ST. LOUIS – Missouri State, which returns its top seven scorers from last year's second-place squad, has been tabbed as the preseason favorite in the MVC's women’s basketball race in the annual survey of the league’s coaches, sports information directors and media members.

The Lady Bears are coming off a 24-11 season, which ties the ninth-highest win total in school history, received 36 of 40 first-place votes and 396 total points, out-distancing UNI (322).  Wichita State (315), Creighton (246), Indiana State (234) and Illinois State (224) follow the Lady Bears and Panthers in a tightly-packed group behind the preseason favorites. 

Missouri State is led by senior guard Casey Garrison, one of four returning starters for the Lady Bears.  Garrison is the league's active leader in points (1,770), assists (391) and steals (212), and also ranks in Missouri State's top-10 all-time in the respective categories.  Last year, she led the Valley in scoring (19.9) and steals (2.7) per game, while her all-around game also led the Lady Bears in rebounds, assists and free-throws.  Garrison will be joined by returning second-team all-Valley selection Christiana Shorter (12.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg) and seniors Jasmine Malone (9.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and Jaleshia Roberson (7.6 ppg, 57 three-pointers).  Sophomore Karly Buer, a member of the 2010-11 all-freshman team, also returns to arguably the league’s best backcourt.  Missouri State’s balance and experience should once again lead to a promising season for the Lady Bears.

Garrison was also tabbed the Preseason Player of the Year, headlining the Valley's preseason all-conference team, which includes Lady Bear teammate Christiana Shorter, Shannon Thomas of Indiana State, Haleigh Lankster of Wichita State and Carli Tritz of Creighton.

                                          
UNI (2nd, 322 points) is coming off back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history, securing the Panthers first-ever regular season MVC title and stringing together a school record 19-game winning streak.  The Panthers will be without 2011 MVC Player of the Year, Jacqui Kalin (15.3 ppg, 3.1 apg, 65 three-pointers), who tore her ACL in the offseason, but return seniors Katelin Oney (9.7 ppg, 61 three-pointers), K.K. Armstrong (8.8 ppg, 2.4 apg) and Rachel Madrigal (7.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg) to the UNI backcourt.  Junior Amber Kirschbaum (5.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and sophomore Jess McDowell will step in as the new post players after the departure of both Lizzie Boeck and Erin Brocka.   The Panthers’ balance and experience should make them a team to look out for in 2010-11.

Wichita State (3rd, 315 points) brings back four starters from a 2010-11 team that tallied 17 victories, advancing to the WNIT for the first time since the 1999-2000 season.  The Shockers offense will be fueled by senior guard Haleigh Lankster, who earned second team all-MVC honors after averaging 13.3 points and 4.5 rebounds last season.  Junior Jessica Diamond (9.6 ppg, 3.1 apg) brings intensity to the Shockers backcourt, and will be balanced by the inside play of Jazimen Gordon (7.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg), Chynna Turner (6.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and Michelle Price (6.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg). 

Creighton (4th, 246 points) is coming off an 18-13 season and their eighth postseason appearance in 10 years, welcoming back two starters and a multitude of newcomers.  Creighton lost three senior starters, but returns three players who started at least 15 games in 2010-11, including the reigning MVC Freshman of the Year Carli Tritz, who ranked in the league’s top-six in steals, assists, field goal percentage and assist/turnover ratio.  Tritz is joined by Sarah Nelson and Ally Jensen, an inside-outside combination to anchor the team with leadership and experience.  DaNae Moore is the lone Bluejay senior on a 12-player roster made up of nine freshmen and sophomores.     

