2009 Ohio Valley Conference Football Media Guide

FORMER COMMISSIONERS OF THE OVC
Art Guepe
(1963-75)
Paul Dietzel
(1975-76)
Bob Vanatta
(1976-79)
Jim Delany
(1979-89)
Dr. Jon Steinbrecher
(2003-09)
Dan Beebe
(1989-2003)
I coaches with 315 victories, earning him a spot in the College Football Hall
of Fame. EKU’s 19 FCS playoff appearances are tied for the most all-time.
In addition to Kidd, other coaching legends in the OVC include Charles
(Bubber) Murphy, who coached at Middle Tennessee from 1947-1968,
Western Kentucky’s Jimmy Feix (1968-83), Wilburn Tucker (1954-67) and
Don Wade (1968-82) of Tennessee Tech, Bill Ferguson (1967-77) of
Murray State, Guy Penny (1959-67) of Morehead State and Boots Donnelly
(1977-78 at Austin Peay; 1979-1998 at Middle Tennessee). Current
Eastern Illinois head coach Bob Spoo has compiled 78 wins while his
program has been a member of the OVC; that currently ranks sixth all-time
in league history.
A sampling of former OVC football stars, some of whom were All-
Americans during their collegiate careers before achieving stardom at the
professional ranks, include Jim Youngblood and Larry Schreiber (Tennes-
see Tech), Phil Simms (Morehead State), Virgil Livers and Dale Lindsey
(Western Kentucky), Myron Guyton and Chad Bratzke (Eastern Kentucky),
Cortland Finnegan (Samford) and Tony Romo (Eastern Illinois). In 2008,
former Tennessee State standout Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie became
just the fourth NFL First Round draft pick in OVC history when he was
selected 16th overall by the Arizona Cardinals. He would break into the
starting lineup halfway through his rookie season and started at cornerback
for the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.
The 2007 season marked a return to scholarship football and the Ohio
Valley Conference for the Austin Peay State Governors. Following the
1996 season, the Governors dropped scholarship football and competed
as both an independent (1997-00, 2006) and as a member of the Pioneer
Football League (2001-05). Austin Peay returned to full OVC status in 2007
under the watch of first-year head coach Rick Christophel, who
quarterbacked the Govs from 1971-75.
The 2007 season also brought new vernacular to the Ohio Valley
Conference and the division of football formerly known as I-AA. Beginning
with the 2006 National Championship game the term I-AA was changed to
NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in a decision by the
Division I Board of Directors. The new label was chosen to communicate
in a positive and clear manner the unique differences between the Division
I football categories (chiefly, the post-season opportunity) while still
defining them within the Division I experience. The FCS includes programs
that compete in an effort to participate in the NCAA championship
postseason structure (one of 88 NCAA national championships) as
opposed to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) which competes in an
effort to participate in the postseason bowl system (the 32 NCAA-licensed
events which includes the Bowl Championship Series).
Football wasn’t the only sport in which the OVC was quickly gaining
respect. In 1955, the OVC became only the second six-member league
nationally to earn an automatic bid to the prestigious NCAA Men’s Basket-
ball Tournament, which, at that time, was limited to only 24 participants.  The
Conference quickly proved worthy of that bid, as Morehead State defeated
Marshall (107-92) and Wayne State (95-84) in the 1956 tournament. Fifteen
years later, former OVC member Western Kentucky became the first and
only Conference team to reach the Final Four. The Hilltoppers defeated
Jacksonville, Kentucky and Ohio State before losing to Villanova in double
overtime. WKU went on to finish in third place after beating Kansas 77-75
in the consolation game.
In the late 1970s, women’s athletics began somewhat of a rebirth on
the national scene as the NCAA began sponsoring and marketing women’s
sports. Recognizing the need to provide increased opportunities for female
athletes, the OVC established women’s championships in the sports of
basketball, tennis and track in 1977, with cross country and volleyball
added over the next four years.  Those sports were initially governed by
the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW), but the
overall strength of women’s programs in the league was demonstrated by
the automatic bids the OVC instantly received when the NCAA became the
governing body in 1982.
Over its 61 years, OVC teams have garnered national championships
and bowl games in football, along with national team or individual titles in
the sports of rifle, cross country, track and golf.
