The Midwestern Collegiate Conference Conference enters into its 20th campaign poised to build upon a strong foundation of institutions with a tradition of board-based programs, led by administrators and coaches who place a constant emphasis on academic integrity. The MCC continues to strive to maintain the goals and objectives necessary to achieve national prominence as a top 10 Division I athletics conference.

The MCC has established specific goals for upgrading the league's market and competitive positions, with an eye toward continually enhancing the student-athlete experience.

The MCC is an affiliation of eight institutions with similar athletics goals that provides stability and major-market exposure.

MCC markets, including five of the country's top 30 television areas, cover nearly nine million television households and roughly nine percent of the nation's television audience. The member institutions are generally located in major metropolitan areas and benefit from the business, cultural, educational and entertainment resources available to the university community.

The MCC is anchored in a solid tradition that began in 1979. Originally formed as a men's sports league, the conference added women's athletics in 1986-87. League members continue to advocate competitive athletics as a valuable experience and an integral part of the educational process, which is the mission of higher education.

The MCC features both public and private institutions committed to fielding broad-based NCAA Division I athletic programs that develops physical fitness, academic development and moral character in its student-athletes. Among the MCC's established operating principles are efforts to maintain integrity, gender equity, academic excellence and fiscal responsibility in the athletics enterprise.

Best known for its basketball success, the MCC offers a total of 18 different championship sports (nine men's and nine women's). These numbers include the most recent addition of outdoor track and field, which celebrated its inaugural season in 1998. The league enjoys NCAA automatic qualification or play-in access in baseball, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's soccer, womens soccer, softball and women's volleyball.

The conference and its members have established ambitious goals for these "target priority" programs and continue to pursue national prominence in each.

The MCC has been headquartered in Indianapolis since 1985, contributing to the city's image as the "Amateur Sports Capital of the World." In addition to many conference championships held in the city, the MCC and Butler University have co-hosted a number of high-profile NCAA events.

Among the most prominent is the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. The MCC, Butler and the city of Indianapolis hosted the Final Four in 1980, 1991 and 1997, and first- and second-round action in 1987, 1989, 1990, 1993 and1996 . Final Four will return to the RCA Dome in 2000, and the city will host first- and second-round games in 1999.