ST. LOUIS – Missouri State collected nine of ten first-place votes as the program was tabbed as the favorite to take home the Missouri Valley Conference women’s swimming and diving title during the 2022-23 season.

Missouri State, led by 13^th-year head coach Dave Collins, closed out the 2021-22 season in style, winning its sixth-straight MVC Championship with a dominant 889.5-point performance. Overall, the Bears have won 18 of the last 20 MVC titles. Overall, Missouri State had 13 First-Team All-MVC honorees and seven honorable mention selections. In the MVC Championship last year, the Bears won 15 of the 20 total events, including all five relay events and decimated nine conference records over the course of the four-day meet.

Ranking in second is Illinois State who is led by fourth year head coach, Caitlin Hamilton. In the 2021-22 season, the Redbirds recorded their best team finish since the 2013-14 season, taking home second place at the 2022 MVC Championships. Eve Reyes was recognized as The Valley's Freshman Diver of the Year after winning the 1-meter dive and taking third in the 3-meter dive during last year’s MVC Championship, earning MVC First Team honors in both events.

The Salukis are led by fifth-year head coach Geoff Hansen, and 2022 Freshman Swimmer of the Year, Celia Pulido. Pulido, along with Jules Atkinson and Sierra Forbord were named to the All-MVC team, and eleven others named honorable mentions. Southern Illinois returns with plenty of experience for the 2022-23 season as they place third in the preseason poll.  

Coming in fourth is Marshall with 71 points in the preseason votes. The Thundering Herd is coached by Ian Walsh and will enter his fifth season as the head coach at Marshall University for the 2022-2023 season. Marshall, in its first year as an affiliate member of The Valley, is also full of experience with 28 returners on their roster. 
 
Indiana State follows behind with 66 points and the final first place vote. The Sycamores are led by fifth-year head coach Josh Christensen and many experienced returners, including Marni Gray. Gray paced Indiana State with a pair of All-Conference nods in the 100-yard and 200-yard butterfly events, while Alexa Szadorski , Emily Webb, and Madie Rutan as claimed MVC Honors. Five Sycamores were honored on the MVC Honorable Mention squad.

The Northern Iowa Panthers were picked sixth entering the season. Nick Lakin leads the team in his sixth season. The UNI swimming and diving team wrapped up their 2021-22 season with six athletes on the All-MVC honorable mention squad, Amber Finke won the recipient of the Elite 17 Award, Taylor Hogan received Diver of the Year and Diving Coach Bethany Hovland received the Diving Coach of the Year Award
 
UIC starts its first season with the MVC under first year head coach Ashley Dell. UIC tallied up 42 points in the preseason poll. The Flames also come into the 2022-23 season with plenty of experience with 18 returners to the program. 

Little Rock totaled 31 points in the voting and will head into the year under the leadership of 14^th year head coach Amy Burgess. Little Rock swimming closed out the 2022 Missouri Valley Conference Championships with two more podium appearances, a new school record, and an impressive seven All-MVC honorees.

Evansville came in ninth with 25 points and is led by fourth-year head coach Stuart Wilson. Overall, Evansville produced one first team all-MVC performer in junior Maya Cunningham and eight honorable mention all-MVC competitors at the 2022 MVC Championships. 
 
Valparaiso rounds out the poll with 12 points in the voting. Head coach Maggie Kroemer enters her fourth year with the program this winter.

UNI will host the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference Championships February 15-18 in Iowa City, Iowa.