the NCAA as a softball regional and super regional representative since 2005. He has been assigned to sites, which include Tennessee, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Arizona, Missouri, Georgia, and Florida State.

Garcia attended Colorado State University and graduated from Nebraska-Omaha. He and his wife, Lisa, live in Franklin and have three children.
Ellis Johnson Arena

Ellis T. Johnson Arena, which seats 6,500 for basketball, in the Academic-Athletic Center has served as the home court for Morehead State basketball since 1981. Johnson Arena is named for former Morehead State athletic director and coach.

During the summer of 2016, the arena floor was completely rebranded with Morehead State’s Eagle Head logo and M marks. The Eagle locker rooms, located just steps from the court, were also completely refurbished with new walls, lockers and furniture.

Prior to the 2011-12 season, two Daktronics video boards were installed on each end. The boards feature a large display that allows for fan interaction, live video and stats in real time during games.

The locker room facilities are also conveniently connected to the AAC training room. The building is a multi-purpose facility, which houses offices for a majority of the athletic department staff. The facility also houses the Myron Doan Cheerleading Practice Room, Len Miller VIP Room, a full-service weight room, sauna and steam rooms and ample concession and storage areas.

The university broke ground on the AAC in 1978 and completed the project in 1981. The Eagles won their inaugural game in the building on Dec. 3, 1981, over the University of Charleston. Johnson Arena can be easily transformed into an auditorium for concerts and commencements. At the east end of the playing floor, a hydraulic stage can be raised for events.

Since opening, the arena has hosted such national acts as Alabama, David Letterman, Gary Allen, the Newsboys, M.C. Hammer, the Goo Goo Dolls, Alan Jackson, Dashboard Confessional, Jeff Foxworthy, Tim McGraw, Travis Tritt and Sawyer Brown.
Tony Backert

Tony Backert originally joined the Ohio Valley Conference in 1999 as an on field football official.  He worked as a deep wing and referee from 1999 to 2006, when he joined the Sun Belt conference as a Referee and Instant Replay Official.

In 2016, when Instant Replay was being implemented for football in the OVC, Backert rejoined the conference as the Coordinator of Instant Replay.  His role is to hire and train the replay staff and coordinate and act in a liaison capacity with the schools.

Not only has he officiated football, but he also was a high school basketball official and college baseball Umpire. Over his 45-year football career, Tony has had the honor of working multiple NAIA and FCS playoff games and has worked four bowl games at the FBS level.

He has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Louisville and currently works with Milwaukee based RW Baird, as a Senior Vice President and Charter Wealth Advisor.  He is recognized in his industry as an instrumental voice in the 401k and qualified plan space and has received the Financial Times Top Financial Advisor Award for the past 5 years.

A Louisville native, Backert and his wife Sherrie are parents to two children and currently have three grandchildren.
Paige O'Hara

**Donna Paige Helmintoller**, better known as **Paige O'Hara** (born May 10, 1956), is an American actress, voice actress, singer and painter. O'Hara began her career as a Broadway actress in 1983 when she portrayed Ellie May Chipley in the musical Showboat. In 1991, she made her motion picture debut in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, in which she voiced the film's heroine, Belle. Following the critical and commercial success of Beauty and the Beast, O'Hara reprised her role as Belle in the film's two direct-to-video follow-ups, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas and Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World.
Lisa Mattingly

Lisa Mattingly was named Coordinator of Women’s Basketball Officials for the Ohio Valley Conference on July 10, 2018.

Mattingly leads an officiating consortium of conferences that includes the SEC, Sun Belt, A-Sun, SWAC and Southland in addition to the OVC.

A 1982 graduate of Sue Bennett College, Mattingly has served as a women’s basketball official in the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, Conference USA, OVC, Missouri Valley, MAC, SEC and Horizon League. She has officiated an average of more than 85 games per year while serving as crew chief in 90 percent of those contests.

She first officiated on the collegiate level in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1986-93, and made her Division I debut with the Ohio Valley Conference in 1990.

