INDIANAPOLIS – Drury University was voted in the preseason coaches’ poll as the choice to win the 2023 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) women’s basketball championship, the league office announced on Thursday.
The preseason poll is determined by the league’s head coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own team.
No. 1 Drury
- Received 12 first-place votes and 144 total points.
- Earned GLVC West Division title and won sixth-straight and GLVC-record ninth Championship Tournament title this past season as second seed.
- Advanced to second round of NCAA Midwest Regional.
- Coached by Amy Eagan, who enters her third season after a 32-5 overall and 17-3 GLVC record in 2021-22.
- Return First Team All-GLVC selection Alana Findley, Second Team selections Kaylee DaMitz, and Third Team selection Terrion Moore.
No. 2 Truman State
- Received 126 total points.
- Earned berth to GLVC Championship Tournament this past year as No. 4 seed.
- Coached by Theo Dean, who enters his fourth season after an 18-11 overall and 13-6 GLVC record in 2021-22.
- Return unanimous First All-GLVC selections Hannah Belanger and Ellie Weltha.
No. 3 Missouri-St. Louis
- Received one first-place vote and 120 total points.
- Earned GLVC Central Division title and advanced to Championship Tournament semifinal this past season as 3-seed
- Garnered berth in NCAA Midwest Regional.
- Coached by reigning GLVC Coach of the Year, Katie Vaughn, who enters her 11th season as the winningest coach in program history after a 23-6 overall and 17-3 GLVC record in 2021-22.
- Return GLVC Freshman of the Year, Mallory Ronshausen, and fellow All-Freshman Team selection Jalysa Stokes, as well as First Team All-GLVC selection Kiara Stewart.
No. 4 Lewis
- Received 110 total points.
- Finished runner-up at GLVC Championship Tournament last season as fifth seed.
- Coached by Keisha Newell, who enters her first season and inherits a team that went 16-15 overall and 11-8 in GLVC in 2021-22.
- Return First Team All-GLVC selection Grace Hilber, Second Team selection Kathryn Schmidt, and Third Team selection Taylor Gugliuzza.
Rounding out the poll respectively in fifth through 13th was Rockhurst University (87 points), University of Indianapolis (83), Missouri S&T (75), University of Illinois Springfield (64), Maryville University (64), Southwest Baptist University (54), Quincy University (38), McKendree University (25), and William Jewell College (24).
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
| Place |
School |
Points (1st-Place Votes) |
| 1. |
Drury |
144 (12) |
| 2. |
Truman State |
126 |
| 3. |
Missouri-St. Louis |
120 (1) |
| 4. |
Lewis |
110 |
| 5. |
Rockhurst |
87 |
| 6. |
Indianapolis |
83 |
| 7. |
Missouri S&T |
75 |
| 8. |
Illinois Springfield |
64 |
| |
Maryville |
64 |
| 10. |
Southwest Baptist |
54 |
| 11. |
Quincy |
38 |
| 12. |
McKendree |
25 |
| 13. |
William Jewell |
24 |