INDIANAPOLIS – Maryville was voted first in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) women’s basketball preseason coaches’ poll presented by Primo Designs, the conference office announced Friday.
The preseason poll is selected by the league’s head coaches, who, per GLVC Bylaws, are not permitted to vote for their own team.
No. 1 Maryville
- Received six first-place votes and 186 total points.
- Claimed second GLVC Championship title and qualified for the NCAA DII Tournament for the second time in program history last year.
- Head coach Brita Hand enters her fifth season at the helm after notching a 25-7 overall and 16-4 GLVC record last year.
- Return trio of All-GLVC performers: Lindsey Schadewalt (First Team), Gracie Gopalan (Second Team/All-Newcomer), and Claire Lueken (All-Freshman).
No. 2 Missouri-St. Louis
- Received six first-place votes and 183 total points.
- Finished second in the GLVC Tournament and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
- Reigning GLVC Coach of the Year Katie Vaughn enters her 15th season with the program after recording a 25-6 overall and 18-2 GLVC record in 2025-26.
- Return D2 CCA Second Team All-American Mara Rieder and GLVC Freshman of the Year Jayden Kuper.
No. 3 Drury
- Received two first-place votes and 171 total points.
- Finished last season 21-8 overall and 17-3 in conference play, advancing to the GLVC Tournament semifinals as the No. 3 seed.
- Head coach Kaci Bailey enters her fourth season with the Panthers.
- Return D2 CCA All-Region Second Team and All-GLVC First Team selection Sara Mendel, along with All-GLVC honorees Rhi Gibbons (First Team) and Kaylee King (Second Team).
No. 4 McKendree
- Received 141 total points.
- Finished 18-9 overall and 15-5 in GLVC competition last season, qualifying for the GLVC Tournament as the No. 4 seed.
- Head coach Kari Kerkhoff enters her 12th season with the program.
- Return D2 CCA All-Region Second Team and All-GLVC First Team honoree Baylie Parks.
The complete poll and voting results can be found below.
2026 GLVC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PRESEASON POLL
| Place |
School |
Points (first-place votes) |
| 1. |
Maryville |
186 (6) |
| 2. |
Missouri-St. Louis |
183 (6) |
| 3. |
Drury |
171 (2) |
| 4. |
McKendree |
141 |
| T-5. |
Lewis |
130 |
| T-5. |
Truman |
130 |
| 7. |
Quincy |
114 |
| 8. |
Upper Iowa |
107 |
| 9. |
Illinois Springfield |
98 |
| 10. |
Missouri S&T |
90 (1) |
| 11. |
Southwest Baptist |
60 |
| 12. |
Indianapolis |
54 |
| 13. |
Rockhurst |
50 |
| 14. |
Lincoln |
37 |
| 15. |
William Jewell |
23 |