Missouri State has been picked to finish second at the 2008 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Women's Golf Championship in a poll of the league's coaches. The 54-hole tournament, hosted by Creighton, will be held Sunday through Tuesday (Apr. 13-15) at Oak Hills Country Club in Omaha, Neb., with 18 holes contested each day.

Illinois State is the favorite with 94 total points and six first-place votes while the Bears garnered 86 points and two first-place tallies. Defending champion Southern Illinois is the third-place pick in the close voting with a pair of first-place votes and 84 points, followed by Bradley in fourth with 73 points. The rest of the voting placed UNI fifth (52); Evansville, sixth (50); Indiana State, seventh (42); Drake, eighth (35); Wichita State, ninth (21); and Creighton, tenth (13).

The Bears finished third at last year's championship behind winner Southern Illinois and Bradley. They return a pair of all-conference performers from a year ago in senior Missy Linnens and junior Amy Phalajivin. Linnens was the tri-medalist at the meet in 2006 and ranks second in the MVC in scoring average this season (75.54), while Phalajivin placed sixth a year ago. Senior Lyndsey Adams enters the tournament ranked ninth in scoring average (77.48) with sophomore Stacey Rodger ranking 12th (78.35). As a team, the Bears have the lowest 18-hole scoring average in the league at 309.12.

MSU is looking for its second MVC title, having won its only previous championship in 2001, the last time Creighton hosted the meet. Ironically, the Bears came from behind on the final day to win that year, overtaking second-round leader UNI, which was coached at the time by current Bears' coach Kevin Kane.

Competition is slated to begin with tee times off both nines at 10 a.m. each day.