Great Lakes Valley Conference

Learn about the 16 Colleges and Universities in this NCAA Division II Conference

By
Allen Grove
Allen Grove
College Admissions Expert
  • Ph.D., English, University of Pennsylvania
  • M.A., English, University of Pennsylvania
  • B.S., Materials Science & Engineering and Literature, MIT
Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.
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Updated on January 13, 2018

The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) consists of 16 schools, all located within Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Missouri. The conference is divided into an Eastern and Western Division, with the Missouri schools making up the Western Division. The conference sponsors ten men's sports, and ten women's sports. The member schools are generally on the smaller side, with enrollment numbers ranging between 1,000 and 17,000 students.

01
of 16

Bellarmine University

Bellarmine University
Bellarmine University Library. Braindrain0000 / Wikimedia Commons

Affiliated with the Catholic church, Bellarmine is located on the edge of Lousiville, and the city is within easy walking distance for students. The school fields nine men's and ten women's sports. Popular choices include track and field, lacrosse, and field hockey.

  • Location: Louisville, Kentucky
  • School type: private university
  • Enrollment: 3,973 (2,647 undergraduates)
  • Team: Knights
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Bellarmine University profile
02
of 16

Drury University

Drury University Hammons School of Architecture
Drury University Hammons School of Architecture. Photo Courtesy of Drury University

With an impressive student / faculty ratio, small class sizes, and a wide range of majors to choose from, Drury offers students an individualized and unique education. Popular sports at Drury include swimming, baseball, soccer, and track and field.

  • Location: Springfield, Missouri
  • School type: private university
  • Enrollment: 3,569 (3,330 undergraduates)
  • Team: Panthers
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Drury University profile
03
of 16

Lewis University

Fitzpatrick House at Lewis University
Fitzpatrick House at Lewis University. Teemu008 / Flickr

Affiliated with the Catholic church, Lewis University offers students over 80 undergraduate majors to choose from, and a range of graduate degrees. Lewis fields nine men's and nine women's sports. Top choices include track and field, volleyball, and soccer.

  • Location: Romeoville, Illinois
  • School type: private university
  • Enrollment: 6,544 (4,553 undergraduates)
  • Team: Flyers
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Lewis University profile
04
of 16

Maryville University

Maryville University
Maryville University. Photo credit: Jay Fram

Founded as a women's college, Maryville is now co-educational. Popular majors for undergraduates include nursing, business, and psychology. Popular sports include soccer, track and field, and basketball.

  • Location: Saint Louis, Missouri
  • School type: private university
  • Enrollment: 6,828 (2,967 undergraduates)
  • Team: Saints
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Maryville University profile
05
of 16

McKendree University

mckendree-university-Robert-Lawton-wiki.JPG
McKendree University. Robert Lawton / Wikimedia Commons

Affiliated with the United Methodist church, McKendree University has branch campuses in Louisville and Radcliff. The school fields 16 men's and 16 women's sports, with football, track and field, soccer, and lacrosse among the most popular.

  • Location: Lebanon, Illinois
  • School type: private university
  • Enrollment: 2,902 (2,261 undergraduates)
  • Team: Bearcats
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the McKendree University profile
06
of 16

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology
Missouri University of Science and Technology. Adavidb / Wikimedia Commons

Missouri University of S & T was founded in 1870 as the first tech college west of the Mississippi. Students can enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking and canoeing. The school fields seven men's and six women's sports.

  • Location: Rolla, Missouri
  • School type: public university
  • Enrollment: 8,835 (6,906 undergraduates)
  • Team: Miners
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Missouri S & T profile
07
of 16

Quincy University

Quincy University
Quincy University. Tigerghost / Flickr

One of the smaller schools in the conference, Quincy boasts a 14 to 1 student / faculty ratio. Student can choose from over 40 majors, with popular choices including accounting, nursing, biology, and education. Quincy fields nine men's and nine women's sports.

  • Location: Quincy, Illinois
  • School type: private university
  • Enrollment: 1,328 (1,161 undergraduates)
  • Team: Hawks
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Quincy University profile
08
of 16

Rockhurst University

Rockhurst University
Rockhurst University. Shaverc / Wikimedia Commons

Academics at Rockhurst are supported by a healthy 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio. Outside of the classroom, students can join a number of clubs and activities, including religious groups or music ensembles. Popular sports include baseball, soccer, and lacrosse.

