INDIANAPOLIS – Lewis University was voted in the preseason coaches’ poll as the choice to win the 2025 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) women’s basketball championship, the league office announced on Tuesday.
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 Lewis
- Received nine first-place votes and 190 total points.
- Earned GLVC Regular Season crown and won sixth Championship Tournament title last season as No. 1 seed
- Garnered berth to NCAA Midwest Regional last year.
- Coached by Keisha Newell, who enters her third season after a 23-9 overall and 19-3 GLVC record in 2023-24.
- Return Second Team All-GLVC selections Taylor Gugliuzza and Jenna Badali.
No. 2 Drury
- Received five first-place votes and 183 total points.
- Finished runner-up at GLVC Championship Tournament this past season as third seed.
- Earned a spot in the NCAA Midwest Regional last year.
- Coached by Kaci Bailey, who enters her second campaign after a 25-7 overall and 18-4 in GLVC in 2023-24.
- Return First Team All-GLVC selection Caitlynn Daniels and Third Team All-GLVC selection Anna Hitt.
No. 3 McKendree
- Received one first-place vote and 158 total points.
- Earned birth to GLVC Championship Tournament this past year as No. 2 seed.
- Coached by reigning Chuck Mallender GLVC Coach of the Year Kari Kerkhoff, who enters her 10th season after a 20-9 overall and 16-6 GLVC record in 2023-24.
- Return First Team All-GLVC selection, Clare Breden.
No. 4 Maryville
- Received 140 total points.
- Advanced to GLVC Championship Tournament semifinals last season as fourth seed.
- Coached by Brita Hand, who enters her third campaign after a 19-11 overall and 15-7 GLVC record in 2023-24.
Rounding out the poll respectively in fifth through 15th was Upper Iowa University (130 points), Rockhurst University (128), University of Missouri-St. Louis (109), Quincy University (109), University of Indianapolis (105), University of Illinois Springfield (80), Truman State University (75), Missouri S&T (70) Southwest Baptist University (47), Lincoln University (26), and William Jewell College (25).
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
| Place |
School |
Points (1st-place votes) |
| 1. |
Lewis |
190 (9) |
| 2. |
Drury |
183 (5) |
| 3. |
McKendree |
158 (1) |
| 4. |
Maryville |
140 |
| 5. |
Upper Iowa |
130 |
| 6. |
Rockhurst |
128 |
| 7. |
Missouri-St. Louis |
109 |
|
Quincy |
109 |
| 9. |
Indianapolis |
105 |
| 10. |
Illinois Springfield |
80 |
11.
12. |
Truman State
Missouri S&T |
75
70 |
| 13. |
Southwest Baptist |
47 |
| 14. |
Lincoln |
26 |
| 15. |
William Jewell |
25 |