Mattingly has been selected to officiate in numerous conference tournaments, including the OVC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, Conference USA, Missouri Valley and SEC.

Mattingly was first selected to officiate in an NCAA Tournament in 1996 and since that time has worked 21 NCAA Regional Tournaments and 18 Final Fours including 10 championship games.

In addition to her on-court achievements, Mattingly served as liaison for basketball officials to the NCAA Rules Committee from 2003-05.

Mattingly has also made her mark in professional basketball, having been selected to officiate in the inaugural season of the WNBA in 1997.  She officiated the WNBA League Championship Series from 2000-07, including the league finals from 2002-06.  She was also selected to officiate the WNBA All-Star Game in 2000 and 2006.
Marty Simmons

Eastern Illinois Athletic Director Tom Michael has announced that **Marty Simmons** has been hired as the Panthers men's basketball coach in March of 2021.

Simmons previously served as the head coach at his alma mater Evansville, SIUE and Wartburg (Iowa). At Evansville he won 184 games leading the Purple Aces to five postseason appearances including the 2015 CIT Championship. He won 20 or more games three times including 25 during the 2015-16 season when Evansville finished tied for second in the Missouri Valley Conference. At SIUE he won 88 games in five seasons twice guiding SIUE to the NCAA Division II Tournament. He coached one season at Wartburg.

Simmons comes to EIU after serving on the coaching staff at Clemson where the Tigers played in this year's NCAA Tournament. He becomes the fourth head coach in the Panthers NCAA Division I history and the 15th overall head coach since EIU began playing basketball in 1908.

Simmons is a native of Lawrenceville, Illinois, where as a prep player he helped lead his team to two straight Illinois State Basketball Championships and was named one of the 100 Legends of IHSA Basketball in 2006. He was Illinois Mr. Basketball in 1983.
Houston Christian Huskies

The **Houston Christian Huskies**, **HCU** or **Houston Christian** (formerly known as **Houston Baptist**, **HBU**) are the athletic teams that represent Houston Christian University, located in Houston, Texas, in intercollegiate sports as a member of the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), primarily competing in the Southland Conference for most of its sports since the 2013–14 academic year; while its men's soccer team competes in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). The Huskies previously competed the D-I Great West Conference from 2008–09 to 2012–13 after spending one season as an NCAA D-I Independent during the 2007–08 school year (since returning to NCAA D-I as a transitional member); in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1998–99 to 2006–07; and as an NAIA Independent from 1989–90 to 1997–98. Houston Christian's (HCU) official school colors are royal blue and orange.

The **Ohio Valley Conference** and **Southland Conference** have announced plans for a football scheduling alliance between the two NCAA Division I FCS leagues in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.  OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche and Southland Commissioner Tom Burnett made the joint announcement on Monday, October 11, 2021.

The men's soccer team is set to compete in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) as affiliated members. Beginning July 2023.

## Facilities

* Football: Husky Stadium
* Soccer: Sorrels Field
George Lee

**George Lee** was named as Little Rock’s Director of Athletics on November 1, 2019, being promoted from Senior Associate Athletic Director for Business Operations. Lee has spent 23 years with Trojan Athletics, overseeing the day-to-day business and financial operations of the 15-program department since 1996.

During that span, he has viewed first hand over three dozen championship programs and numerous all-conference performances, including over a dozen team and individual NCAA tournament appearances.

Prior to joining the Little Rock Athletic Department, Lee worked in the private sector for both the United Parcel Service and Chamber Door Industries.

A native of Hot Springs, Lee graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 1987. He married his wife Joni, UA Little Rock’s Vice Chancellor for University Affairs, in 1983 and the couple have two children, Patrick and Paige.
Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium

The **Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium** officially opened on campus September 1, 2008, when the Bensons joined with more than 2,000 Cardinals fans and athletes to declare the facility ready for action.

Benson and his family long have been ardent supporters of Incarnate Word. A San Antonian himself, Benson is the owner of professional football's New Orleans Saints.

