ST. LOUIS, Mo. – After a second place finish and a 14-4 league record last season, the Drake women's basketball team has been selected as the preseason Missouri Valley Conference favorite, as announced at the MVC Basketball Tip Off on Tuesday.
 
Drake earned 34 of a possible 40 first-place votes. Northern Iowa, which claimed the crown a season ago, finished second, and Missouri State rounded out the top three.
 
Evansville will be led this season by first-year head coach Matt Ruffing, who took over near the end of last season. The Aces, who were picked ninth in the poll, also bring back former all-conference guard Sara Dickey, who is on track to become UE's all-time leading scorer as well as Sasha Robinson, who currently ranks eighth on UE's all-time rebounding list.
 
The MVC preseason team featured four all-conference first-teamers from the end of last season, including Player of the Year Lizzy Wendell and Caitlin Ingle from Drake. SIU's Rishonda Napier and UNI's Madison Weekly also made the final squad last season, and Rangie Bessard, who won Newcomer of the Year last season with Wichita State, rounds out the team.
 
The season will start for the Aces on Nov. 12 when Cleveland State pays a visit to the Ford Center.
 
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