Missouri State Celebrates Conference USA Move at Boulevard Brewery

By Eric Owens, Director at Swartz and Associates

We have a few goals for telling stories on our company blog. We want to explain what we do. We also want to talk about the work we do with our clients. And of course, we like to mix in a personal story from time to time. This is one of those personal stories.

On the evening of July 22nd, my wife and I joined fellow Missouri State alumni to celebrate a major moment in our university’s athletic journey. The event, hosted at the iconic Boulevard Brewery in Kansas City, marked Missouri State’s transition from the Missouri Valley Conference to Conference USA.

This milestone will elevate Missouri State’s football program from Division I FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) to Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision), bringing in tougher competition and increasing national visibility for the university.

We enjoyed engaging updates from President Biff Williams, who shared exciting university developments, and Athletic Director Patrick Ransdell, who offered thoughtful insight into both the opportunities and challenges of switching conferences. One of my favorite moments? Chatting with Head Basketball Coach Cuonzo Martin—and yes, I couldn’t resist asking him for tips on coaching my son’s 5th grade basketball team! 😊

Looking ahead, the Bears face a tough football schedule.

They’ll kick off the season on August 30th against the USC Trojans at the historic Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, followed by a home matchup against the SMU Mustangs on September 13th. My family will be heading to Springfield for that one, and it will be a house divided as my wife is a proud SMU alum!

Needless to say, I’m excited about the move to Conference USA and optimistic about the future of Missouri State athletics.

Go Bears!

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