Benson Stadium now has permanent seating for 6,000 spectators with the 2010 addition of the north bleachers.  Atop the original south seating areas are skyboxes while the north side has the two-building media and game operations facilities including a permanent home for KUIW Internet Radio and UIWTV.

The playing area itself is artificial, Hellas Matrix. The stadium also is wide enough and long enough that the Cardinals soccer teams, men's and women's, have begun playing their games here.

An Olympic-standard running track will surround the football/soccer playing surface and will be all-weather in nature. Accompaning the track will be the requisite jumping and throwing areas.

Adjoining the football field is the Benson Fieldhouse of 16,000 square feet housing a weight room, athletic training facility, locker rooms meeting areas and coaches offices.

In the spring of 2002 Cardinals track and field athletes, and for that matter all UIW personnel and members of the surrounding community, enjoyed the use of an all-weather track for the first time.  The eight-lane track itself was retopped with Paragon Sports PTS 2000 in the summer of 2015.
Gamecock Track and Field Complex

Just steps from Pete Mathews Coliseum, situated between JSU's soccer and tennis venues, is the on-campus home of Gamecock track and field. Used primarily now as a practice venue, the **Gamecock Track and Field Complex** is equipped with proper training areas for throws (caged and open field), long and triple jump pits, high jump and pole vault setups.

The team now holds all home meets for track and field, as well as cross country, at the recently constructed Choccolocco Park facility just 20 minutes down the road in Oxford. The park's track and field venue jumped into collegiate competition hosting the 2017 Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships. The facility features an eight-lane rubberized track built to NCAA regulations, locker rooms, grandstands, restrooms, storage facility, and sports medicine room.
Chandelle LaVaun's Coven Wiki

**Welcome to the Chandelle LaVaun's Coven Wiki!**
\*\*\*PLEASE READ\*\*\*

This **fan-run** community was created to be a companion resource for the intricate storytelling in the Coven books. It will be updated with each new release. That means if you are not current with the series there will be SPOILERS on the site. Explore at your own risk.

We're a collaborative community website that anyone, including you, can build on and expand. Wikis like this one depend on readers getting involved and adding content. Click the "ADD NEW PAGE" or "EDIT" button at the top of any page to get started!

1. When editing, please remember the purpose of the wiki pages is to document what has been established in the books. Speculation or personal comments are welcomed and should be added to the comments section.
2. Before making a new page, please double-check to ensure there is not one already created for the topic.
3. Please follow established formatting and use good grammar, punctuation, and spelling practices when making edits.

*-artwork by TheCoven23 and Moonwatcher44628*

## Important articles

### Lancasters

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*Need help building out this community?*

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You can also be part of the larger Fandom family of communities. Visit Fandom's Community Central!
Bob Vanatta

**Bob Vanatta** (July 7, 1918 – October 22, 2016) was an American basketball coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head basketball coach for Central Methodist, Missouri State University, Army, Bradley, Memphis State, Missouri, and Delta State University. At Missouri State, he won the 1952 and 1953 NAIA Championships. At Memphis State, he compiled a 109-34 record, including making it to the 1957 NIT Championship game. After coaching, he later served as athletic director at Oral Roberts University, commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference, commissioner of the Atlantic Sun Conference, executive director of the Independence Bowl, athletic director at Louisiana Tech University, commissioner of the Sunshine State Conference, president of the NCAA Division II Conference Commissioner's Association, and associate athletic director at Florida Atlantic University. He was a member of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, which presents the Lou Groza Award to the nation's top placekicker.

Vanatta died October 22, 2016, aged 98, in Melbourne, Florida.
Skyhawk Fieldhouse

Since 1969, the University of Tennessee at Martin volleyball team has called the **Skyhawk Fieldhouse** its home. With a capacity of 3,000, Skyhawk Fieldhouse is also home to the volleyball team’s locker room, coaches’ suite, athletic training facilities and sports information offices.

