NORMAL, Ill. – Fifth-year senior Ashley Santos and junior Michaela Kirschten were named preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference as the Illinois State soccer program was picked to finish second in the MVC, as revealed by the conference's poll conducted of the league's coaches.
The Redbirds, which finished tied for fourth in the spring 2021 campaign, received 70 points in the poll while reigning MVC Tournament and regular season champions Loyola Chicago earned 80 points and eight of the nine first place votes.
Illinois State is coming off a 4-7-1 spring 2021 campaign in which five players earned All-MVC accolades.