The OVC has also produced several Olympic athletes, including
Murray State’s Morgan Hicks, who was a member of the 2004 United States

2009 Ohio Valley Conference Football Media Guide
5
SIU Edwardsville
(Edwardsville, IL)
UT Martin
(Martin, TN)
A LOOK AT THE OVC
Olympic Rifle Team. In addition, some of the greatest players in professional
sports were educated at OVC institutions. The list includes former greats
such as football’s Phil Simms (Morehead State), basketball’s Clem Haskins
(Western Kentucky) and Bubba Wells (Austin Peay) and two-sport star
Steve Hamilton (Morehead State) to present-day standouts like basketball
player Trenton Hassell (Austin Peay), football player Tony Romo (Eastern
Illinois), baseball players Jamie Walker (Austin Peay) and George Sherrill
(Austin Peay) and professional golfer Jeff Sluman (Tennessee Tech).
Hamilton is the only athlete to ever play in the NCAA Basketball Champi-
onship, a Major League Baseball World Series (New York Yankees) and
a NBA Championship Series (Los Angeles Lakers).
A first in the OVC also occurred in 2008, when the league had a first
round draft pick in both the NFL (Tennessee State’s Dominique Rodgers-
Cromartie) and Major League Baseball (Eastern Kentucky’s Christian
Friedrich) Drafts in the same school year. A year later (2009) the league
had a Major League Baseball First Round Compensation Round pick
(Eastern Illinois’ Tyler Kehrer who was No. 48 overall) and NBA Second
Round pick (UT Martin’s Lester Hudson) in the same season. In 2009 OVC
softball that accomplished several firsts as UT Martin (tournament cham-
pion) and Jacksonville State (at-large) were each selected for the NCAA
Championship. Jacksonville State would take it a step farther by winning
the Knoxville Regional to become the first OVC softball program to advance
to a Super Regional.
The playing field is not the only place where OVC athletes are working
hard. The league also recognizes excellence in the classroom. Six
Scholar-Athlete Awards are presented yearly to male and female athletes,
while others are commended for their academic success by being Medal
of Honor recipients or earning a spot on the Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
Additionally, the league annually presents one institutional Academic
Achievement Award, as well as separate team awards in each Confer-
ence-sponsored sport. Since the College Sports Information Directors of
American (CoSIDA) Academic All-America program began, the Ohio Valley
Conference has had 179 student-athletes honored with the award,
including 25 over the last three years (2006-07 to the present).
Through the early years of the league, administrators wrestled with
fan behavior due to the close proximity of the Conference members and
the intense rivalries which developed. Just as it did decades ago, the OVC
took the leadership role on what has become a national issue. In 1995, the
OVC implemented a first-of-its-kind “Sportsmanship Statement,” a policy
which promotes principles of fair play, ethical conduct and respect for
one’s opponent. The statement has become a model for others to follow
across the nation, and has answered the challenge of the NCAA Presi-
dents Commission to improve sportsmanship in collegiate athletics.
Additionally, the OVC annually presents the Steve Hamilton Sports-
manship Award, in honor of the former Morehead State student-athlete,
coach and athletics director, to a junior or senior student-athlete with
significant athletic contributions who best exemplifies the characteristics
of sportsmanship and citizenship. Most recently, the Conference has also
implemented the OVC Institutional and Team Sportsmanship Awards,
which are presented to one institution and 18 sport-specific teams voted
by their peers to have best exhibited the standards of sportsmanship and
ethical conduct as outlined by the OVC and NCAA.
The vision of leadership demonstrated by the Founding Fathers in
1948 remains alive today as the Ohio Valley Conference prepares for the
future. One example is in regard to the current trend in collegiate athletics
administration for increased involvement of university presidents in setting
policies and making rules. The presidents of OVC institutions, however,
have always governed the Conference, long before presidential gover-
nance became a national theme.
The Ohio Valley Conference sponsors the following sports: baseball,
basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis and track for men, and
basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track and volleyball
for women. In addition, the OVC also sponsors the combined men’s and
women’s sport of rifle.
Now in its seventh decade of competition, the Ohio Valley Conference
has grown significantly from its humble beginnings while increasing the
number of athletics opportunities it provides for students. Current league
representatives include charter members Eastern Kentucky University,
Morehead State University and Murray State University, along with Austin
Peay State University, Eastern Illinois University, Jacksonville State Univer-
sity, Southeast Missouri State University, Southern Illinois University
Edwardsville, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological
University and the University of Tennessee at Martin.

