ST. LOUIS - Missouri State has been picked to win the Missouri Valley Conference women's soccer crown in 2024 by a vote of head coaches. The Bears earned seven of 11 first-place votes, finishing with 116 points, to edge defending regular-season champion Drake, which received three first-place votes and 109 total points.
 
UIC (3rd, 87 points), UNI (4th, 85 points), Valparaiso (5th, 83 points), and Murray State (6th, 73 points) fill out the remaining top six spots. Belmont (7th, 54 points), Indiana State (8th, 42 points) Evansville (9th, 32 points), Illinois State (10th, 23 points), and Southern Illinois (11th, 22 points) round out the poll.
 
The Bears claimed four of the 11 first-team spots on preseason all-conference squad while UNI and UIC both had two student-athletes make the team.
 
Missouri State head coach Kirk Nelson is returning eight starters including three who earned all-conference honors last year. Camielle Day, who recorded the most shutouts in the MVC last season (10), and Grace O’Keefe, who had the most assists (7), top this group. In 2023, Missouri State led the nation in goals against average (.416) and shutout percentage (.684).
 
The 2024 regular-season campaign begins Thursday, Aug. 15, with 10 of 11 MVC teams in non-conference action.

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