ST. LOUIS – Missouri State women’s basketball guard Lacy Stokes has been named to the Preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference first team, the league announced today (Oct. 1).
This year’s annual survey of the league’s coaches, sports information directors and media members selected five first-team and six second-team members, with Drake’s Katie Dinnebier named the Preseason Player of the Year.
Last year, Stokes became the first Lady Bear to take home MVC Newcomer of the Year since Tia Mays in 2011 after racking up nine MVC Newcomer of the Week awards during the season, which tied the league’s single-season record. She was also named to the All-MVC Second Team, MVC All-Defensive Team, MVC All-Newcomer Team and the MVC All-Tournament Team in her first season with the Lady Bears.
The Mount Vernon, Mo., native started all 33 games for Missouri State last season and averaged 12.8 points, 4.6 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game. She ranked second in The Valley in assists and steals per game and third in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0).
As a team, Missouri State was picked to finish fifth in the league this season with 380 points. This marks the 10th consecutive season the Lady Bears have been voted to finish in the top half of the league standings.
Reigning champion Drake was selected as the preseason favorite with 39 first-place votes (566 points), followed by UNI with six first-place votes (504 points) and Belmont with three first-place votes (475 points). Murray State was picked to finish fourth (391 points), just ahead of Missouri State to round out the top five. The remainder of the poll features UIC in sixth, Illinois State in seventh, Valparaiso in eighth, Indiana State in ninth, Southern Illinois in 10th, Bradley in 11th and Evansville in 12th.
Head coach Beth Cunningham enters her third season at the helm of the Lady Bear program after leading Missouri State to a 23-10 season and a third-place finish in the MVC with a 15-5 conference record. The Lady Bears also earned a bid into the inaugural Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament, marking the program’s seventh consecutive 20-win season and ninth straight postseason appearance.
MSU returns six players from a season ago while adding a group of eight newcomers that is comprised of six transfers and two freshmen.
The Lady Bears will host an exhibition on Mon., Nov. 4 against Missouri S&T, before officially kicking off the 2024-25 regular season against Tulsa on Sun., Nov. 10 at Great Southern Bank Arena.
Season tickets are on sale now by calling (417) 836-8899 or visiting MissouriStateBears.com.
MVC Preseason Poll
Drake (39) 566
UNI (6) 504
Belmont (3) 475
Murray State 391
Missouri State 380
UIC 347
Illinois State 341
Valparaiso 193
Indiana State 189
Southern Illinois 167
Bradley 97
Evansville 96
Preseason All-MVC First Team
Katie Dinnebier, Drake*
Grace Boffeli, UNI
Maya McDermott, UNI
Anna Miller, Drake
Lacy Stokes, Missouri State
Katelyn Young, Murray State
*Preseason Player of the Year
Preseason All-MVC Second Team
Jailyn Banks, Belmont
Kendal Cheesman, Belmont
Leah Earnest, Valparaiso
Tuti Jones, Belmont
Keimari Rimmer, UIC
Maya Wong, Illinois State