The Fieldhouse underwent a major facelift in the summer of 2014,  as a brand new playing court was installed with a large Skyhawk head logo placed at midcourt. That followed an overhaul in the summer of 2011 that featured a large “Skyhawk Volleyball” screenprint was placed on the west wall. A total of 115 temporary plastic seats were also installed in the south bleachers, behind the bench areas. The volleyball locker room also went through a drastic renovation in the summer of 2017, completed just in time for the start of the season.

Before construction of the neighboring Kathleen and Tom Elam Center in 1976, Skyhawk Fieldhouse was also home to the UT Martin men’s and women’s basketball teams. Now Skyhawk Fieldhouse is also home to many of the university’s largest and most well-known events that surround Homecoming and Greek Week. The UT Martin volleyball team hosted the First State Skyhawk Invitational in three recent seasons (2011, 2012, 2014), which consisted of four teams playing in a two-day tournament.

UT Martin hosted the 2002 and 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament at Skyhawk Fieldhouse and claimed its first tournament championship and automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, with a 3-0 title match win over Southeast Missouri. The 2002 OVC Tournament also produced the largest crowd at Skyhawk Fieldhouse when 1,172 fans watched UT Martin defeat rival Murray State 3-2 in the semifinals.

Skyhawk Fieldhouse is located adjacent to the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center on the campus at the corner of University Street and Mt. Pelia Road.
Gentry Center

* Gentry Complex is a multi-purpose arena on the campus of Tennessee State University.
* The arena opened in 1980. It is home to the TSU basketball teams. This facility was named for Howard C. Gentry, Sr., who, during a 27 year span, served as a prominent professor, coach and athletic director at TSU.
* Throughout its history, the Gentry Center has had a seating capacity as large as 10,500. It currently has a capacity of 9,100.
* The facility houses the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and has a basketball arena, dance studio, indoor track, indoor Olympic pool, (4) racquetball courts, and a training and weight room.
* The McLendon Court was named in honor of TSU and legendary Basketball Hall of Fame head coach John B. McLendon.
* The court was dedicated on Feb. 22, 1992 when the Tigers hosted Eastern Kentucky.
* In August of 2015, the old court was replaced with brand new floorboards.
* The first TSU men’s basketball game at the Gentry Center was a 97-79 win over Austin Peay on Dec. 1, 1980. The official attendance for the first game was 6,000.
Nicholls Colonels

The **Nicholls Colonels football** program is the intercollegiate American football team for Nicholls State University located in Thibodaux, Louisiana, United States. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and they will be competing with the Ohio Valley Conference football current teams for the 2022 and 2023 season, as part of the OVC/Southland Conference new football alliance.

The **Ohio Valley Conference** and **Southland Conference** have announced plans for a football scheduling alliance between the two NCAA Division I FCS leagues in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.  OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche and Southland Commissioner Tom Burnett made the joint announcement on Monday, October 11, 2021.
Nissan Stadium

The Tennessee State football team play their home games in one of the nation’s finest sports venues in Nissan Field, sharing the facility for home games with the National Football League’s Tennessee Titans.

* The state-of-the-art facility has served as home of the Tigers and the Titans since the 1999 season. Nissan Field is located on the east bank of the Cumberland River in downtown Nashville.
* Nissan Stadium, which seats approximately 69,143 fans, boasts incredible amenities, ranging from spacious and tastefully appointed locker rooms to massive scoreboards.
* Nissan Stadium has 144 luxury suites and 9,600 club seats with access to the stadium club and club lounges. There are also approximately 7,500 parking spaces on the site.
* Nissan Stadium grounds are also designed to help create a park-like setting along the Cumberland River, not just a showplace for bland concrete and asphalt. More than 205 trees have been planted on the 105-acre campus.
* Tiger fans gather early and stay late to enjoy tailgating on Nissan Stadium grounds. In addition to games featuring the Tigers and Titans. Nissan Stadium also hosts college football’s annual Music City Bowl in late December. Nissan Stadium hosts concerts and other special events during the course of a year.
* From 1999-2011, TSU played all of its home games at Nissan Stadium. The Tigers returned to Hale Stadium in 2012 and now play home games at both locations.
Pat Spurgin Rifle Range

