Valley Release
 
ST. LOUIS – Missouri State's softball team was picked to finish fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason coach's poll, announced by the league office Wednesday (Jan. 29).
 
Defending champion Drake received four first-place votes and 89 total points to take the honor of preseason league favorites. Northern Iowa also received four first-place votes and 87 points, followed by Southern Illinois (82), Missouri State (69) and Illinois State (60) to round out the top five. SIU and Illinois State each received one first-place vote.
 
"The Valley is a very competitive league, and we accept the challenges ahead of us this season," said Bears head coach Holly Hesse. "I am confident in our team's ability to compete at a high level and can't wait to get started."
 
Rounding out the poll were Bradley (55) in the No. 6 position, with Indiana State (31), Evansville (27), Loyola (26) and Valparaiso (24) rounding out the league voting.
 
The MVC also announced its Preseason All-Valley squad that featured 12 of the conference's top returners, including Missouri State's standout hurler Steffany Dickerson.
 
Dickerson, a NFCA All-Region second-team selection as a sophomore, was also named to the All-MVC first team in 2019. She was the first Missouri State pitcher since 2011 to win 20 games and first sophomore to do so since 1978. She compiled a 20-11 ledger in the circle with a 2.37 ERA, four saves, 12 complete games, and 144 strikeouts in 183.1 innings of work.
 
The right-hander led the MSU staff in nearly every statistical category and ranked near the top of the league rankings in several more. She ranked 40th nationally in victories, 27th in saves and 95th in strikeouts among all Division I players. She also ranked second in the MVC in innings pitched, second in saves, third in wins, fourth in strikeouts, and fifth in ERA.
 
The Bears, who are coming off their second straight 30-win season, return eight position starters and all their pitching from last season. Missouri State also welcomes seven freshmen and the return of all-conference catcher Darian Frost who missed all of the 2019 season with an injury.
 
Missouri State begins the 2020 campaign at the prestigious NFCA Lead-Off Classic in Clearwater, Fla., Feb. 7-9, with Mississippi State, Minnesota, North Carolina State, Notre Dame and Baylor on the opening weekend slate.