The Missouri State Bears and Lady Bears are the athletic teams representing Missouri State University (formerly Southwest Missouri State University). Missouri State's athletics programs date back to 1908. Missouri State competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. The majority of sports play in the Division I Missouri Valley Conference. Missouri State football competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, while Men's Swimming and Diving competes in the Mid-American Conference, and the beach volleyball team is a member of the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association. Missouri State athletics are frequently abbreviated as "MOST" when televised. Sports sponsored A member of the Missouri Valley Conference, Missouri State University sponsors six men's and 11 women's teams in NCAA sanctioned sports. National championships Team Women's basketball NCAA tournament results NCAA Tournament appearances WNIT appearances 2002, 2005 (Champions), 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018 AIAW tournament appearances Missouri AIAW state tournament: 1970–1982 (won 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1981 tournaments) AIAW Region VI tournament: 1974, 1975, 1981 AIAW Division II national tournament: 1981 Conference championships Gateway Conference (1983–1992) 2 1991, 1992 Missouri Valley Conference (1992–present) 12 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2020, 2021 Head coaches Reba Sims (10 seasons, 129–116), 1969–1979 Marti Gasser (4 seasons, 62–60), 1979–1983 Valerie Goodwin-Colbert (4 seasons, 48–63), 1983–1987 Cheryl Burnett (15 seasons, 319–136), 1987–2002 10 NCAA Tournament Appearances 2 Final Four Appearances 3 Sweet 16 Appearances 1 WNIT Appearance Katie Abrahamson-Henderson (5 seasons, 95–61), 2002–2007 3 NCAA Tournament Appearances WNIT Championship Nyla Milleson (5 seasons, 105–87), 2007–2013 3 WNIT Appearances Kellie Harper (6 seasons, 118–79), 2013–2019 2 NCAA Appearances 3 WNIT Appearances Amaka Agugua-Hamilton (2 season, 49-7), 2019–present 1 NCAA Appearance 1 Sweet Sixteen Appearance Retired numbers 10 Jackie Stiles, 1997–2001 (NCAA Division I Women's Basketball's all-time #2 leading scorer with 3,393 points) 35 Melody Howard, 1990–1994 42 Jeanette Tendai, 1982–1986 Facilities Club sports The university also sponsors several club sports teams, including ice hockey (ACHA), lacrosse (MCLA), and roller hockey (NCRHA). Men's ice hockey Missouri State men's ice hockey, known as the Ice Bears, began in 2001 and despite not being a varsity NCAA sport receives much attention on and off-campus. The Ice Bears currently compete at the Division I level of the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) in the Western Collegiate Hockey League (WCHL). The teams play off-campus at the 2,000-seat Mediacom Ice Park. Men's varsity ice hockey finished the 2009–2010 season