**Pat Spurgin Rifle Range History & Notes**

* Located in Room 230 on the north side of Roy Stewart Stadium, the Pat Spurgin Rifle Range is considered one of the finest shooting venues in America.
* The most recent Murray State hosting of the NCAA Rifle Championships was in 2014.
* With adjustable targets and electric carriers, the permanent range features a roomy 16 shooting points.
* The range also houses an arms room and lockers for convenient storage of shooting equipment.
* For special matches such as the NCAA Championships, the range can be expanded to allow simultaneous 16-shooter smallbore and air rifle competition.
* Media and hospitality rooms are located nearby.
* Match scoring is provided by a custom-made computer program that offers competitors timely scoring results.
* The facility is named in honor of Pat Spurgin Pitney, an eight-time All-American and gold medalist in the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, the range has served as the host of eight NCAA championships.
Tom Woodall Panther Trail

The home of Eastern Illinois cross country, The Panther Trail is a two-mile cross country course that spans the western part of the Eastern Illinois campus surrounding many of the EIU athletic and intramural facilities.  EIU annully plays host to the Panther Open Cross Country meet each September and hosts the Ohio Valley Conference championships on a rotating basis. The course has a mixture of both grass and a stone-chip path.

In addition to training and racing on the Panther Trail, EIU runners can also take advantage of several other top training areas in the area including -- Fox Ridge State Park (located just six miles south of EIU), The Rail Trail (a flat running/biking trail extending from Charleston to Mattoon) and on various country roads surrounding Charleston.
Tom Samuels Track

• Tom Samuels Track, dedicated in 1976 and named in honor of the former Eastern Kentucky University football and track coach, underwent a major facelift in the summer of 2008 when a new Mondo Super X rubber track was installed.

• Mondo's Super X track has been the world’s top track for more than 30 years. Globally recognized as the fastest, most durable and environmentally safest track available, Mondo’s Super X track has been used in the past eight Olympic Games, and Mondo was the official supplier to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing for athletic tracks.

• The track measures 400 meters in circumference and is designed so that the 100- and 200-meter dash, and the 110-meter hurdle events may be run in either direction, if necessary.

• Another feature of the track is an infield which includes a 40-foot radius complete circle high jump area, a dual direction pole vault runway which is also convertible for jumps in either direction, a steeplechase facility with non-skid barriers and a water jump area which is covered with Eurotan ML surface. Also, the infield includes an all-weather javelin area. The discus and shotput circles have a concrete surface and are located in the infield of the track.
The Little Course at Conner Lane

The Little Course at Conner Lane and the facilities of Golf House Tennessee serve as the primary practice facility for Belmont men's and women's golf.

The Little Course is located at Golf House Tennessee in Franklin. The course was built in 1995 and was designed by Bob Cupp. This challenging par three executive course offers golfers the chance to improve their short game under all types of conditions. The course features two double greens, nine bunkers, two ponds, and several elevated tees.

The Golf House is the home to the major Tennessee golf organizations and the Tennessee Junior Golf Academy. The Academy is one of the top teaching programs in the nation and provides the children of Tennessee the chance to learn about the game. Golf House is also home to the Tennessee Golf Association Junior Golf Tour, which organizes and operates junior tournaments across the state.

To learn more about the course and take a virtual tour, go to the Golf House Tennessee website and look for The Little Course link.
Steve Joest

**Steve Joest** was named Coordinator of Football Instant Replay in July 2022. He is in charge of training, developing and evaluation of the OVC replay staff.

Joest served as an on-field Ohio Valley Conference official from 2002 through 2012, primarily as an Umpire. For his final three years he served as an OVC position chief. Joest has worked eight (both on-field and Replay) FCS Playoff games, including the 2009 National Championship game between Montana and Villanova played in Chattanooga.

