ST. LOUIS – The Illinois State women's basketball team was pegged for a fifth-place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll, the conference announced Thursday. Drake was picked to win the league in the annual survey of the league's coaches, sports information directors and media.
Kristen Gillespie enters her second year at the helm after guiding the Redbirds to a 14-16 overall finish and 8-10 record in the Valley in 2017-18. The Redbirds return four players that started a majority of the team's games a year ago in seniors Katrina Beck and Viria Livingston, junior Megan Talbot and sophomore Paige Saylor.