Indiana State (5th, 234 points) returns four starters from a 2010-11 team that finished an even 16-16, after making a run to the State Farm MVC Tournament semifinals, its first appearance since the 2005-06 season.  The Sycamores will be led by senior Shannon Thomas, who led the league in rebounding (13.1 rpg) last season, and was also in the top-10 in blocked shots, field goal percentage and points.  Indiana State is the only league team returning three players who averaged 10.0 or more points last season, including Taylor Whitley (12.1 ppg) and Brittany Schoen (10.6 ppg).  Whitley ranked second in the Valley in assists and fifth in steals, while Schoen led the league in three-pointers (87).  Senior Deja Mattox and sophomore Anna Munn, a member of the 2010-11 all-freshman team, will add to the Sycamore depth this season, as both Mattox (8.8 ppg) and Munn (7.0 ppg) combined to put up nearly 16.0 ppg last season. 

Illinois State (6th, 224 points) brings back just one starter from last year’s squad that made a historic run to their third consecutive WNIT semifinals and completed their first undefeated home regular-season slate in school history (14-0).  Illinois State senior Katie Broadway, a second team all-MVC performer a season ago, will lead the charge for the Redbirds after averaging nearly 12 points per game, including sinking a team-high 66 three-pointers.  Juniors Alexis Jenkins and Candace Sykes add depth and experience to the Redbird backcourt, while Megan Grace and Marley Hall will pose an effective one-two punch on the inside.  Illinois State, a team that won at least 22 games each of the past five seasons, will hit the floor under the reigns of second-year head coach Stephanie Glance, who posted the highest win total for a first-year head coach in MVC history (24-11, tied with Jim Flanery’s 24-9 record in 2002-03).

Drake (7th, 168 points) enters the 2011-12 campaign with a balance of experience and youth, returning four starters from a team that finished an even 15-15 last season.  The Bulldogs return two of their top four scoring threats from a season ago, including senior Rachael Hackbarth, who averaged nearly 15 points and eight rebounds a season ago, ranking in the league’s top-five in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage.  Senior Amber Wollschlager and junior Kayla Person, a pair that will stretch opposing defenses with their deep range threat, round out Drake’s backcourt, while junior Stephanie Running and senior Alex Montgomery will anchor the Bulldogs’ defense on the inside.

Bradley (8th, 162 points) returns four starters and 10 of 11 letterwinners from last year’s squad which posted a 15-16 record in its first season back on campus at the newly built Renaissance Coliseum.  Headlining the returning group is junior guard Katie Yohn, an honorable mention all-MVC selection for the second consecutive year, after averaging 12.4 points per game.  The Braves return 79 percent of the team’s scoring and better than 80 percent of the team’s rebounding, steals and blocks from 2010-11.  Five of BU’s returning players averaged 5.0 points per game or better and the Braves boast two players who pulled down more than six boards per outing in seniors Latasha Hollingshed and MacKenzie Westcott. 

Evansville (9th, 68 points) welcomes back four starters from last season’s squad, including its top three scorers, and will be under the direction of first year head coach Oties Epps.  Leading the Purple Aces’ returning cast is a strong core of upperclassmen, including Briyana Blair (9.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg), Samantha Heck (9.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg), Meagan Collins (8.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg), Jordan Lewis (7.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg), Chelsea Falkenstein (6.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg) and Staci Gillum (4.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg).  The Purple Aces will open the 2011-12 season in the new downtown Ford Center, a $127-million arena with a capacity of 10,316, after closing the doors of Roberts Stadium.

Southern Illinois (10th, 65 points) Southern Illinois welcomes back four starters and seven letterwinners, comprising a roster that includes just two upperclassmen.  The Salukis top returning scorer is junior guard Teri Oliver, who put up 13.0 ppg last season and nailed 71 three-pointers, earning her honorable mention all-Valley status.  Oliver will be joined by senior forward Charnise Mitchell (5.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and sophomore starters Sidney Goins (6.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg), CiCi Shannon (4.7 ppg, 82 blocks) and Brooke LeMar (4.4 ppg, 4.5 apg), to provide versatility and experience.

Preseason voters have correctly selected the conference’s regular-season champion 16 times in 28 seasons, but since the poll was expanded to include sports information directors and media in 1994-95, pollsters have accurately predicted 11 of the 17 champions.  Preseason favorites have played in 20 postseasons, including 14 NCAA Tournaments with one Sweet 16 and one Final Four appearance.