The Bradley Scout presents our first edition of weekly power rankings for women’s basketball. Contributors Cristina Solano and Ethan Diamond will rank the 12 teams in the Missouri Valley Conference based on numerous factors, including team performance and the quality of opponents. For week one, the baseline is our preseason rankings.
- Drake (2-1)
Preseason ranking: 1
Latest result: 80-72 loss at Creighton
Next matchup: Iowa
The defending Missouri Valley Conference champions have opened their season strong, winning two of their first three games and the only loss coming on the road against a ranked Creighton. Preseason All-MVC First-Team player Anna Miller has led the way for the Bulldogs. If last year’s MVC Player of the Year, Katie Dinnebier, can get going, Drake will be a severe threat to upset Iowa and Iowa State in the coming weeks.
- Belmont (1-1)
Preseason ranking: 2
Latest result: 75-55 win at Wichita State
Next matchup: Kennesaw State
The Bruins have split their first two games this season, opening up with a loss against Kansas State, which is ranked 10 in the AP poll; however, this does not affect them. Junior Emily La Chapell has played well in both competitions alongside sophomore Jailyn Banks. With the momentum and energy that these two players show on the court, it can be a steady road up for Belmont.
- Northern Iowa (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 3
Latest result: 71-56 win at Green Bay
Next matchup: Ball State
The Panthers have started their season strong, controlling games against UW-La Crosse and Green Bay. The preseason All-MVC First-Team duo of Grace Boffeli and Maya McDermott have shown that Northern Iowa can threaten to win the conference this year. Following their home matchup against Ball State on Saturday, the Panthers will play four straight games against Power 4 opponents, getting the ability to test their strength against some of the nation’s best teams.
- Missouri State (2-0)
Preseason ranking: 4
Latest result: 82-77 win at Wichita State
Next matchup: UT Martin
After suffering heartbreak in the MVC championship game last year, the Bears have started the year strong with close wins against Tulsa and Wichita State. Like Northern Iowa, the Bears will also get a chance to play multiple Power 4 opponents in the coming weeks, allowing the squad to face tougher competition before beginning conference play.
- Illinois State (1-1)
Preseason ranking: 7
Latest result: 78-71 loss at Saint Louis
Next matchup: Le Moyne
The Redbirds jumped slightly from our preseason rankings, entering the top five after defeating Northwestern and barely letting their game against Saint Louis slip away. Illinois State was conference champions in 2022 and regular season champions in 2023 but had a heavily reloaded roster coming into this season. Sophomores Shannon Dowell, Neveah Thomas and senior preseason All-MVC Second-Team player Maya Wong have helped the Redbirds get off to a strong start in the 2024-25 season.
- Murray State (1-1)
Preseason ranking: 5
Latest result: 82-75 loss versus Southern Indiana
Next matchup: LSU
The Racers also started their season off strong with a blowout win over SIUE before losing at home to Southern Indiana. It doesn’t get much easier for them as their next matchup will be on the road at seventh-ranked LSU, who won the NCAA Women’s National Championship just two years ago. If the Racers want any chance at pulling off the upset, they’ll have to lean on top performers Katelyn Young, Ava Learn and Haven Ford, who have all averaged over 15 points per game this season.
- Bradley (1-1)
Preseason ranking: 8
Latest result: 64-56 loss at Lindenwood
Next matchup: Central Michigan
The Braves kicked off their season with a victory at home against St. Francis, scoring over double the points the Saints had. While they may have fallen to Lindenwood, the Braves are still in the works of figuring out their footing with nine new additions to the team alongside last season’s star player, Kaylen Nelson, coming off a torn ACL. As the team becomes more familiar with one another’s playing styles and Nelson gets back into the groove, the Braves can climb higher.
- Indiana State (1-2)
Preseason ranking: 9
Latest result: 68-51 win at Wright State
Next matchup: Austin Peay
The Sycamores haven’t had the best start to the season with a two-game losing streak; however, they were quick to redeem themselves by capturing a victory over Wright State. Keslyn Secrist has started strong this season, leading the Sycamores in nearly every category. While they’ve had significant changes to the roster, they still have a chance to redeem themselves and improve throughout the season.
- UIC (0-2)
Preseason ranking: 10
Latest result: 74-71 loss versus Green Bay
Next matchup: Wisconsin
The Flames have had a rough start to the season, with two close losses. The team has struggled with consistent shooting and defensive lapses, leading to struggles in close games to Green Bay, which had a seven-point lead entering the fourth quarter. While the Flames have demonstrated flashes of potential with players such as forward Rachel McClure and guard Asia Thigpen, improved team cohesion and more consistent execution will be necessary to move higher in the standings.
- Valparaiso
Preseason ranking: 11
Latest result: 81-40 win versus Trinity (IL)
Next matchup: Milwaukee
The Beacons’ season is off to a rough start, with losses against Liberty and Purdue-Fort Wayne before they picked up a win against NAIA opponent Trinity. The young group, led by preseason All-MVC Second-Teamer Leah Earnest, still has a lot of development to do if they want to climb further up the rankings.
- Evansville (1-1)
Preseason ranking: 12
Latest result: 65-63 win versus Wright State
Next matchup: SEMO
The Aces have had a split-game season so far, opening up the season with a loss against IUPUI in which the Jaguars hit triple digits. However, they were able to redeem themselves against Wright State in a close victory. The team has struggled with offensive consistency and defensive lapses. While they may have had some stand-out players and great competitive moments, there needs to be more offensive consistency for the Aces to have a successful season.
- Southern Illinois (0-3)
Preseason ranking: 6
Latest result: 79-66 loss versus UL-Monroe
Next matchup: IU Indy
The Salukis had the roughest start to the season out of all teams in the MVC. They’ve been on a three-game losing streak, demonstrating difficulty keeping up offensively and playing strong defense against their opponents. Expectations may have been too high in comparison to the roster turnover the team experienced. Hopefully, the team can pick themselves up for a better season.