  • Location: Kansas City, Missouri
  • School type: private university
  • Enrollment: 2,854 (2,042 undergraduates)
  • Team: Hawks
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Rockhurst University profile
09
of 16

Saint Joseph's College

Academics at Saint Joseph's are supported by a 14 to 1 student / faculty ratio. Popular majors include biology, business, criminal justice, and education. Outside of the classroom, students can choose from a number of clubs and organizations on campus.

  • Location: Rensselaer, Indiana
  • School type: private university
  • Enrollment: 972 (950 undergraduates)
  • Team: Pumas
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Saint Joseph's College profile
10
of 16

Truman State University

Truman State University
Truman State University. Vu Nguyen / Flickr

Popular sports at Truman State include football, track and field, soccer, and swimming/diving. The school has an active Greek life, with around 25% of students in a fraternity or sorority. There are also over 200 clubs and organizations for students to join.

  • Location: Kirksville, Missouri
  • School type: public university
  • Enrollment: 6,379 (6,039 undergraduates)
  • Team: Bulldogs
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the Truman State University profile
11
of 16

University of Illinois - Springfield

Popular majors at UI - Springfield include biology, communications, computer science, and social work. Academics are supported by a student / faculty ratio of 14 to 1. The school fields seven men's and eight women's sports--baseball, soccer, and softball are among the top choices.

  • Location: Springfield, Illinois
  • School type: public university
  • Enrollment: 5,428 (2,959 undergraduates)
  • Team: Prairie Stars
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the UI - Springfield profile
12
of 16

University of Indianapolis

University of Indianapolis
University of Indianapolis. Nyttend / Wikimedia Commons

The University of Indianapolis is a fairly selective school, only admitting about two-thirds of the students who apply. In athletics, popular sports include football, track and field, swimming/diving, and soccer.

  • Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
  • School type: private university
  • Enrollment: 5,711 (4,346 undergraduates)
  • Team: Greyhounds
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the University of Indianapolis profile
13
of 16

University of Missouri - St. Louis

UMSL - University of Missouri St. Louis
UMSL - University of Missouri St. Louis. Tvrtko4 / Wikimedia Commons

Students at UMSL can choose from over 50 majors--popular choices include nursing, business, accounting, criminology, and education. On the athletic front, the school fields six men's and seven women's teams, with baseball, soccer, and softball among the top choices.

  • Location: St. Louis, Missouri
  • School type: public university
  • Enrollment: 16,989 (13,898 undergraduates)
  • Team: Tritons
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the University of Missouri - St. Louis profile
14
of 16

University of Southern Indiana

University of Southern Indiana
University of Southern Indiana. JFeister / Flickr

Founded as a branch of the Indiana State University in 1965, USI is now its own university, composed of 5 different colleges. Popular majors include accounting, marketing/advertising, education, and nursing. The school fields seven men's and eight women's sports. 

  • Location: Evansville, Indiana
  • School type: public university
  • Enrollment: 10,668 (9,585 undergraduates)
  • Team: Screaming Eagles
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the University of Southern Indiana profile
15
of 16

University of Wisconsin - Parkside

Center for Arts and Humanities at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Center for Arts and Humanities at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Tallisguy00 / Wikimedia Commons

Made up of the College of Arts & Sciences and the School of Business, UW Parkside offers a range of programs and majors. Popular choices include business administration, sociology, psychology, criminal justice, and digital art/fine art.

  • Location: Kenosha, Wisconsin
  • School type: public university
  • Enrollment: 4,371 (4,248 undergraduates)
  • Team: Rangers
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the University of Wisconsin - Parkside profile
16
of 16

William Jewell College

William Jewell College Gano Chapel
William Jewell College Gano Chapel. Patrick Hoesley / Flickr

Academics at William Jewell are supported by an impressive 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio. Popular majors for undergraduates include nursing, business, psychology, and economics. The school fields nine men's and nine women's sports. 

  • Location: Liberty, Missouri
  • School type: private university
  • Enrollment: 997 (992 undergraduates)
  • Team: Cardinals
  • For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, see the William Jewell College profile
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Grove, Allen. "Great Lakes Valley Conference." ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, thoughtco.com/great-lakes-valley-conference-4053853. Grove, Allen. (2020, August 26). Great Lakes Valley Conference. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/great-lakes-valley-conference-4053853 Grove, Allen. "Great Lakes Valley Conference." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/great-lakes-valley-conference-4053853 (accessed January 28, 2023).