St. LOUIS -- After claiming the last two Missouri Valley Conference volleyball championships, Missouri State has been picked to finished second in the standings this season in the league's preseason poll released Wednesday (Aug. 15) after a vote of the league's coaches. Additionally, senior libero Emily Butters and junior outside hitter Aubrey Cheffey represent the Bears on the seven-player all-conference team.

The Bears received three of a possible 10 first-place votes and 89 points in the poll, trailing only UNI, which earned 95 points and the other seven No. 1 votes. Illinois State (84) checked in third, with Drake (69), Valparaiso (53) and Indiana State (50) expected to round out the six participants in the MVC Tournament held Nov. 22-24 in Springfield. Bradley (35), Loyola (33), Evansville (23) and Southern Illinois (19) round out the poll.

Butters posted one of the top defensive seasons in MSU history as a junior, earning MVC Libero of the Year and AVCA All-America honors after setting school single-season records with 5.80 digs per set and 737 total digs, third-most in league history. The Richmond, Texas, native had at least 10 digs in 33 of MSU's 34 matches with 23 outings of 20 of more. A four-time MVC Defensive Player of the Week in 2017, Butters had 44 digs on Oct. 13 at Drake, the second-highest total in Missouri State and fifth-best in Valley history. Her 1,883 career digs are 30 shy of Cara Hackmann's MSU record, and place her second among active players in NCAA Division I.

Cheffey ranked third on the Bears last season with 257 kills, averaging 2.36 kills on .235 hitting and 0.66 blocks per set. She improved her averages to 2.53 kills on .243 hitting in conference matches, and recorded 10 or more kills in 10 matches, with highs of 17 against No. 8 Kansas and Valparaiso. The Nixa, Mo., product also posted 31 kills without an error on 61 swings in consecutive late October outings, and hit .250 or higher in 16 matches with a high of .818 with nine kills against Tennessee State.

The Bears went 28-6 last season and completed an unbeaten run through the MVC regular season and tournament schedules, earning a No. 25 national ranking from the AVCA coaches poll for three weeks in November, and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in 15 seasons. Missouri State brings streaks of 34 consecutive regular-season MVC wins, 20 straight MVC road wins, and 22 consecutive overall road victories - the NCAA's longest active streak - into the 2018 season.

In addition to Butters and Cheffey, Missouri State also returns 2016 MVC Freshman of the Year Daniele Messa, the team's leading blocker from last season in senior MacKenzie Irwin, and senior outside hitters Ashley Ophoven and Cambree Villarreal, who have combined for nearly 800 kills in 158 career matches. Junior Gerri Idos brings 60 matches' worth of experience back for her third season, while sophomore Laynie Dake earned starts in the MVC and NCAA Tournaments last year, and classmate Emelie Orlando appeared in 32 matches in MSU's setting rotation as a rookie. Missouri State head coach Melissa Stokes enters her 23rd season with a 492-228 career record.

Missouri State also has nine freshmen on the roster, including Alyssa Doucette, who redshirted in 2017, and newcomers Kendahl Davenport, Amelia Flynn, Izzy Gibbany, Sofia Orlando, Natali Petrova, Chloe Rear, Leah Vokolek and Makina Wratten.

The Bears make their 2018 debut this afternoon at 3:30 p.m. with an exhibition match against Omaha at Hammons Student Center, and play the annual Maroon and White Scrimmage at 7 p.m. Friday before taking on a team of former Bears in the Alumni Match at 7 p.m. Saturday. The regular season begins Aug. 24 at College of Charleston, and the home opener is Aug. 31 against Oral Roberts.

Fans interested in purchasing or inquiring about season tickets to see the Bears at Hammons Student Center this fall should call Duane Miller at (417) 836-8899 or visit the ticket page at MissouriStateBears.com/tickets.

2018 MVC Volleyball Preseason Poll      
1.    UNI – 95 (7)
2.    Missouri State – 89 (3) 
3.    Illinois State – 84
4.    Drake – 69
5.    Valparaiso – 53
6.    Indiana State – 50
7.    Bradley – 35
8.    Loyola – 33
9.    Evansville – 23
10.    Southern Illinois – 19

2018 MVC Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team
Emily Butters (Missouri State)
Cathryn Cheek (Drake)
Aubrey Cheffey (Missouri State)
Erica Haslag (Bradley)
Courtney Pence (Illinois State)
Karlie Taylor (UNI)
Piper Thomas (UNI)