Joest retired from the field in 2012, and rejoined the OVC staff when Instant Replay was implemented in 2016. Joest served as an original member of that staff and most recently served as the OVC’s instant replay position chief

Prior to joining the OVC, Joest worked in the Mid-South Conference for 15 years, working seven postseason contests in the NAIA, including the 1996 NAIA National Championship Game between Sioux Falls and Western Washington. Joest has spent over 40 years in the football officiating community and has led various training and mentoring programs for several high school associations in Kentucky throughout that time.

Joest has spent some 40 years in the chemical industry as a Research and Development Chemist, Marketing and National Sales Management. He is currently a Senior Account Manager for the Cardolite Company. He resides in Louisville, Kentucky.
Basketball

## Participating Teams

Eastern Illinois PanthersLindenwood LionsLittle Rock TrojansMorehead State EaglesSIUE CougarsSoutheast Missouri State RedhawksSouthern Indiana Screaming EaglesTennessee State TigersTennessee Tech Golden EaglesUT Martin SkyhawksWestern Illinois Leathernecks
## Men's Team Schedules

* Eastern Illinois
* Lindenwood
* Little Rock
* Morehead State
* SIUE
* Southeast Missouri
* Southern Indiana
* Tennessee State
* Tennessee Tech
* UT Martin
* Western Illinois

## Women's Team Schedules

* Eastern Illinois
* Lindenwood
* Little Rock
* Morehead State
* SIUE
* Southeast Missouri
* Southern Indiana
* Tennessee State
* Tennessee Tech
* UT Martin
* Western Illinois

## Championship Venue

The OVC Basketball Championships are currently being held at The Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana.
Hyland Arena

**Hyland Arena** is home to Lindenwood University men's and women's basketball, women's gymnastics, men's and women's volleyball, men's and women's wrestling, as well as several Student Life Sports teams.

The arena opened in 1997, and is named for Robert F. Hyland, former chairman of the Lindenwood board, and the CBS Regional Vice President and General Manager of the radio station KMOX in St. Louis for four decades.

Among other national and regional championships, in 2019 Hyland Arena hosted the NCAA Division II Wrestling Super-Regional IV and has hosted the several outside events, which includes political rallies, school graduations, MSHSAA high school sectional and quarterfinal basketballs games, the GAC-Suburban Shootout, the First Robotics State Championship and Fall Kickoff event, youth gymnastics local and regional qualifying events, and other youth or AAU basketball events.
Swimming & Diving

**NOTE:** The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) does not sponsor this sport.

The Little Rock Womens Swimming & Diving team compete in the **Missouri Valley Conference (NCAA)**.

The Southern Indiana, Eastern Illinois, Lindenwood Swimming & Diving teams compete in **The Summit League (NCAA)**.

## Participating Teams

Eastern Illinois PanthersLindenwood LionsLittle Rock TrojansSouthern Indiana Screaming Eagles

## Team Schedules

* Eastern Illinois
* Lindenwood (Men's)
* Lindenwood (Women's)
* Little Rock
* Southern Indiana (Men's)
* Southern Indiana (Women's)

## Facilities

* Eastern Illinois - Padovan Pool
* Lindenwood - St. Peters Rec-Plex
* Little Rock - Donaghey Aquatic Center
* Southern Indiana - Screaming Eagles Aquatic Center

## Coaches

* Eastern Illinois Head Coach - Johnathan Jordan
* Lindenwood Head Coach - Jason Owen
* Little Rock Head Coach - Amy Burgess
* Southern Indiana - Cameron Kainer
Southeastern Louisiana Lions

The **Southeastern Louisiana Lions football** program is the intercollegiate American football team for Southeastern Louisiana University located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and they will be competing with the Ohio Valley Conference football current teams for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, as part of the OVC/Southland Conference new football alliance.

The **Ohio Valley Conference** and **Southland Conference** have announced plans for a football scheduling alliance between the two NCAA Division I FCS leagues in the 2022 and 2023 seasons.  OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche and Southland Commissioner Tom Burnett made the joint announcement on Monday, October 11, 2021.

