ST. LOUIS, Mo.– The two-time defending MVC champion Drake women’s basketball team will enter the 2024-25 season with more lofty expectation after the league announced its preseason poll and preseason all-conference teams on Tuesday morning. The Drake women were picked to repeat at league champions and landed two individuals on the player awards list including Katie Dinnebier, the Preseason Player of the Year.

The Bulldogs earned 566 total points and got 39 of 48 possible first-place votes. Both UNI (504 points) and Belmont (475 points) rounded out the top three and were the only other programs to garner first-place selections.

The remainder of the poll was made up of Murray State in fourth (391 points), Missouri State in fifth (380 points), UIC in sixth (347 points), Illinois State in seventh (341 points), Valparaiso in eighth (193 points), Indiana State in ninth (189 points), Southern Illinois in 10th (167 points), Bradley in 11th (97 points), and Evansville in 12th (96 points).

Individually, Drake’s all-world tandem of Katie Dinnebier and Anna Miller were both included on the Preseason All-MVC First Team. Dinnebier, the reigning MVC Player of the Year, received the same recognition in this preseason cycle.

The rest of the Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference teams are listed below.

The Bulldogs will start their title defense with a pair of exhibition matchups in late October before tipping off the regular season at North Dakota State on Nov. 4.

PRESEASON POLL RESULTS

1. Drake – 566 (39 first-place votes)
2. UNI – 504 (six first-place votes)
3. Belmont – 475 (three first-place votes)
4. Murray State – 391
5. Missouri State – 380
6. UIC – 347
7. Illinois State – 341
8. Valparaiso – 193
9. Indiana State – 189
10. Southern Illinois – 167
11. Bradley – 97
12. Evansville – 96

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM

Katie Dinnebier              Sr.          Drake

Grace Boffeli                     Sr.           UNI

Maya McDermott            Sr.           UNI

Anna Miller                       Sr.          Drake

Lacy Stokes                       Sr.           Missouri State

Katelyn Young   Gr.          Murray State

PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM

Jailyn Banks                      So.         Belmont

Kendal Cheesman         Sr.           Belmont

Leah Earnest                     5th         Valparaiso

Tuti Jones                           Gr.          Belmont

Keimari Rimmer              Gr.          UIC

Maya Wong                        Gr.          Illinois State