2009 Ohio Valley Conference Football Media Guide
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The Ohio Valley Conference implemented a first-of-its-kind “Sportsman-
ship Statement,” a policy promoting fair play, ethical conduct and respect
for one’s opponent in 1995. The statement answered a challenge of the
NCAA Presidents Commission to improve sportsmanship in college athlet-
ics, and has become a model for others to follow across the nation.
The development of the OVC sportsmanship statement began in June
1993 at the direction of the league's presidents. A committee made up of
athletics directors and faculty representatives drafted the initial statement,
and all coaches and other administrators had the opportunity for input. The
statement sets forth expectations for spirit groups, officials and fans, as
well as the student-athletes and coaches. Here is a brief synopsis of each
group's expectations within the sportsmanship statement.
Administrators: Institutional administrators will create an environment
of hospitality for visiting teams, particularly for those individuals at
Conference institutions. Administrators will treat the visiting teams and its
fans in the same manner that they would want their teams to be treated.
Coaches:  Coaches have the greatest amount of influence over
whether young people in their programs are taught and follow the high
principles of sportsmanship. The OVC has been benefited by coaches who
have risked losing a contest by removing student-athletes who have
demonstrated disrespect for their opponents. This discipline measure
educates that individual about the importance of sportsmanship over
participation and winning, and helps counteract the constant messages
received from many professional athletes who demonstrate a lack of
respect for opponents.
Student-Athletes:  Student-athletes at OVC institutions will be ex-
pected to treat opponents with sportsmanship, and there will be no
tolerance for taunting and baiting of opponents. OVC student-athletes must
understand that they are perhaps the most visible representatives of their
institutions and their behavior is observed and emulated by many who are
younger. OVC student-athletes must honor the responsibilities that accom-
pany the privilege of representing our schools by behaving with dignity and
class on and off the field.
Spirit Groups: Like our student-athletes, spirit groups are visible
representatives of our universities, and they are expected to show decent
behavior. Cheerleaders, bands and other spirit groups are admitted to
contests to support their teams and assist in creating a fun atmosphere,
but they will not be allowed to disrupt or confront opposing teams.
Officials:  Officials will enforce the rules regarding sportsmanship
without tolerance for abuse. Players and coaches will receive their only
warning prior to the contest, and once the contest begins, penalties will
be assessed for violations of unsportsmanlike conduct.
Fans:  We know all fans are embarrassed by the inappropriate behavior
of a few who may engage in confrontational and threatening actions
towards officials, visiting fans, players or coaches. Those individuals may
be dismissed to provide a better environment for others.
The Conference believes that the effort to meet the expectations outlined
in the sportsmanship statement will increase the attractiveness at our
athletics events by creating a healthy environment for competition. A
complete copy of the sportsmanship statement can be obtained by calling
the OVC office at [phone].
Steve Hamilton Sportsmanship Award Winners
1998-99
Julie Virta (women's basketball), Austin Peay
1999-00
Michael Turner (men's basketball), Murray State
2000-01
Kelly Pendleton (women's basketball), Tennessee-Martin
2001-02
Grant Swallows (football), Tennessee Tech
2002-03
Brooke Armistead (women’s basketball), Austin Peay
2003-04
Kandi Brown (women's basketball), Morehead State
2004-05
Cassandra Peek (women's basketball), Austin Peay
2005-06
Zac Schlader (men's basketball), Austin Peay
2006-07
Adonia Bivins (women’s soccer), Austin Peay
2007-08
Beth Boden (softball), Tennessee Tech
2008-09
Carrie Burggraf (track & field), Austin Peay
Institutional Sportsmanship Award Winners
2003-04
Southeast Missouri State University
2004-05
Samford University
2005-06
Samford University
2006-07
Morehead State University
2007-08
Austin Peay State University
2008-09
Eastern Kentucky University
Football Team Sportsmanship Award Winners
2005-06
Samford University
2006-07
Eastern Illinois University
2007-08
Austin Peay State University
2008-09
Austin Peay State University
OVC SPORTSMANSHIP HONOREES
OVC HONORS AND AWARDS
The OVC has a variety of awards to recognize sportsmanship by its
student-athletes, coaches, administrators and teams. In 1998, the OVC
established the Steve Hamilton Sportsmanship Award, presented annually
to a male or female junior or senior student-athlete who best exemplifies
the characteristics of the former Morehead State student-athlete, coach
and administrator.  Hamilton is the only individual to have ever played in a
NCAA Basketball Championship, a Major League Baseball World Series
(New York Yankees) and a National Basketball Association Championship
Series (Minnesota Lakers).