The team plays its home games at the 7,408 seat Strawberry Stadium in Hammond, Louisiana. The Lions are coached by Frank Scelfo.
Roy Stewart Stadium

**Roy Stewart Stadium History & Notes**

* Picturesque Roy Stewart Stadium has provided the football Racers spacious, well-tended and modern facilities since it opened in 1973.
* The Racers won the first game played on Sept. 15, 1973, in a 27-25 victory over Western Carolina. Coach: Bill Furgerson led the Racers that day as the team went 5-0 in its new home that season.
* In 1974, the Racers went 6-0 at Stewart Stadium under Coach Fergerson.
* Ironically, it was Western Carolina who came back to open the 1975 season at Stewart Stadium and bet the Racers 16-9.
* MSU won their first games at Stewart Stadium
* The facility is named for one of Murray State's great coaches and athletic administrators, Roy Stewart, who guided the MSU football team from 1932 to 1945, compiling a 60-33-11 record.
* Stewart Stadium has a seating capacity of 16,800.

**First Floor**

* The Tom "Doc" Simmons Training Room is a state of the art center that helps provide care for all MSU student-athletes.
* This facility has 4,675 square feet with a separated wet area.
* The training room has eight treatment tables, four taping tables, three whirlpools as well as a staff office and a physician's exam room.
* The latest technology in modalities and rehabilitative equipment is utilized to take care of the Racers. All the time, under the care of certified athletic trainers.
* The Stewart Stadium weight room is where several MSU teams train including: cross country, baseball, football, track & field, soccer, softball and volleyball.
* Locker rooms for baseball, football, softball and track & field are located on the first floor.

**Second Floor**

* The second floor serves as the the primary home for the MSU athletics department. The MSU housing department is also located here.
* The Weaver Center for Academic Enhancement is located here and is a hub of academic interest for MSU student-athletes.
* The Pat Spurgin Rifle Range, home of the three-time NCAA champions and site of several NCAA championships, is located at the northern end of the second floor.

**Press Box & President's Box**

* Towering more than 150 feet above the playing surface, a two-tiered press box offers working space for media representatives, with private radio booths and a camera area for film and television.
* There are also private suites for the director of athletics and visiting administrators.
Ryne Rickman

**Ryne Rickman** has worked in the UT Martin sports information office since 2008. At UT Martin, Rickman is the media contact for the men's basketball, volleyball, baseball, beach volleyball, golf, rifle, tennis, equestrian and rodeo teams. Rickman also serves as official statistician at most Skyhawk home events, produces media guides, game day programs, press releases, and serves as a media host and coordinating event operations.

While at UT Martin, Rickman has taken part in several other sports information ventures. In April 2014, he earned the role of official statistician at the 2014 NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four in Nashville, serving in that role for all three games. He was the official statistician for the national championship game which involved two undefeated teams in Notre Dame and Connecticut.

Since 2010, he has served as the official statistician at the Ohio Valley Conference men's and women's basketball championship, where he was solely responsible for all stats from the tournament. He also served in that same role for the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Second/Third Rounds and the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament First/Second Rounds, both of which were held in Nashville.

Rickman was also Tournament Director of the 2011 OVC Tennis Tournament, held in Paducah, Ky. In 2009 and 2017, Rickman was a media relations assistant at the NCAA men's basketball South Regional tournament in Memphis, arranging press conferences and post-game interviews in the Sweet 16/Elite 8 rounds. He also served as official scorer of the 2008 Major/60 12 Year Old Cal Ripken World Series in Martin from Aug. 7-14, 2008, overseeing the four-day, 10-team national Babe Ruth Little League tournament.

A native of Benton, Ky., Rickman came to UT Martin from Murray State, where he graduated with a degree in journalism and a minor in recreation in May 2008. He worked part-time as a student worker in the Athletics Media Relations office for four years and was the media contact for track and field and cross country, and also the head researcher for football and basketball media guides. He was a co-contributor to Murray State's 2007 football media guide, which was named by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) as the Best in the Nation for Football Bowl Subdivision universities.

