Dear Valpo Family,
 
From the moment our institution joined the prestigious Missouri Valley Conference in 2017, one of the many great draws of this league was and still is a conference basketball tournament with the rich tradition and history of Arch Madness.
 
When I arrived at Valpo, you – our supporters, friends, and fans – shared stories with me of your memorable experiences attending this annual staple in St. Louis. Shortly thereafter, I encountered Arch Madness for myself, and I have quickly come to know and love this event. Our colleagues in the Missouri Valley Conference run a first-class tournament, and the passionate fan bases and talented teams across our great league make this a "can't-miss" week each year. In our first decade as an MVC member, Valpo student-athletes and fans experienced multiple victories and memorable runs in St. Louis.
 
Now, after 35 years as one of the premier conference basketball championship events in the country, I am excited to share that Arch Madness is growing. For the first time in 2027, the event will feature both the men's and women's conference basketball tournaments. This move streamlines our fan experience as our passionate supporters will have the ability to support both teams in the same location during the same week. The history, passion and excitement that has defined Arch Madness over the years will not only continue, but will grow with the addition of the women's tournament.
 
As the sport of women's basketball continues to experience an unprecedented surge nationally and within the Missouri Valley Conference, this move will further elevate the visibility of our league's women's basketball teams, creating new opportunities for media exposure, storytelling, fan engagement and enhanced championship experience. As we prepare for Year 2 of the Courtney Boyd Era, we are excited about the talent that Coach Boyd and her staff have brought in and look forward to the program having the chance to experience Arch Madness for the first time.
 
In addition to moving the women's basketball tournament to St. Louis, the conference will adopt a new 10-team format for both the men's and women's tournaments with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds advancing directly to the semifinal round. This creates a meaningful reward for regular-season achievement while preserving the excitement that a conference-tournament setting provides. After our men's program reached previously uncharted territory with its best conference winning percentage since joining the league this past season, head coach Roger Powell Jr. has retained key student-athletes and recruited exciting additions to the team for the 2026-2027 season. These changes to the conference tournament preserves and enhances the high-stakes of the regular season, giving fans even more reason to attend games at the Athletics-Recreation Center this year. The intensity of Missouri Valley Conference regular season basketball for both the men and women will ratchet up a notch further with even greater emphasis placed on those regular-season contests. 
 
These changes were also made with an eye on the recent expansion of the NCAA Basketball Tournaments. In the modern intercollegiate athletics landscape, it is important that we embrace constant growth and continual change to align ourselves in the best position possible for maximum success. Rewarding regular-season accomplishment increases our conference's likelihood of earning multiple postseason berths. Maximizing NCAA Tournament unit revenue is crucial to the success of our league, institutions, teams and student-athletes.
 
The conference membership and league office took great time and care in making these decisions. Arch Madness has been a special event for more than 35 years. Changing something so rich in success and tradition is never a decision to take lightly. However, these alterations will help us grow an iconic tournament while adapting to the modern era of intercollegiate athletics and best positioning ourselves as Missouri Valley Conference member institutions for sustained success. At Valpo, we understand the importance of roots and reach, and the decision to expand Arch Madness will allow the event to stay true to its roots while growing its reach.
 
Whether you have been making the trip for many years or you have yet to experience the excitement of Arch Madness, we hope you will plan to join us in St. Louis in March 2027 and in celebrating the inaugural tournament featuring both the women's and men's basketball programs. How the Valpo fanbase shows up in St. Louis is a direct reflection of the strength of our programs and our contribution to the tradition of basketball excellence that is synonymous with the Missouri Valley Conference.
 
We cannot wait to begin another season of Valpo athletic competition soon. Football and volleyball season tickets are on sale now, and the renewal process is underway for men's and women's basketball with season tickets going on sale to the general public on Wednesday, July 15. For ticket information, visit tickets.valpoathletics.com.
 
Sincerely,
 
Laurel Hosmer
Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation