ST. LOUIS – The Drake University women's basketball team is picked second in the annual preseason Missouri Valley Conference poll as voted on by the league's coaches, sports information directors and media.
Led by first-year head coach
Allison Pohlman, Drake returns eight letterwinners, including the 2021 MVC Newcomer of the Year,
Grace Berg and the 2021 Sixth Player of the Year,
Maggie Bair along with
Hannah Fuller and Maddie (Monahan) Petersen, who each took advantage of the extra year of eligibility awarded by the NCAA due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Berg and Petersen were each selected to the 2021 All-MVC First Team. Berg is on the 2021 preseason first team.
Preseason favorite, Missouri State, has Bryce Calip and Jasmine Franklin on the all-MVC team with Berg. Calip is picked the preseason player of the year. Rounding out the team is UNI's Karli Rucker rounds out the team.
2021-22 MVC Women's Basketball Preseason Poll Rankings (Points) (First Place Votes)
- Missouri State, 365 (35)
- Drake, 316 (2)
- UNI, 298 (3)
- Illinois State, 268
- Bradley, 209
- Valparaiso, 208
- Loyola, 193
- Southern Illinois, 161
- Indiana State, 102
- Evansville, 83
