Racers picked 4th in MVC preseason poll
WBB: Katelyn Young earned Preseason 1st Team All-Valley honors
Missouri Valley Conference coaches, sports information directors and media members selected Drake to repeat as regular-season champions in the MVC preseason poll released on Tuesday. The Bulldogs received 39 of a possible 48 first-place votes. Northern Iowa and Belmont, picked second and third respectively, split the other nine first-place votes.
Murray State, coming off a 20-12 record last season, was picked fourth in the Valley preseason poll. This is the second time in three seasons the Racers have been picked fourth in this poll.
Fifth-year senior forward Katelyn Young was one of six players to earn a spot on the Preseason All-Conference First Team. The 6’1 forward from Oakwood, Illinois became Murray State’s all-time leading scorer last season, and will lead a potent Racer offense that finished last season fifth in the country in scoring with 84.5 points per game.
The Racers will open the regular season November 7th at home against SIUE.
2024-25 Missouri Valley Conference Preseason Poll
Team (First Place Votes) — Points
Drake (39) — 566
Northern Iowa (6) — 504
Belmont (3) — 475
Murray State — 391
Missouri State — 380
UIC — 347
Illinois State — 341
Valparaiso — 193
Indiana State — 189
Southern Illinois — 167
Bradley — 97
Evansville — 96
Preseason All-Conference First Team
Katie Dinnebier (Drake) — Preseason Player of the Year
Grace Bofelli (Northern Iowa)
Maya McDermott (Northern Iowa)
Anna Miller (Drake)
Lacy Stokes (Missouri State)
Katelyn Young (Murray State)
Preseason All-Conference Second Team
Jailyn Banks (Belmont)
Kendal Cheesman (Belmont)
Leah Earnest (Valparaiso)
Tuti Jones (Belmont)
Keimari Rimmer (UIC)
Maya Wong (Illinois State)