ST. LOUIS – Garnering the third preseason honor of her career, senior Mary Disidore was named to the Missouri Valley Conference women's soccer preseason all-conference team while the Bears were selected to finish seventh in MVC play, announced by the league Monday.
 
Illinois State was dubbed the preseason favorite with 63 points and seven first-place votes from head coaches around the league. Drake followed the Redbirds, ranking second with one first-place vote and 51 points. Loyola earned a third-place ranking (43), followed by Evansville (40), UNI (29), Valparaiso (29), MSU (17) and Indiana State (16).
 
A two-time MVC first-teamer, Disidore is the lone Bear to represent Missouri State on the 2017 preseason all-conference team. The Lenexa, Kan., native started every match for the Bears during the 2016 season, totaling an impressive 1,508 minutes on the pitch.
 
The midfielder led the squad with 27 shots and netted her first collegiate goal in the Bears' 1-1 draw against league-champion Illinois State on Oct 9. Disidore has started all but two matches for the Bears heading into her senior season.
 
Aided by a strong returning class and a talented group of incoming freshmen, the Bears look to improve this season after finishing 5-8-4 overall in 2016.
 
Following its final exhibition match at Drury on Wednesday, the squad kicks off the 2017 season on Friday, Aug. 18 with a 7 p.m. matchup against Arkansas State at Betty & Bobby Allison South Stadium. For all the latest information on the Missouri State women's soccer team, visit missouristatebears.com or follow @MSUBearsWSoccer on Twitter.