In 2003-04 the League began awarding the Institutional Sportsmanship
Award, given to the OVC member institution selected by its peers to have
best exhibited the standards of sportsmanship and ethical conduct as
outlined by the OVC and NCAA. In 2005-06 the League expanded the
sportsmanship award program by adding the Team Sportsmanship Award.
An award is given to each sport sponsored by the OVC and is voted on
by the student-athletes and coaches of the respective sports.
OVC HALL OF FAME
The Ohio Valley Conference organized a Hall of Fame in 1977. Membership is limited to coaches, administrators, faculty and staff members who have
been associated with the OVC for at least five (5) years and have had extensive outstanding service to the Conference. Unless a tie in the selection
procedure occurs, there shall be no more than three (3) inductees annually. Voting for the award is done in the spring and the induction takes place
at the OVC Honors Luncheon, which is held annually at the end of May. Following the 2009 ceremony, the Hall of Fame now has 65 members.
Dr. Joe Morgan, APSU (1977)
Mr. Charles Hughes, EKU (1977)
Dr. Robert Martin, EKU (1977)
Dr. Adron Doran, MOR (1977)
Mr. Roy Stewart, MUR (1977)
Dr. W.E. Derryberry, TTU (1977)
Mr. Hooper Eblen, TTU (1997)
Dr. Kelly Thompson, WKU (1977)
Mr. Ed Diddle, Sr., WKU (1977)
Mr. L.T. Smith, WKU (1977)
Dr. Dave Aaron, APSU (1978)
Mr. Bob Laughlin, MOR (1978)
Mr. Ted Hornback, WKU (1978)
Dr. Quill E. Cope, MTSU (1978)
Mr. J.D. Rayburn, MUR (1979)
Mr. Nick Denes, WKU (1979)
Mr. Raymond H. Brown, TTU (1980)
Dr. Dero G. Downing, WKU (1980)
Mr. P.V. Overall, TTU (1981)
Mr. Arthur L. Guepe, OVC (1982)
Mr. Charles M. Murphy, MTSU (1982)
Mr. Malcolm P. Quillen, TTU (1984)
Mr. Ellis T. Johnson, MOR (1985)
Mr. John “Sonny” Allen, MOR (1987)
Mr. Wilburn Tucker, TTU (1987)
Mr. Johnny Reagan, MUR (1988)
Dr. George Fisher, APSU (1988)
Mr. John Oldham, WKU / TTU (1989)
Mr. Jimmy Earle, MTSU (1989)
Dr. Sam Ingram, MTSU (1990)
Mr. Bennie Purcell, MUR (1990)
Mr. Donald G. Combs, EKU (1991)
Mr. Steve Hamilton, MOR (1991)
Mr. James E. Delany, OVC (1992)
Mr. E.K. Patty, MTSU (1993)
Ms. Marynell Meadors, TTU (1993)
Mr. Edward S. Temple, TSU (1995)
Mr. John Ogles, APSU (1996)
Dr. Guy Penny, MOR (1996)
Dr. Arliss Roaden, TTU (1996)
Mr. John Stanford, MTSU (1997)
Dr. Kala Stroup, MUR / SEMO (1997)
Dr. Margaret N. Perry, UTM (1998)
Dr. Leon Bibb, APSU (1999)
Mr. Cal Luther, MUR / UTM (2000)
Mr. R.L. "Buddy" Patey, OVC (2000)
Dr. Nolan Fowler, MOR / TTU (2001)
Dr. Angelo Volpe, TTU (2001)
Mr. Jim Ward, EKU (2002)
Mr. Roy Kidd, EKU (2003)
Dr. Bobby Barton, EKU (2004)
Mr. Wayne Martin, MOR (2004)
Mr. Bill Cornell, MUR (2005)
Dr. David Larimore, TTU (2005)
Mr. Karl Park, EKU (2005)
Dr. Geri Polvino, EKU (2005)
Mr. Dan Beebe, OVC (2006)
Mr. Paul McBrayer, EKU (2006)
Mr. Don Wade, TTU (2006)
Dr. Thurston Banks, TTU (2007)
Mr. Steve Newton, MUR (2007)
Mr. Bill Worrell, TTU (2007)
Mr. Elvis Green, MUR (2008)
Mr. Joey Haines, SEMO/AP (2009)
Mr. Larry Inman, EKU/MTSU (2009)

2009 Ohio Valley Conference Football Media Guide
7
Beth DeBauche - Commissioner
      Elizabeth (Beth) DeBauche was named Commissioner of the Ohio Valley Conference on July
29, 2009. She had previously served as the Director of Division I at the National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA) since 2002. She will begin her duties at the OVC in mid-September.
