SPRINGFIELD -- A day after clinching the outright Missouri Valley Conference title with its 17th consecutive win, the Missouri State volleyball team entered the AVCA Coaches Poll Monday for the first time since 2003 in the No. 25 spot. Additionally, Lily Johnson and Emily Butters were selected by the MVC as the league's Player and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, helping the Bears (24-5, 16-0) to home sweeps of the second- and third-place teams in the standings.

The Bears have been ranked for three weeks previously in the history of the poll, all in 2003, with a high mark of 23rd on Nov. 24 and Dec. 1 of that season.

For Johnson, the award is her sixth of the season and 15th in her career. The senior outside hitter averaged 5.67 kills on .326 hitting, 3.67 digs and 6.33 points per set in a pair of Missouri State sweeps. She added three aces and two blocks in helping the Bears to their second consecutive MVC title. 

Saturday against UNI, the Wildwood, Mo., native posted a double-double with 14 kills and 13 digs, hitting .289 with two blocks and an ace. Sunday, she celebrated her final home match by hitting .360 with 20 kills, nine digs and a pair of aces against Drake.

Butters averaged 7.50 digs per set in two MSU wins for her third MVC Defensive Player of the Week citation this season, tallying 10 assists and three aces in the two matches while helping the Bears hold the opposition to .175 hitting. Saturday, Butters dug 24 balls in three sets, nearing a double-double with eight assists and adding two aces against UNI. Sunday, the junior libero from Richmond, Texas, had 21 more digs and another ace to help MSU sweep Drake to earn an outright MVC championship.

MSU closes the regular season on the road with matches at Valparaiso on Friday and Loyola on Saturday.