Meet the Valley: 11 Teams to Know

2026-27 MVC Women’s Basketball at a Glance

(St. Louis, Mo) — The first March to the Arch for women’s basketball is underway, with nonconference play tipping off Sunday, Nov. 1. Eleven teams enter the 2026-27 season in the Missouri Valley Conference, led by two-time reigning champs, Murray State. But with new players, new coaches and new opportunities, nothing is guaranteed.

Here is an exclusive look at the 11 teams competing in the Missouri Valley Conference, listed in order of preseason rankings, and what fans can expect as the race for the crown begins.

No. 1 Murray State

Murray State enters the season as the team to beat after claiming back-to-back MVC regular-season and tournament titles. 

The Racers return eight players from last year’s squad, including MVC Player of the Year Halli Poock, MVC Newcomer of the Year Sharnecce Currie-Jelks and Haven Ford. 

Led by head coach Rechelle Turner in her 11th season at Murray State, the team topped the preseason poll with 41 of 44 first-place votes.

On the court, the Racers have lived up to their name since installing a fast-paced, high-scoring offense in the 2023-24 season. Last year, Murray State ranked fifth in the nation with 86 points per game. Yet even after finishing 19-1 in conference last season, Murray State remains hungry for more. 

“We’re the team that everybody wants to beat, so we can’t walk into a gym and take anything for granted, no matter who it is,”  Turner said. 

The Racers hope to raise their scoring average to 90 points per game by creating eight to 12 additional possessions through defensive stops. 

No. 2 Illinois State

Coming off a runner-up finish in the WNIT, Illinois State earned the second-most votes in the preseason poll. 

Head coach Kristen Gillespie returns for her 10th season with the Redbirds, bringing back seven players, including junior guard Trista Fayta and senior forward Nevaeh Thomas, who returns from a season-ending injury. 

The Redbirds also welcome eight newcomers, including junior transfer Chloe Spreen from Indiana University and freshman guard Danyella Mporokoso, the 2026 Gatorade Illinois Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

The Illinois State offense is defined by its depth and versatility, producing skilled scorers in the paint and beyond the arc. This season, Gillespie hopes to push the pace on both ends of the floor.

“We have a ton of versatility. Our posts can all shoot the three; they can put the ball on the floor, which opens up the floor so much for a lot of different things to happen.” Gillespie said.

No. 3 Belmont

Since joining the MVC in 2022, Belmont has established itself as a consistent conference contender. Last season, the Bruins went 16-4 in conference play to finish behind Murray State in the regular-season standings.  

Head coach Bart Brooks brings an experienced group, including fifth-year center KK Brodie and junior guard Quinn Eubank, alongside transfers Kenley McCarnfrom UT Martin, Lauren Rust from Pittsburgh and Katie Criswell from North Alabama.

The Bruins also added two freshmen, with Chelby Jordan stepping into the point guard role.

Belmont has traditionally challenged itself with a demanding nonconference schedule. This season, the program will participate in a scheduling alliance involving the Atlantic 10, Ivy League and American conferences. The “Opening Statement” aims to showcase mid-major talent and boost national exposure for the leagues. 

The Bruins open the season in early November against Princeton and South Florida. 

No. 4 Northern Iowa

Tanya Warren enters her 20th season at Northern Iowa, making her the longest-tenured coach in the MVC with 357 career wins. 

 Senior guard Jenna Twedt returns as the Panthers’ leading scorer after averaging 14.7 points per game last season. Starting forwards Elise Jaeger and Kaylynn Janes also return for their junior seasons. 

Warren also added five freshmen to the roster, including point guard Taylor Franck and forward Callie Oakland, who have shown strong potential in practice.  

UNI placed fourth in the preseason polls after finishing 18-14 (13-7) last season. But beyond winning games and chasing championships, Coach Warren has built a program that is both relational and “transformational.”

“This team seems to be built a little different,”  Warren said. “Their connectedness, their chemistry, their competitiveness, their love for each other, and their will to win all seem to be there…and if we can keep those things, everything else will take care of itself.”

No. 5 Drake

The Drake Bulldogs enter the 2026-27 season hungry, returning 10 veterans, three freshmen and one transfer. Under head coach Allison Pohlman, Drake finished 12-20 last season, going .500 in conference play. 

Peyton McCabe, Mya Crawford and Mylea Monahan all return to the roster after sitting out the 2025-26 season due to injuries. 

“Not only have we gotten healthy, but we were able last year for a lot of people to get a lot of on-court experience,”  Pohlman said. “And now we get to watch that shine through.”

Starting guards Anna Becker and Brooklin Dailey also return as key contributors. In her collegiate debut, Becker averaged 11.2 points per game to earn MVC All-Freshman Team honors last season.

The Bulldogs will continue to showcase their signature style of play, with all five positions capable of playing inside-out. 