      DeBauche (pronounced De-BUSH) becomes the seventh full-time Commissioner in the 61-
year history of the OVC. She follows Art Guepe (1963-75), Paul Dietzel (1975-76), Bob Vanatta
(1976-79), Jim Delany (1979-89), Dan Beebe (1989-2003) and Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher (2003-09),
who left to become Commissioner of the Mid-American Conference in May.
      DeBauche will be one of just five females to be the head of a Division I Conference in 2009-
10, and one of just eight to lead a Division I Conference all-time.
   “I am both humbled and delighted to have been selected by the presidents as the commissioner
of the Ohio Valley Conference, given its history of academic and athletic excellence,” said
DeBauche. “I am excited to have the opportunity to serve the presidents, administrators, faculty
and student-athletes of the OVC and I am looking forward to a bright future for the conference.”
    Since August 2002 DeBauche, along with the vice-president of Division I, has been responsible
for coordinating Division I initiatives through the NCAA governance structure, as well as helping
to manage the Division I agenda. Her duties included developing agendas and providing
leadership for the Division I Board of Directors, Presidential Advisory Group and the Leadership
Council. DeBauche has overseen the entire Division I governance structure and worked directly
with the Legislative Council, the six cabinets and the supporting communications and coordina-
tion committee.
She has also been a liaison
to governance representatives, ex-
ternal constituent groups and NCAA staff regarding legislative and gover-
nance activities. That role required DeBauche to have regular interaction
with the Collegiate Commissioner’s Association (CCA), the CCA Compli-
ance Coordinators, the Division I-A Athletics Directors Association, the
National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators
(NACWAA) and the Faculty Athletics Representatives Association (FARA).
DeBauche has also served as a liaison to the Women’s Basketball Issues
Committee, the Presidential Oversight and Monitoring Group, the Men’s
Basketball Academic Enhancement Group, the Presidential Task Force
on Commercial Activity in Intercollegiate Athletics and the Two-Year Col-
lege Relations Panel.
In 2008, DeBauche was named the NACWAA Conference/Organiza-
tion Administrator of the Year.
Prior to her work at the NCAA, DeBauche worked at the Southeastern Conference (SEC) from November 1996 through August 2002.
As an assistant and later associate commissioner, she managed all aspects of the SEC’s rules compliance program. DeBauche
provided NCAA and SEC rules interpretations, developing rules education materials and programming, conducting compliance
reviews and assisting member institutions with the NCAA certification program. At times during her tenure, she also served as the
league’s liaison to the faculty athletics representatives, the compliance coordinators, directors of academic support and Student-
Athletes Advisory Committee (SAAC) as well as the sports liaison to the leagues women’s golf, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball
coaches.
From 1996 to 1998 DeBauche was the Director of the National Letter of Intent (NLI) Program for the Collegiate Commissioners
Association (CCA). In that role she was the administrator in charge of issuing all NLI rules interpretations, creating rules education
materials and providing NLI rules education presenta-
tions as well as being the primary information resource for
parents, student-athletes and the media.
DeBauche got her start in collegiate athletics at
Vanderbilt University where she was the Assistant Athletic
Director for Compliance from August 1994 to November
1996.
DeBauche received her Bachelor of Arts degree in
history and government from Saint Mary’s College (Ind.) in
May 1983 and earned her Master’s Degree in communica-
tions from Notre Dame in 1985. After completing the
Concannon Program of International Law in London, En-
gland, DeBauche received her Juris Doctorate from the
Notre Dame School of Law in 1988.
A member of the Illinois, Wisconsin and Georgia Bar,
following law school graduation, DeBauche worked as an
attorney in each Green Bay, Atlanta and Marietta, as well as
serving as a Judicial Clerk to P. Harris Hines, who is
currently serving on the Georgia Superior Court.
DeBauche has been a member of the Notre Dame
Club of Indianapolis Board of Directors, as well as a
graduate of the Sports Management Institute and a partici-
pant in the Division I-A Athletic Directors Institute.