ST. LOUIS – Missouri State's women's basketball team has been selected as the preseason favorite in the Missouri Valley Conference for the second consecutive year, the league announced Tuesday.
The Lady Bears received 35 of 40 (362 points) first-place votes, while Drake (316 points) received two first-place votes and UNI (298 points) received the final three votes for the top spot in the MVC.
Missouri State is coming off back-to-back 16-win conference seasons, including the program's first undefeated conference season in 2020-21, in which the Lady Bears finished 16-0 en route to their second consecutive regular season title. MSU will look to become the first team since Drake (2017-19) to win three-straight MVC crowns.
Individually, sixth-year senior Brice Calip was tabbed by the coaches and media as the MVC Preseason Player of the Year. Calip is the reigning Jackie Stiles Trophy winner after averaging 13.3 points/game, 4.9 rebounds/game and 4.1 assists/game last season for the Lady Bears.
Joining Calip on the 2021-22 MVC Preseason All-Conference team is reigning MVC Defensive Player of the Year, Jasmine Franklin. Franklin paced the Lady Bears last season in Missouri Valley Conference play, averaging 13.6 points/game, 9.9 rebounds/game and corralling 159 total rebounds against league foes.
Coming off back-to-back NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 appearances, the Lady Bears tip off the 2021-22 regular season at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at Little Rock. Missouri State's first game at JQH Arena is slated for 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 14 against North Texas.
Season tickets and single-game tickets for the 16-game home schedule are available now. Questions may be directed to the MoState ticket office at (417) 836-8899 or via email to DuaneMiller@missouristate.edu (season tickets), or (417) 836-7678 (single-game tickets).
2021-22 MVC Preseason Poll
1. Missouri State (35) - 362 points
2. Drake (2) – 316 points
3. UNI (3) – 298 points
4. Illinois State – 268 points
5. Bradley – 209 points
6. Valparaiso – 208 points
7. Loyola – 193 points
8. Southern Illinois – 161 points
9. Indiana State – 102 points
10. Evansville – 83 points
2021-22 MVC Preseason All-Conference Team
Grace Berg, Drake
Brice Calip, Missouri State*
Jasmine Franklin, Missouri State
Gabi Haack, Bradley
Karli Rucker, UNI
*Preseason Player of the Year
