[MISSOURI VALLEY WOMEN] Defending regular-season and tournament champ Creighton has been picked by league coaches to win the 2011 Missouri Valley women’stitle.
The Bluejays return nine starters, including their top four scorers and 2010 MVC Player of the Year Brittney Neumann, from last year’s teamwhich led the MVC and ranked ninth in the NCAA in scoring (2.38 goals per game).
Illinois State, which narrowly edged Missouri State for second place in this year’s pre-seasonpredictions, is led by a pair of returning first-team all-conference selections in defender Natalie McCabe and midfielder JessCarlson.
2011 Missouri Valley Women’s Poll
Team (Points)
1. Creighton 45
2. IllinoisState 39
3. Missouri State 38
4. Indiana State 24
5. Drake 21
6. Evansville 15
7. Northern Iowa 14
2011 Missouri Valley Women’sPreseason Team
GK Jessica Teahan, Missouri State, Sr., Lenexa, Kan. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
D Megan Fisher, So., Ankeny, Iowa (Ankeny)
D Natalie McCabe, Illinois State, Sr.,London, Ontario (A.B. Lucas Secondary School)
D Nia Williams, Missouri State, Jr., Roeland Park, Kan. (St. James Academy)
MF Jessica Carlson, Illinois State, Sr., Darien, Ill. (HinsdaleSouth)
MF Alison Gasparovich, Indiana State, Sr., Overland Park, Kan. (St. Thomas Aquinas)
MF Laura Moklestad, Drake, Jr., Des Moines, Iowa (Roosevelt)
F Breanna Beine, Evansville,So., St. Peters, Mo. (Francis Howell Central)
F Lauren Cingoranelli, Creighton, So., Aurora, Colo. (Grandview)
F Brittney Neumann, Creighton, Jr., Omaha, Neb. (Millard North)
FAndrea Zuniga, Creighton, Sr., Omaha, Neb. (Nebraska) (Burke)
Honorable Mention
GK Alicia Montgomery, Creighton, Sr., Walnut Creek, Calif.(Carondelet)
D Sam Copley, UNI, So., Woodward, Iowa (Dallas Center-Grimes)
D/M Erin Gunther, Creighton, Sr., Longmont, Colo. (Silver Creek)
D Allie Newsom, Illinois State, So.,Manteno, Ill. (Manteno High)
MF Sam Conrad, Evansville, Sr., Gilbert, Ariz. (Gilbert High)
MF Grace Cross, Missouri State, Jr., Lee’s Summit, Mo. (Lee’s Summit North High)
MF Seyma Erenli, Indiana State, Sr., Melbourne, Australia (Royal Melbourne Inst. of Tech.)
MF Kiki McClellan, UNI, Jr., Aurora, Ill. (Waubonsie Valley)
F Macy Mauer, Creighton, Sr.Woodbury, Minn. (Woodbury)