On Thursday, March 9, some of the region’s best female college athletes will tip off for the first of four days of fast-breaking action at the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Women’s Championship basketball in Moline.
The MVC Women’s Tournament – also known as “Hoops in the Heartland” to its growing fanbase – will feature a 12-team field for the first time in the event’s history. Hoops is also the longest standalone neutral site women’s basketball tourney in the nation. The winner earns an automatic bid to the NCAA Women’s Division Basketball Championship.
The March 9-12 tourney at Vibrant Arena at The Mark marks the eighth year in a row that the women’s teams from the MVC will hit the hardwood in Moline.
“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 of 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 and retention, and invigorating resident pride,” he added.
The MVC, now in its 116th season, is the nation’s second-oldest NCAA Division I conference and is recognized as one of the most progressive athletic leagues in the country, according to Visit Quad Cities.
The 2023 tournament will mark the 16th consecutive season in its 41-year history that the event will take place at a neutral site. The Valley played its postseason championship in St. Charles, Missouri – at The Family Arena – for eight-straight seasons from 2008-2015 and has held the event in the Quad Cities ever since, the Quad Cities destination and marketing organization said.
The 2023 MVC Women’s Basketball Tournament title game on Sunday, March 12, also will be aired on ESPNU for the second consecutive season. The first 10 tournament contests will be shown exclusively on ESPN+.
Opening round pairings on Thursday, March 9 are set for:
- Noon – No. 9 Evansville vs. No 8. Murray State.
- 2:30 p.m. – No. 12 Bradley vs. No. 5 Missouri State.
- 6 p.m. – No. 10 Indiana State vs. No. 8 Southern Illinois.
- 8:30 p.m. No. 6 University of Illinois Chicago vs. No. 11 Valparaiso.
The tournament also will feature last year’s champions, Illinois State University, and the other three top MVC finishers who earned first-round buys in 2023: Drake University, Belmont University and the University of Northern Iowa.
Tickets for the 2023 tournament, which went on sale in December, are available at the Vibrant Arena box office or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Prices are: $65 for reserved seat all-session tickets; $25, $20 and $12 reserved seat tickets per session.
Ticket discounts include:
- Young fans eighth grade and under can purchase half-price, single-session tickets ($12) when they wear their favorite team’s T-shirt, jersey or sweatshirt.
- Family Fun Packs: Through March 12, fans can obtain a coupon good for four tickets, four sodas and two large popcorns for $42 – via the mvcquadcities.com website.
- American Heroes: The conference is offering discounted tickets to U.S. service men and women (active or retired), firefighters, police, EMTs, nurses and other first responders. Each may purchase a single-session ticket by presenting valid identification at the Vibrant Arena at The Mark box office only – subject to availability. Prices are $9 per ticket.
- Educator appreciation: For all sessions, the MVC is offering discounted tickets to all teachers as well as principals, custodians, bus drivers and other school district staff members. Each may purchase a single-session ticket by presenting valid identification at the Vibrant Arena at The Mark box office only – subject to availability. Prices are $9 per ticket.
The 2023 Hoops in the Heartland also features a number of specials including:
- Thursday, March 9 – $2 beer drafts for both sessions.
- Friday, March 10 – Bingo all day with prizes.
- Saturday, March 11 – $1 boxes of popcorn for both games.
- Fan Fun Zone – Hours are 12:30-5 p.m. and noon to 2 p.m. Sunday.
For tournament information, go to www.mvcquadcities.com. For visitor information, go to www.visitquadcities.com.