Rickman married the former Allison Jones of Columbia, Tenn. in June 2018. The couple has one daughter, Millie.
Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles

The **Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles** are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Tennessee Technological University (TTU), located in Cookeville, Tennessee, United States. The TTU athletic program is a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) and competes in the NCAA Division I, including the Football Championship Subdivision. The Tech mascot is Awesome Eagle, and the school colors are purple and gold.

## Athletic Facilities

* Baseball: Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex
* Basketball and Volleyball: Hooper Eblen Center
* Beach Volleyball: TBA
* Cross Country: (Does not have home competition facility)
* Football: Tucker Stadium
* Golf: Sevierville Golf Club
* Soccer: Tech Soccer Field
* Softball: Tech Softball Field
* Tennis: Tech Tennis Courts
* Track and field (indoor): (Does not have home competition facility)
* Track and field (outdoor): Tucker Stadium
Western Hall

The Fighting Leathernecks play all home games in **Western Hall**. It features stadium-style seating and wooden bleachers surrounding a parquet floor, with capacity at 4,781 for all events and 4,421 for basketball games and volleyball matches.

In July 2014, then-Athletic Director Tommy Bell renamed the playing court "The LeRoy A. Ufkes Court" to honor 1996 Hall of Fame inductee LeRoy Ufkes. A lifelong resident of nearby Carthage, the late Ufkes and his wife Joan (a 1954 graduate of Western Illinois University) have supported the Leathernecks for more than 25 years.

All 19 Leatherneck sport programs utilize Western Hall in some capacity - whether for practice, workouts, or home events. Western Hall also houses numerous physical education activities as well as all campus and community events like graduations, concerts, musicals, and multi-cultural entertainment events.

Completed in 1964, the building underwent massive construction in 1997 with the addition of the $8 million Student Recreation Center. The SRC hosts all intramural and club sports, and houses a swimming pool, racquetball courts, suspended jogging track and up-to-date exercise equipment.

A Chem-turf jogging track surrounds the court.

Updates/Upgrades

* During the summer of 2010, new lighting was installed inside Western Hall. The University Physical Plant staff secured a grant through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) to upgrade lighting fixtures through-out the facility.
* The court is a product of Horner Sports Flooring.
* A practice court was built inside Brophy Hall in December 2011.
OVC 75th Anniversary

The 2022-23 year marks the 75th anniversary of the Ohio Valley Conference. Keep checking back here for content associated with the anniversary year.

## **THROWBACK SERIES**

Each week during the anniversary we will share photos from our archives of great individuals and performances from our history. Those will be shared on social media with each week's photo being archived in this Photo Gallery.

## **PODCAST SERIES**

As part of the 75th anniversary, the #OVCExtra Podcast will highlight some of the legends from around the OVC. Here from former Commissioners, administrators, coaches and athletes.

* Jim Delany, Former OVC Commissioner (1979-89) - Part 1
* Jim Delany, Former OVC Commissioner (1979-89) - Part 2
* Cindy Gannon, Former SEMO Volleyball Coach and Administrator
* Dan Beebe, Former OVC Commissioner (1989-2003) - Part 1
* Dan Beebe, Former OVC Commissioner (1989-2003) - Part 2
* Jerry Carpenter, Retired UT Martin Men's Golf Coach
* Ron English, Former OVC Associate Commissioner (Part 1)
* Ron English, Former OVC Associate Commissioner (Part 2)
SIUE Cross Country Course

Situated at the northernmost point of the SIUE campus, the **SIUE Cross Country Course** is designed to challenge all levels of competition. In addition to its primary use for Cougar cross country practices and competitions, the venue is used for prep and collegiate meets and attracts runners from throughout the region and across the country. The facility also features multiple points where fans can view the action. The scenic rolling hills that surround the SIUE campus are in full view throughout the course.