No. 6 UIC

Ashleen Bracey enters her fifth year at UIC after leading the Flames to a 14-18 (9-11) finish last season. For the fourth consecutive year, the Flames were voted sixth in the preseason poll. 

Forward Julia Coleman returns as a redshirt junior, averaging 16.1 PPG and 7.4 RPG last season to earn All-MVC Third Team and All-Defensive Team honors.

Point guard TuTu Clayton and center Magdalena Winter also return as key contributors for the Flames.

Nine newcomers join the roster this season, including five transfers and four freshmen. Salma Khedr comes to UIC from Western Kentucky, spending the summer representing Egypt in the FIBA 3v3 Youth Nations League. 

Miyah Brown joins as a redshirt senior after suffering an injury at Bellarmine last season, and IU Indianapolis standout Nevaeh Foster will add further depth to the guard rotation. 

The Flames will continue to utilize a full-court pressure defense while emphasizing discipline in the half-court and pace in transition. 

No. 7 Bradley

Bradley enters a new era under head coach Chaia Meier, a Normal, Illinois, native who arrives after spending two seasons at Marquette as an assistant coach.

The Braves finished 20-13 last season and return seven players, including starting point guard Mya Wardle.

Three transfers and three freshmen also join the squad, including Amani Abuhatab from Mercy University, Carlota Rey Martinez from SWIC and Charia Smith, who played under Meier at Marquette.

Junior guard Inia Jones will make her debut on the court, as she spent the past two seasons recovering from ACL injuries. 

After losing an entire coaching staff as well as several players, Coach Meier hopes to cultivate a program of loyalty and longevity at Bradley University.

“It’s proven that you can win here, but they need somebody to bring stability and sustained success,”  Meier said.

No. 8 Southern Illinois

The Salukis of Southern Illinois-Carbondale return with a chip on their shoulder after finishing 10-20 (7-13) last season. 

Led by fifth-year head coach Kelly Bond-White, the SIU roster contains a mix of returners, transfers and incoming freshmen. 

Senior guards Kayla Cooper, Kynnedi Davis and Tkiyah Nelson return to lead the backcourt, while veterans Mia Gaines and Carmen Morales bring experience in the post.

The Salukis also welcome four true freshmen and five transfers, including Braxcynn Baker from MVC rival Murray State, Raeven Boswell from Pittsburgh, Shakara McCline from DePaul and Fredriecka Wallace from Kansas.

“We might be overlooked, but I’m confident in the product that we’ll be able to put out.”  Bond-White said.

No. 9 Indiana State

Third-year head coach Marc Mitchell brings 13 newcomers to Indiana State this season. After finishing 10-22 (5-15), the Sycamores placed ninth in preseason polls.

The lone returners include Amerie Flowers, Jayci Allen and Allison McGill, who redshirted last season after transferring from Arizona Christian University. 

The remaining group features 12 transfers, seven of which played at a junior college, and one freshman.

Junior college transfers Aaliyah Youngblood, Ashley Singhateh, Eanae Dagons and Saroiya “Cici” Ajomale have stood out as players to watch heading into the season.

The Sycamores struggled to find cohesion last season, but Flowers and Allen have stepped into leadership roles to prepare newcomers for the style and physicality of the MVC.

“We didn’t play like a team last year, but it’s way different now. Everything’s more positive,”  Flowers said. “We just need to focus on discipline and stay together through adversity.”

No. 10 Evansville

Ben Wierzba returns to Evansville as head coach of the Purple Aces after serving as an assistant on the men’s team 15 years ago. 

After finishing 5-15 in conference play, Evansville made a remarkable run in the MVC tournament last March, falling to Murray State in the championship game.

Four veterans remain on the roster, including Kaiden Kreinhagen and Avery Kelley, who returns from a season-ending injury last November.

Wierzba added five freshmen and three transfers, though the team suffered a tragic loss in early September.

On the court, Wierzba sees strong talent and potential in his team. 

“We have a group that can really shoot the ball and score some points, so we just gotta tighten up some things on the defensive end,”  Wierzba said.

No. 11 Valparaiso

Valparaiso continues a rebuilding era under second-year head coach Courtney Boyd.

The Beacons brought back six core players, including Allia von Schlegell, who earned MVC All-Freshman honors last season after averaging 11.2 points and starting 25 games. 

Maci Rhoades and Raeven Raye-Redmond also return after recovering from injuries last season. 

Boyd added five transfers and two true freshmen to the roster, bringing in more skill, size and athleticism to elevate their style of play. 

“I can win and lose with this team, and I truly feel like right now, I can say that, and I don’t think that’s gonna change in February or March,”  Boyd said.

Where to watch

To stream Missouri Valley Conference games, fans can visit ESPN+ or access The Valley on ESPN through the ESPN app. Nonconference streaming options vary by school and opponent, so fans should check individual team schedules for broadcast information.

Click here to view the Valley’s preseason favorites.