INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) will host its eighth annual GLVC Football Kickoff event on Friday, July 26, setting the scene for the league’s eighth season on the gridiron.
The annual celebration will be held at The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts on the campus of McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois for the sixth consecutive year. This season’s event, which will serve both the league’s media members and passionate fans through several social media outlets, will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. CT.
Located just outside the gates of McKendree’s Leemon Field, “The Hett,” as it is commonly referred to on campus, has been a perfect setting for the GLVC Football Kickoff this past five seasons. The 2012 and 2013 events were held at the Millennium Student Center on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
All eight conference teams will be represented by a coach and two players at the event.
Six-time and defending GLVC Champion University of Indianapolis will be represented at GLVC Football Kickoff by a fresh face at this year’s event, following the retirement of Bob Bartolomeo. Longtime assistant Chris Keevers was promoted to the head job last December after 25 years of service as a Greyhound assistant coach, including the last nine seasons as defensive coordinator. UIndy has compiled a 49-4 record in GLVC play since the league began sponsoring the sport in 2012, and has also garnered NCAA DII playoff bids in five of the last six seasons. The Greyhounds are coming off a 10-2 (7-0 GLVC) campaign, in which they advanced to the second round of the NCAA DII Playoffs and finished ranked No. 11 in the AFCA DII Coaches Poll – the program’s highest-ever position in the season’s final poll.
Missouri S&T finished second in the Conference standings last year with a 6-1 mark, and strung together six straight wins to finish 10-2 overall. The Miners capped the 2018 campaign with a resounding 51-16 victory over Minnesota State Moorhead in the Mineral Water Bowl. At the conclusion of the season, third-year defensive coordinator Todd Drury was elevated to the head coaching position after Tyler Fenwick stepped down to pursue other opportunities.
Truman State University’s Gregg Nesbitt will be on the sidelines for the 10th season in Kirksville, Missouri, following a 2018 season in which the Bulldogs finished third in the GLVC at 5-2 and 6-5 overall.
McKendree finished 4-3 in GLVC action last season, good for fourth overall, with a 6-5 record on the year. Mike Babcock returns for his seventh season at the helm of the Bearcats.
In his second year on the sidelines, Quincy University’s Gary Bass led the Hawks to a 4-7 record overall and a 3-4 mark in GLVC action to finish fifth in the league.
William Jewell College will open the 2019 season under the direction of interim head coach Chuck Lliteras, who took over for Shawn Weigel at the end of the 2018 campaign. The Cardinals placed seventh overall with a 1-6 GLVC record and finished 1-8 overall.
Head coach Robert Clardy is back for his fifth season Southwest Baptist University, which will now compete as a full-time member of the GLVC after a four-year stint as an associate member. The Bearcats claimed a share of the 2016 GLVC Championship and finished last year eighth in the league at 0-7 and 0-10 overall.
Replacing associate member Lincoln University this season is new full-time member Lindenwood University. The Lions come to the GLVC after competing seven seasons as members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) from 2012-2018. Lindenwood is led on the sidelines by third-year head coach Jed Stugart. Due to a scheduling conflict that will lead to Stugart’s absence at GLVC Football Kickoff, the Lions will be represented at by offensive coordinator Dusty Hovorka.
On July 18, the GLVC will release its list of player attendees, and launch the official GLVC Football Kickoff website as well as the fan-interactive schedule on July 23.
Media members interested in attending the 2019 GLVC Football Kickoff can apply for credentials by contacting GLVC Associate Commissioner Jeff Smith at
jeff@glvc-sports.org.