Shafford, Raley and Webb named to OVC Players to Watch List
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball is projected to place first in the Ohio Valley Conference in a vote submitted by the league’s head coaches and communication directors.
USI heads into its third season in the Ohio Valley Conference after capturing its first-ever OVC regular-season and tournament championships in 2023-24. The Screaming Eagles went 25-7 overall and 17-1 in the OVC last season, leading to a first-ever berth and second-round appearance in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
The 11-team OVC will feature a schedule with each team playing each other twice in a home-and-home split for a 20-game schedule. The conference schedule will occur from December 19, 2024, through March 1, 2025. The conference’s season concludes with the OVC Basketball Championship Tournament at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana March 5-8, 2025.
Southern Indiana topped the OVC preseason poll with 200 points and 20 first-place votes. The University of Tennessee at Martin was picked second with 180 points and two first-place votes. Eastern Illinois received a third-place projection with 145 points.
Tennessee Tech University was picked fourth with 140 points, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock was selected fifth with 135 points. Western Illinois University was sixth with 119 points in front of Lindenwood University with 81 points. Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Morehead State University tied for eighth with 61 points. Tennessee State University and Southeast Missouri State University rounded out the poll with 59 and 29 points, respectively.
As part of the OVC’s preseason announcement, Southern Indiana was represented by three players on the 2024-25 OVC Players to Watch List. Fifth-year senior forwards Meredith Raley and Madi Webb and senior guard Vanessa Shafford were named following all-conference selections last season.
Shafford was named All-OVC First Team last season after leading USI in several categories, including points (13.6), rebounds (7.7), and minutes (30.0) per game while starting all 32 games. Shafford had a team-best 46 steals and shot 45.6 percent (161-353) overall, 81 percent (47-58) at the free-throw line, and 38.3 percent (67-175) from three. The guard ranked first in the OVC in three-point percentage (40.2) in conference play and ranked top 10 in the OVC in overall scoring and rebounding. Shafford also collected seven doubles-doubles a year ago.
Raley was also an All-OVC first-team selection in 2023-24 after posting a team second-best 12.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest. Raley averaged 24.3 minutes per game and started all 31 games she appeared in. The forward was third on the squad in field goal percentage at 47.7 percent (125-262) and three-point percentage at 36.8 percent (32-87). Raley ranked top 10 in the OVC in rebounding and free-throw percentage. Raley also had four double-doubles during the season. Raley finished the 2023-24 campaign being selected to the OVC All-Tournament Team and named Tournament MVP after totaling 30 points on 11-20 shooting and 15 rebounds in two games played during USI’s run to the OVC Tournament championship title.
Webb earned All-OVC second-team honors in her first season with USI. Webb started all 31 games she appeared in, averaging a career-best 24.8 minutes, 10.8 points, and 4.8 rebounds. Webb was third on the squad in scoring and rebounding and second in field goal percentage at 49.7 percent (148-298). Webb picked up two doubles-doubles last season. Webb was selected to the OVC All-Tournament Team after totaling 26 points on 46 percent shooting with three rebounds and five assists in two games played during USI’s run to the OVC Tournament championship.
The 2024-25 USI Women’s Basketball squad features 10 returning players, including four majority starters, and two newcomers. USI Head Coach Rick Stein begins his 26th season at the helm with a 448-261 record. Stein was named OVC Coach of the Year following USI’s championship run.
USI gets the 2024-25 season rolling on November 4 at 6 p.m. against Brescia University (Ky.) from Screaming Eagles Arena. Southern Indiana will have three major conference opponents during the non-conference slate, including road games against the University of Louisville (November 8), Indiana University (December 4), and the University of Illinois (December 15). USI will also renew an old rivalry by hosting Northern Kentucky University on November 23. The Screaming Eagles will open conference play December 19 against Tennessee State State at Screaming Eagles Arena.
2024-25 OVC Women’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish
(as voted on by the league’s head coaches and communication directors)
1. Southern Indiana (20 first-place votes) – 200 points
2. UT Martin (2 first-place votes) – 180
3. Eastern Illinois – 145
4. Tennessee Tech – 140
5. Little Rock – 135
6. Western Illinois – 119
7. Lindenwood – 81
8. SIUE – 61
Morehead State – 61
10. Tennessee State – 59
11. Southeast Missouri – 29
2024-25 OVC Preseason Players to Watch List
Macy McGlone, Eastern Illinois
Lalani Ellis, Eastern Illinois
Ellie Brueggemann, Lindenwood
Brooke Coffey, Lindenwood
Jayla Brooks, Little Rock
Faith Lee, Little Rock
Kate Novik, Morehead State
Aileen Marquez, Morehead State
KK Rodriguez, SIUE
Macy Silvey, SIUE
Indiya Bowen, Southeast Missouri
Zoe Best, Southeast Missouri
Meredith Raley, Southern Indiana
Vanessa Shafford, Southern Indiana
Madi Webb, Southern Indiana
Sanaa’ St. Andre, Tennessee State
XaiOnna Whitfield, Tennessee State
Reghan Grimes, Tennessee Tech
Peyton Carter, Tennessee Tech
Anaya Brown, UT Martin
Kenley McCarn, UT Martin
Raegan McCowan, Western Illinois
Addi Brownfield, Western Illinois
