After a sixth place finish a year ago, the University of Evansville women’s basketball team was selected eighth in the 2017-18 Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll, it was announced in a release by the conference on Tuesday.
The poll, which is voted on by league’s coaches, sports information directors and local media members, tabbed reigning MVC champion Drake as the favorite to repeat as conference champions. The Bulldogs received 31 first-place votes, while Missouri State was picked second and received seven first-place votes, and UNI received the final two first-place votes and was selected third.
Evansville received 132 points in the poll, just seven off of seventh-place Illinois State. The Aces return a pair of starters this season in senior guard Brooke Dossett and junior guard Kerri Gasper. Head Coach Matt Ruffing’s squad will look to replace 66% of its scoring from last season following the graduation of all-time leading scorer Sara Dickey, 2017 MVC Defensive Player of the Year Camary Williams, and the team’s second-leading rebounder in Sasha Robinson. Entering the fold for the Aces are six newcomers, including one graduate transfer, three junior college transfers, and a true freshman.
The 2017-18 MVC Preseason All-Conference team features five all-MVC first team selections from last season. Missouri State senior Liza Fruendt was picked as MVC Preseason Player of the Year, while the Drake duo of Becca Hittner and Sammie Bachrodt each earned preseason all-conference honors. UNI junior Ellie Howell and SIU senior Kylie Giebelhausen rounded out the MVC Preseason All-Conference team.
Evansville opens its season on November 12 at 3 p.m. at Meeks Family Fieldhouse when the Aces welcome in Murray State.
